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Several faces from television, a soccer icon, a standup comedian, as well as community champions were honoured Wednesday at the 18th annual Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards.<\/p>\n
The award winners, chosen after an extensive nomination and judging process, celebrate immigrant success stories from coast to coast to coast, shining a spotlight on immigrants who contribute to Canada\u2019s economy, innovation, arts and communities.<\/p>\n
Among the recipients is TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey, who recalled that since coming to Canada from Barbados at the age of seven, he has never stopped feeling like an immigrant.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s a strength,\u201d he tells OMNI News. \u201cI didn\u2019t always think that. For a long time I felt like an outsider, I felt like I had to learn this new place like many immigrants do. There were some things I didn\u2019t understand and I was subject to some discrimination. But now I\u2019ve come to see that being from somewhere else, that having multiple cultures that I feel a part of, that feeling of being at home in the whole world and being able to do that in Canada is a real power.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shivani Dhamija was honoured with this year\u2019s Entrepreneur Award. She came from India and settled in Halifax in 2011, and built Shivani\u2019s Kitchen, a food manufacturing business from scratch that now totals more than $1.5 million in sales, earning her the title as the \u201cSpice Queen of Atlantic Canada.\u201d She pointed out the many challenges she faced as a newcomer and she urged young people questioning their wisdom about coming to a new country to face those challenges head on.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve already solved one problem by coming to a different country,\u201d she explained. \u201cWhen we come from a different country, we have a lot of questions within us because it\u2019s a different environment, we\u2019re not sure, we don\u2019t want to offend other people, so I always tell other people that you need to give up that shyness and go and ask the questions \u2026no questions is a silly question.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rogers Sportsnet broadcaster and fashion designer Hazel Mae, who immigrated from the Philippines, was also among those honoured along with former professional soccer player and coach Carl Valentine.<\/p>\n
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