New Canadian Ambassador

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Dolores1

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There is quite a bit of interesting commentary and stories in the Toronto Star on the new Canadian ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Alvin Curling. He has yet to arrive.

He is a Jamaican immigrant who succeeded in mainstream Canadian politics. He surpassed two major obstacles, being an immigrant and being black.

From what I have read he is a champion of education.

Those interested should register with the Toronto Star to read these stories. Just do a search typing in Alvin Curling.

His predecessor, Adam Blackwell, was very popular here, so he has doors open.

Prior to his appointment he was speaker of hte Ontario Legislature and the first black cabinet minister in the province's history.
 
bob saunders

bob saunders

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In Canada we have many immigrants in politics, especially east indian, but we have politicians of every ethnic background. In a nation of immigrants, what else would you expect.
 
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Dolores1

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Curling kept eyes on the prize

Former Speaker of Ontario Legislature an important symbol to blacks in Canada, says Cecil Foster

What are we to make of the sudden announcement of Alvin Curling as the new Canadian Ambassador to the Dominican Republic? What are we to think of the announcement coming when it did: on a Friday afternoon in the dead of summer, a time traditionally reserved for events that are political embarrassments? Curling, the former speaker of the Ontario Legislature, is too important symbolically to this generation's history to depart in a manner that seems so wrapped in ignominity. It is not the way we treat Canadian achievers making a transition from active politics to another phase of life. For two decades, Curling has been a symbol of hope for a group of Canadians who saw him as their true champion in politics. He was the symbol that blacks can succeed in fields traditionally closed to them. Success might be no more than to gain entry into some of the most exclusive clubs in this country ? and what could be more exclusive than a chamber of elected politicians? Apart from gaining entry, success was to survive in such a setting even when members of the club seemed especially anxious to show that the "outsider" did not belong. Curling takes with him a large slice of Canadian history, the story of black Canadians and their achievements in this country and the tale of how Canada has changed and must continue to change. His departure might be a further indication of a generational change in the leadership among Toronto's blacks ? a change to a Canadian-born generation. Indeed, not acknowledging Curling might provide more evidence to those who claim that after so many years and struggle, society is still not accepting of blacks. Curling's task was always to show that blacks should choose the mainstream and, just as importantly, that mainstream society should make room for them.

That's the start of a opinion piece in the Toronto Star of 24 August.

Looks like we are before a man who is accustomed to being a champion. Wonder why he wanted to become a diplomat?
 
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Gabriela

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Also an educator

Alvin Curling is also a teacher who has served Ontario in its wonderful community college system. Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin appointed Curling at the same time that he appointed Canada's new black governor general, who was born in Haiti. Canada's multicultural approach is gaining favour throughout the world, and I think Martin's appointments are long overdue. Issues of racism in the DR and Haiti may be center stage as both countries struggle to achieve a fair balance, economically and politically, on the island they share. I'm sure we all look forward to Curling advocating against racism whether directed against Haitians or Dominicans.
 
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RHM

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Gabriela said:
I'm sure we all look forward to Curling advocating against racism whether directed against Haitians or Dominicans.
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Hehehe. Yeah. I bet he makes a HUGE impact. Like all Canadian Ambassadors have before him.

Scandall
"Stirring the pot"
 
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Mirador

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Gabriela said:
...Canada's multicultural approach is gaining favour throughout the world, and I think Martin's appointments are long overdue. Issues of racism in the DR and Haiti may be center stage as both countries struggle to achieve a fair balance, economically and politically, on the island they share.
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Sounds like you suspect the next Canadian Ambassador will be appointed to the 'Republique d'Haiti et Saint-Domingue'


Mirador
"Stirring the cauldron" (with a cackle and a chuckle ;-)
 
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Dolores1

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Gabriela said:
Alvin Curling is also a teacher who has served Ontario in its wonderful community college system. Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin appointed Curling at the same time that he appointed Canada's new black governor general, who was born in Haiti. Canada's multicultural approach is gaining favour throughout the world, and I think Martin's appointments are long overdue. Issues of racism in the DR and Haiti may be center stage as both countries struggle to achieve a fair balance, economically and politically, on the island they share. I'm sure we all look forward to Curling advocating against racism whether directed against Haitians or Dominicans.
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The Dominican Republic is the most hospitable country in the Caribbean. Remember, we are a mixed colored nation. Discrimination against Haitians in the DR is against poverty. Wealthy Haitians are welcomed with the same red carpet their counterparts of all other nations receive.
 
