RACE, ETHNICITY, IMMIGRATION AND JOBS: LABOUR MARKET ACCESS AMONG GHANAIAN AND SOMALI YOUTH IN THE GREATER TORONTO AREA by Shaibu Ahmed Gariba A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto © Copyright by Shaibu Ahmed Gariba (2009) RACE, ETHNICITY, IMMIGRATION AND JOBS: LABOUR MARKET ACCESS OF GHANAIAN AND SOMALI YOUTH IN THE GREATER TORONTO AREA Shaibu Ahmed Gariba, Doctor of Philosophy, 2009 Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto ABSTRACT This thesis uses focus group interviews and survey questionnaires to examine perceptions of Ghanaian and Somali youth, residing in Toronto, about barriers to their labour market access. The emphasis is on perceptions that deal with labour market discrimination based on race, ethnicity and recency of immigration. The results show that perceptions of discrimination based on these factors are widespread among all of the participants interviewed or surveyed. This suggests a very strong belief that employment discrimination is pervasive and persistent in the Toronto labour market. The findings also show that the perceptions of discrimination are largely driven by ‘lived discriminatory’ experiences faced by the participants as well as revealing their desire for fairness and equality in society. The perceptions of discrimination negatively affected the level of trust the research participants have in people and institutions as well as impacting their sense of belonging to their communities and the wider society. The relationship between perceptions of discrimination and low levels of trust and sense of belonging is established in the findings of the Ethnic Diversity Survey. The consequences of this impact on the research participants and their communities are high levels of unemployment, high poverty rates and participant dissatisfaction with their own communities and society at ii large. It is my belief that this thesis contributes to the debate about the significance of discrimination due to race, ethnicity and immigrant status in the Canadian labour market. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is based on many years of research and I would like to acknowledge my gratitude to all those who assisted in various ways in its preparation. First and foremost I offer my sincerest gratitude to my supervisor, Prof. David W. Livingstone, for his continuous guidance and support throughout the study. I benefitted tremendously from his penetrating questions which made it possible for me to understand and interpret the world with different eyes. I am greatly indebted to him for the successful completion of the thesis. I could not have wished for a better or friendlier supervisor. Next, 1 would like to thank the other members of my thesis committee, Prof. G. J, Sefa-Dei and Prof. Jeffrey Reitz for providing me with valuable insights, perspectives, comments and advice which helped to enrich the study. Without their patience and guidance this thesis would not have been feasible. Field testing focus group questions and survey questionnaire as well as collecting and managing data are trying experiences. Many people helped with these tasks, for which I would like to thank them wholeheartedly. I would like to particularly acknowledge the following: Mr. Ibrahim Larchie, Mr. Sule Yacoub, Pastor Roger Langboung, Mr. Sammy Woode, Ms Jamila Amman of Northwood Neighbourhood Services, Dr. Mohammed Tabit of Midaynta Community Services and Ms Malyun Afrah. I would also like to thank the youth who gave me their time to participate in the study. I learnt very much from their personal stories, perceptions and perspectives about their access to the labour market. Without their cooperation, this study would not have taken place. iv Many other people provided support and valuable remarks to help move my thesis work forward. In particular, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my colleagues at the monthly thesis group meetings for providing me with refreshing insights, critical questions and valuable feedback to my study. I should also mention friends and colleagues like Dr. Jack Donan, Ms Mary Ouroumis, Mr. Ambaye Kidane, Dr. Amin Alhassan, Dr. Yaw Twumasi, Dr. Albert Osei, Mr. Abdulai Salifu, Mr. Osei Johnson, Dr. Ben Adu, Ms Rumana Chowdhury and many others who constantly urged me on. Unfortunately, it is not possible to list all of them in this limited space. Finally, 1 would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my family Nana Ama, Amira and Hasiya for their constant emotional support over the course of my studies, and Kwame for showing a growing interest in my work. As well, I would like to thank Akos, Tina, Kwabena Snr, Chris Kwamie and Umu for their keen interest in my work. All of you provided me with the love, the light and the strength I needed to finish this project. Thank you very much! You are certainly the “wind beneath my wings.” v KEY WORDS: Business Class - Immigrants who have the experience and resources to contribute to the Canadian economy. Business immigrants include investors, entrepreneurs, and self- employed immigrants. Canadian citizen - person who is Canadian by birth or who has applied for citizenship through Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and has received a Canadian citizenship certificate Census - a survey of all Canadians conducted every five years across Canada by Statistics Canada. Used to determine population characteristics such as number of people, ages, education level attained, employment, unemployment, occupations, earnings, etc. Convention Refugee - a person outside of his country of nationality who is unable or unwilling to return because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. Demographic Characteristics – information on population such as statistics on birth, death, age, sex, marital status, family size, education, geographic location, occupation and disease. Employment Discrimination - negative employment decisions based on statuses such as birthplace or origins, rather than based solely on credentials and qualifications directly related to the potential productivity of the employee Family class - permanent residents sponsored by a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident living in Canada who is 18 years of age or over Labour Force - that part of the working-age population participating in work or actively job searching. Labour Force Survey - a survey conducted monthly across Canada by Statistics Canada of approximately 48,800 households in 10 provinces representing 100,000 respondents. Labour Market - arena where those who are in need of labour and those who can supply the labour come together Labour Market Outcomes - refers to the employment situation of individuals in any given occupation evaluated by factors such as earnings, access to jobs, mobility, and relative unemployment rates. vi Permanent resident - person who is legally in Canada on a permanent basis as an immigrant or refugee, but not yet a Canadian citizen (formerly known as landed immigrant) Racism - set of beliefs which assert the natural superiority of one racial group over another, at the individual but also the institutional level. In one sense, racism refers to the belief that biology rather than culture is the primary determinant of group attitudes and actions. Racism goes beyond ideology; it involves discriminatory practices that protect and maintain the position of certain groups and sustain the inferior position of others. Refugee claimant - a person who requests refugee protection status Self –employed - workers who work for themselves at their main job. Unemployed - when an individual is not employed, is looking for work, and is available for work. Visible Minorities - The Canadian Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. AUTHORITY TO DISTRIBUTE COPYRIGHT ......................................................................................................................i ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………………….ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................. iii KEY WORDS .....................................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................. xi DEDICATION.................................................................................................................. xii CHAPTER 1 – BACKGROUND ........................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction..................................................................................................1 1.2 Why Study Immigrants in Toronto..............................................................3 1.3 Rationale of the Studying Ghanaian and Somali Youth ..............................5 1.4 Locating the Study.......................................................................................6 1.5 Conceptual Framework for the Thesis.........................................................8 1.6 Summary of Data Sources .........................................................................11