Filipino Identities in the Canadian Diaspora

S. Torreswith

D. Spitzer and A. Beboso, A. Calzado, C. Bernardino, N. Berkes & J. Pallard

University of Ottawa, CANADASeptember 13, 2011

Metropolis International Conference, Azores, Portugal

Acknowledgements

Support for this project provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities

Research Council (SSHRC)

With assistance from:

LINGAP Institute, Changing Together…A Centre for Immigrant Women,

Carleton University Filipino Student Association

National Advisory Committee and Monina Febria

We wish to extend our gratitude to all of the women, men and children

who shared their stories with us

Filipino Identities in the Canadian Diaspora

A diaspora (from Greek διασπορά, "scattering, dispersion")[1] is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland"[2] or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location",[3] or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".[2]

Source WIKIPEDIA : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaspora

Canada’s Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP)LCP 1992

Primarily from the Philippines University-educated

CharacteristicsWork/Live with employersEducation & training24 months out of 48 months

Incentives after completion of LCPEligible to apply for Permanent Residency Eligible to bring families to Canada

Employers and workersDemonstrate need

Children, elderly, infirmUnable to locate Canadian to fill position

Offer of employmentBrokered by governmentLockable private room

Workers and nationalityOver sixty thousand women and men came to Canada

between 1996 and 2000 Philippines (91%); Women (95%)

Family ReunificationIn Philippines, an estimated 9 million children are

growing up with at least one migrant parent

Prolonged and often indeterminate separation between parents and children

Sponsorship through the LCP since 1995

Transnational family separation and reunification is a relatively new development in Canadian society

Study objectives Examine the impact of separation on the families of former live-in caregivers from

the Philippines now residing in Ottawa and Edmonton, Canada

Explore how family members renegotiate gender, parental, familial, and marital roles

Situate the experiences of informants in the context of gender, globalization, identity, socioeconomic status, and the local host community

Illuminate the impact of these phenomena on the health and well being of former live-in caregivers and their family members

Identify supportive individual, familial and/or community coping or adaptive strategies as well as ways for governmental and non-governmental agencies to support these efforts; and

Consider the implications of these findings for Canadian immigration and labour policy and society

The study Sample

Women who completed the LCP (N=28)

Children of women who completed the LCP (N=14)

Spouses of women who completed the LCP (N=9)

Sites Edmonton (Canada) , Ottawa (Canada)

MethodsQualitative in-depth interviews – completedPhoto-voice project – in progressSurvey (demographic information)

(this is potentially condescending, why not, “Still Filipinos” or something like that?)

Preliminary Findings Happy people

That’s what we are always trying to tell them. That they must keep ah, customs and traditions that they, that they, you know, used to follow. Like things, even they are here in Canada already because they still, they are still Filipinos. Yeah, and their nationality is, you know, they are very happy with, you know. The, the good traits of the Filipinos. Gladiz

Preliminary Findings

Parenting is stricter in the Philippines than in Canada

Well in the Philippines you’re really more strict to your children. There’s rules. But when it comes in Canada there are more, there are more freedoms here. So and then especially the children. So it’s really hard. But even the parenting now, although they are already matured I’m still talking to them the good values. The values that what we had back home. So that’s it because wherever, wherever we go the values that what we had back home, it must goes on. Rosita

Preliminary Findings Asking permission…Well, of course it's different, husband and wife challenges,

yeah, well, I guess, we don't have complete independence!... You have to have permission to, you know, well, we're in the traditional Filipino way but, they he knows where I go and, he knows where I go and, if we go together and, that sort of thing right. We're not like, independent adults, we're as one. That's kind of hard, because, you know, I've been here for more than him and I have lived my life independently for some years, and all of a sudden,... we're... like, what's wrong... like, can't say something so like, that comes with the... of having a husband! Ramona

Discussion

Filipinos, especially the youth, have not solidified their identity before coming to Canada, so upon arrival, they don’t know who they are, or why they are in Canada (We will discuss youth more later)

Filipino’s identity is largely developed and/ or “provided” to them upon arrival in the country

DiscussionFilipino live-in caregivers are portrayed as being

willing to please their employers

Due to circulating stereotypes, Filipinos are regarded as less willing to revolt and more submissive than other communities of live-in caregivers, such as the Caribbean community

Filipino workers are therefore in high demand because they are socially constructed as subservient

Discussion

The construction of Filipino women as natural domestic workers, subservient and passive, is critical to marketing

Women’s role as the ‘light of the home’ is still pervasive

Resultantly, most fathers, children and mothers share the tacit understanding that women are still expected to do home chores, even if she works outside the home

Discussion

Filipinos born in Canada may not want to identify or

socialize with the new Filipinos contributing to

further marginalization of newcomer Filipinos, who

might benefit from already established Filipino

communities in their integration and settlement in

Canada

ConclusionFrom a global perspective, Filipino migrants

not only transnationalize gender roles

between Canada and the Philippines, but also

maintain racialized and social hierarchies in

Canada

Thank you

Questions