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canadian bob

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Scandal, for goodness sake, give Curling a chance to make his mark before you criticize him. You might be pleasantly surprized...Canadian Bob.
 
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Gabriela

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New Ambassador is black

Since the new ambassador is black, I am sure he will be interested in human rights issues in the DR. Canada has an extremely progressive human rights charter. And yes, I suspect that the Haitian conflict will continue to interest Canada and the U.S. But of course, the U.S. is tied up elsewhere. As for poverty, I don't think you can separate out the issues of racism here. If the Haitians were white, people would care about their suffering.
 
NALs

NALs

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Dolores said:
The Dominican Republic is the most hospitable country in the Caribbean. Remember, we are a mixed colored nation. Discrimination against Haitians in the DR is against poverty. Wealthy Haitians are welcomed with the same red carpet their counterparts of all other nationals receive.
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The fact that people need to remind other peoples of the fact Dolores posted is evidenced that even today, forty years after the country stop being among the most isolated in the world, many in the world know very little, if not misinformation about this great country.

How often have such comments as Dolores has posted been presented?

Hundreds of times. I have done it on my very long detailed posts, Dolores has done this multiple times in compact straight forward posts, and multiple others (Dominicans and non-Dominicans) on this board have done the same.

Regardless of all of that, some people still hold to this suppose "racism" that exist here.

It exist in isolated cases, but its not an ingrained situation.

Some people simply focus on the isolated cases I suppose.

BTW, the UN ambassador of Liberia (West African nation) Mr.Limi Kawah criticized the recent ruling of the Interamerican court in requiring the DR to modify its laws to accept all peoples born in the DR as Dominican citizens, regardless if the status of the person is in transit or not.

If this guy, who is African, and his little to no interest in the DR per se, is criticizing that court's ruling then its obvious that the anti-dominican slant is being recognized by others who don't have the race chip on their shoulders.

If the DR have to modify its laws because of this, then the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos, Guadaloupe, Martinique, St. Martin, and the rest of the Caribbean will have to do the same. It's unjust that the DR get's the whip, for simply doing something that is common practice in this region.
 
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NALs

NALs

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Gabriela said:
If the Haitians were white, people would care about their suffering.
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Do you mean in the same way the world is helping the Russians? Who, btw, many are starving, many of the eldery are literally dying in disgrace, and the rate of suicide is among the highest in the world.

Or do you mean how the world is helping the Albanians, people drenched in poverty and misery.

The lack of attention towards those "white" nations problems by the rest of the world can't be pushed to the side in order to make the "race" case against a small Caribbean country that has had the bad luck of having a hairy history with a neighbor that is in disrepair.

Read this link, it's a recent news story about an American Citizen who was rejected his citizenship because he does not "looks" American, whatever that means...
http://www.dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=5871

Does this means that the US Embassy is racist? If so, can the InterAmerican court pass a ruling against the US for denying the citizenship of a guy who actually is an American?
 
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Narcosis

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Gabriela said:
Since the new ambassador is black, I am sure he will be interested in human rights issues in the DR. Canada has an extremely progressive human rights charter. And yes, I suspect that the Haitian conflict will continue to interest Canada and the U.S. But of course, the U.S. is tied up elsewhere. As for poverty, I don't think you can separate out the issues of racism here. If the Haitians were white, people would care about their suffering.
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What a bunch of BS...

Why don't you lobby for Chinese workers, there sure are a hell of a lot more of them in need don't you think?

Oh but Haitians have plenty of subsidized unions to make sure they never get any jobs, and of course they can keep blame on the DR...But that may change soon as the DR added provisions to the DR-CAFTA to include sister plants in Haiti, so I guess the charges may continue.
 
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Porfio_Rubirosa

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That's it, I'm going off again!:angry:

I'm so sick of holier-than-thou Canadians. Your Human Rights Charter? How did that apply when your mining companies raped the Phillipines and the DR? How does it apply again now since a new contract has been signed to do it again? Do you think its acceptable for a Canadian mining company to be able to walk away from the massive contamination of poor countries?

And, let me guess, you think it is only American banks and multilateral lending organizations that are in conspiracy with the IMF to gift money to the political classes of poor countries (often in exchange for lucrative contracts to home-based companies) and then implement austerity plans so the poor can pay all the stolen loot back at high interest rates. Royal Bank and your ExIm bank would never be involved in such sordid conduct, right?

Is your only standard of comparison to justify your alleged moral superiority your southern neighbor? If so, know this: US law strictly prohibits the corrupting of foreign officials by American executives. This law is vigorously enforced. Canadian law contains no such provision. Nor does, we assume, your precious Human Rights Charter. That's why Canadian mining companies are so successful in foreign exploitations and American mining companies have limited focus.

Now we hear the purportedly morally superior position on race. Out of curiosity, which group, Dominicans or Canadians, would you say is more actually racially tolerant based on intermarriage of races? Good, you figured it out. Now, please step down from the pedestal.

Look, I've been to Prince George - spent a whole day stepping over drunk and drug addicted "First Nation" (your term, not anybody else's) people in the streets. Only unboarded-up buildings were the welfare office and casino.

That said, is Canada a bad place? No, Canada is a wonderful country dimished in quality only by the self-righteousness of Canadians themselves who think that their bread isn't buttered with the same money as everyone else's.
 
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Stodgord

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Ricardo900 said:
Hey Nals,

I doubt this story is true, if he served in the military, where's his fingerprints??
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Not even that. What about his family in Puerto Rico? Mom, Pop and siblings? What are they doing to help him get back to Puerto Rico?
 
NALs

NALs

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Guys, it has not been proven if this guy is real or not regarding his citizenship.

In any case, I wonder why has the US Embassy not conducted any research on this guy's dentals or finger prints to put this matter to an end.

If he is an American citizen, his identification traits in his dentals and/or fingerprints would have most likely been kept on file and the US Embassy, I suppose, could gain access to those things.

Why do the Embassy simply rejects him on the basis that he "does not looks American or Puerto Rican" and they don't research this guy's possible citizenship of being American?

Sidenote: The Anglican and Catholic churches reject the notion that institutional hate towards haitian exist here and/or is supported by the government... Also, the ex consul of Haiti (Edwin Paraison) also rejects such claims and the ruling of the Interamerican court.

The ex consul and the churches are claiming that the pro-Haitian NGO's organization are stretching the truths and injecting lies in their anti-Dominican campaign.
http://www.elnacional.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=40876
 
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hollywood north

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Pruince George...yes a truly sad place to have visited. Like many many countries we have our poor and homeless and as a Canadian I find the state of native peoples here to be truly appalling. I hope you went to other places.

Holier than thou? Only as much as the Americans that post about the good old U.S.A. here. Please just note that Americans are notoriously bad for polluting the Great Lakes...so not all is as you would paint it.

The topic WAS Alvin Curling, a much liked and effective politician that is a good choice for the DR. MAYBE he wanted such a posting.
The DR could do a lot worse I am certain.
 
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Criss Colon

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I MUST Give Dolores The "First Prize" For POLITICAL CORRECTNESS On DR1!!!

If you actually believe that discrimination against Hatians in the DR is solely due to economic differences I salute you as a "Majority Of One" among all Dominicans!!!
Who are you trying to kid?????????
I can just see the proud members of the "Brugal" family at the wedding reception for one of their daughters at the Santo Domingo Country Club.After she marries the Coal Black son of a "Wealthy Hatian Family"! Her father would have a tough time getting down his shot of "Anejo" trying to toast the newlyweds,Jean-Paul ,and his lovely bride,Ana Maria Maribel,Brugal de Batist!!!:cry:

I remember when I first got married,and all the rich white Dominicans I work with hadn't met,or "heard" about my wife yet.My sister was in town,and had met some members of of the "Mella" family at Mass General Hospital in Boston, one of who had invited her ,and me, for lunch,and a tour of Santo Domingo.After lunch at the Naco Plaza,we got into her car and started our tour.She mentioned that she had heard that I married a Dominican woman."What is her families' last name?",she asked?..I told her "Toledo",which didn't get a response.
"Where are they from?"she then asked.
'"Simon Bolivar" I said.
She crashed her "Mercedes" into a brick wall!
The paramedics gave her "CPR",adrenalin,oxygen,and she came back to life!
I had to promise never to lie to her about anything so serious again!

I could go "on & on" with stories about how the "Upper Class" of Dominicans feel about their "Black Brothers and Sisters",Haitian and otherwise!

"God Bless You",you are truly "One-In-a-Million" or should I say in "Eight Million"?

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NALs

NALs

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Criss Colon said:
If you actually believe that discrimination against Hatians in the DR is solely due to economic differences I salute you as a "Majority Of One" among all Dominicans!!!
Who are you trying to kid?????????
I can just see the proud members of the "Brugal" family at the wedding reception for one of their daughters at the Santo Domingo Country Club.After she marries the Coal Black son of a "Wealthy Hatian Family"! Her father would have a tough time getting down his shot of "Anejo" trying to toast the newlyweds,Jean-Paul ,and his lovely bride,Ana Maria Maribel,Brugal de Batist!!!:cry:

I remember when I first got married,and all the rich white Dominicans I work with hadn't met,or "heard" about my wife yet.My sister was in town,and had met some members of of the "Mella" family at Mass General Hospital in Boston, one of who had invited her ,and me, for lunch,and a tour of Santo Domingo.After lunch at the Naco Plaza,we got into her car and started our tour.She mentioned that she had heard that I married a Dominican woman."What is her families' last name?",she asked?..I told her "Toledo",which didn't get a response.
"Where are they from?"she then asked.
'"Simon Bolivar" I said.
She crashed her "Mercedes" into a brick wall!
The paramedics gave her "CPR",adrenalin,oxygen,and she came back to life!
I had to promise never to lie to her about anything so serious again!

I could go "on & on" with stories about how the "Upper Class" of Dominicans feel about their "Black Brothers and Sisters",Haitian and otherwise!

"God Bless You",you are truly "One-In-a-Million" or should I say in "Eight Million"?

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I'm sure your Bostonian friends were all applauding you when you married your wife.... hip hip hurray!!

There is something called racism and then there is classism.

People love to mix the two and treat the two as the same when they are not.

It's one thing to marry whoever you like, its another to marry someone who, how can I say this, is not compatible with you in morals, ways of looking at the world, value towards education, etc.

Congratulations, you manage to find a nice woman who actually understands you and vice-versa, plenty of people have been able to do that, but the differences in class explains the differences in looking at the world, understanding things, and setting goals, etc. When your wife don't understand that running the credit card to the max is not good in the longer run for her economic well being, well don't try to say that her way of looking at the world had nothing to do with that.

It's easy to point fingers in the racism game, its hard to prove that one is not a racist once the stigma has been put in one's forehead.

Why do many of the expatriate here marry Dominican women? What's wrong with the women from their respective countries? The US, where you are from, has all sorts of women from all kinds and backgrounds, why did you became racist against your own people and went for a women from another country, another culture, totally foreign?

See how easy one can play the racism card while being incorrect, but start a multinational campaign, funded well, present cases on multilateral organizations and in no time will you see thousands of people look at American men who go to developing countries in search of "love" with a negative stigma, but you will also see a movement to stop such thing.

If I was to start a thread against prostitution tourism, you would be the first one to say otherwise, which you have done in previous posts....

All of that, while based on misleading information, see how easy...
 
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Criss Colon

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Now Thany You For Clearing "THAT" Up "Nalowls"!

"Americans" are not a "RACE" we are a "Nationality",just as Dominican is not a race,but a nationality!
"Running a credit card to the max,is more an American "Culture" than a Dominican!
Who is to say that a Dominican and a foreigner can't have compatable "Morals",ways of looking at the World,or values in educatuion?
My "Friends",and my family,in Boston have similar views on "Life" as I do.Therefore they feel that who I choose as a partner in life is my business,and not theirs,but they will support me in that decision.
As I said before,one "so-called" friend did say he heard that I had married a "Nigger"!
But that didn't bother me,just as your misguided uninteligable postings don't!
Get some rest!
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