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The concept of meritocracy refers to the fact that everyone has the opportunity to achieve success based on skills and personal effort. We would think that this concept is morally perfect and that it goes against the concept of aristocracy, which is the merit determined by the social status in which the individuals were born.
In countries like Canada and the United States it is professed that they are meritocratic societies, societies of equal opportunities for all; but is this not what really happens when we see how opportunities are based on social classes, race, gender, and sexual identity.

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From the Youtube video "Ethnicity vs. Race | Part 1 of 2: The Vertical Mosaic and the Story of Canada"

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“The Vertical Mosaic” is the title of a book by John Porter (1921- 1979) in which he established the inequalities in Canadian society.

To better understand “The Vertical Mosaic” let's state the differences between ethnicity and race.

Ethnicity is the ancestry, historical aspects of the individual identity, genetics, and cultural aspects. (HumberEDU, 2017, 0:31-1:07)

Race is a social construct to create hierarchy and inequality. (HumberEDU, 2017, 1:35-1:40)

The history of Canada does not begin by talking about the indigenous people who were the first living in this land, it begins by putting as main actors the English and French who came to colonize this land.

The Vertical Mosaic it is distributed as follows, in the head are the "Founders”, English and French who arrived in this country and institutionalized their languages, their religion and their laws.

Beneath the Founders are the “Immigrants”, who are all those who came to this country later, and had to adapt to the culture, language, laws of the founders.

Paradoxically, the last in the pyramid are the Indigenous Peoples, being the greatest victims of the founders who not only usurped their lands but throughout history tried to erase their culture, language, and identity.

This is called "The Vertical Mosaic" coined in the 1960's by John Porter. Although more than 50 years have passed and Canada is sold as a multicultural country in which we can all live our own culture, the reality is that Canadian society remains a vertical mosaic of unequal life circumstances and opportunities.

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How the Japanese lived during their forced labour period

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If we consider the Canadian government's social equality motto, we may believe that hard work can lead to success. However, for many people this scenario will remain a fantasy that may cost them their lives to realize. As the work system is already designed to place barriers in people's path to limit their aspirations. To maintain and control power within a specific group. For instance, Japanese Canadians were an excellent example of Canadian history. Their example illustrated the government's iniquity  of categorizing Canadian immigrant populations to grant privilege for its citizens based on ethnicity, tongue, language, and country of origin. In the video “Japanese Canadian Internment” (3:46- 4:21,2016) stated that around 21,000 Japanese Canadians were forced to stay in livestock barns to collect their personal records before being sent to camps and towns in the interior of British Columbia and elsewhere in Canada. Not only that, but the government forced them to work and live in deplorable conditions for lower wages.

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Sikh Immigration: Challenging The Canadian Immigration Law

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Sikh Immigration: Challenging The Canadian Immigration Law

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In addition, in 1908 Wilfred Laurier Canada’s Prime Minister said “We have the power to exclude and to deport certain immigrants. Who do not come up to a certain standard either physically, intellectually, or morally, and whom we deem to be unworthy of Canadian citizenship. We have power to deport Hindus or anyone else if we are of opinion that they come within any of the classes I have referred to” (Historica Canada, 2021, 0:0) At the time many South Asians were migrating to British Columbia in hopes of finding work and making a better life. Many Canadians were not happy with the number of immigrants coming from India and other South Asian countries. The Canadian Government decided to create a loophole stating “immigrants have to make a continuous journey from the country of which they are native or citizens and upon through tickets purchased in that country.” (Historica Canada, 2021, 1:12) In the video, it talks about one boat called the Komagata Maru that sailed from China, it picked up hopeful immigrants and on the boat, there were 376 people travelling to Canada. But when the boat got to Canada that is where issues came up.

A man by the name of Baba Gurdit Singh set sail with the 375 immigrants to Canada to launch a direct challenge against the racist Canadian immigration laws. 1914 was when the boat landed in downtown Vancouver with 376 people. When the Komagat Maru landed in Vancouver there was a standoff between the Canadian Government and the people on board. This video shows how many of the immigrants on a boat were trying to get into Canada but many were unsuccessful due to a law stating that in order to become a citizen you have to make a continuous journey from your native country. Back to what Wilfred Laurier Canada’s Prime Minister said at the time, was that government officials had the right to deport immigrants that did not meet their standards which were physically, intellectually, or morally. I believe that everyone in Canada should have the right to be able to succeed by working really hard and attaining any credentials in order for necessary advancements. The video shows how many immigrants in the early 1900s in Canada faced a lot of issues in order to settle into Canada based on their race.

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Daniella is a woman who was raised by her mother's culture instead of the Canadian culture. When we look at other cultures, everyone has different ways of raising children and Daniella's mom decided to raise her child by the way she was raised. "This was quite challenging because Haitian culture can be very strict and different — at least compared to what I saw on TV and outside of the home" (Osman. D, 2019 Jan 22,

My Mother Didn’t Raise Me ‘Canadian’ — And Now I Know Why) As Daniella was growing up she was not able to do things that her friends used to do because her mom would never allow it, as a child she did not see what was wrong with it but now as an adult realizes why her mom would not let her and why she was so strict.  "I would go to school in a gown, because being dressed elegantly is a big part of Haitian culture. In the late '80s I was one of the only black kids in my class, so you can imagine how much more I stood out in my ruffled peach dress and church shoes" (Osman. D, 2019 Jan 22, My Mother Didn't Raise Me 'Canadian'' - And Now I Know Why )As you can see in the Haitian culture parents would dress their children in a delightful way when going to school when other students would probably wear whatever they felt like wearing. "While my elementary school friends had the freedom to go to sleepovers and mall outings, there were a thousand Haitian cultural reasons why I couldn't do the same. For instance, Voodoo is widely practiced "  (Osman . D, 201- Jan 22, My Mother Didn't Raise MeT  'Canadian' - And Now I Know Why)his speaks for the Haitian Culture and how protective they were when going out in public meanwhile taking precautions for theirselves and their families. After reading this article you can see the variations of cultures in Canada and although we are a multicultural country, there are many different practices that we are not aware of, we have many different races here in Canada, different points of views and that's what makes Canada the way it is today by having all of these different backgrounds.

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Being born a first-generation Canadian was a balancing act for me.

It meant both growing up in a Haitian household, acknowledging all of the traditions and culture, and adapting to Canadian society and its norms.

This was quite challenging because Haitian culture can be very strict and different - at least compared to what I saw on TV and outside of the home. For example, there were days where I would go to school in a gown, because being dressed elegantly is a big part of Haitian culture. In the late '80s I was one of the only black kids in my class, so you can imagine how much more I stood out in my ruffled peach dress and church shoes (I can laugh at this now, but it wasn't so funny then).

While my elementary school friends had the freedom to go to sleepovers and mall outings, there were a thousand Haitian cultural reasons why I couldn't do the same. For instance, Voodoo is widely practiced and, for the most part, not in a positive way. This has made many Haitians, my parents included, very cautious and overprotective of their kids. So when I wanted to join in at a sleepover, it was easy for them to say no - but I didn't really get why at the time. Any explanation sounded so outrageous and I couldn't relate, because it felt so foreign to what was happening in my life in Canada.

You'll Also Love: A Love Letter to Canada From a Child of Immigrants

Fast forward to my adult years, and I'm glad to say I have adjusted just fine (although, back then, I never thought I'd survive the culture - or maybe just my parents).

But now that I am a parent, raising second-generation Canadian children, I'm trying to find a balance between our Haitian and Canadian cultures.

Which got me thinking: it must have been so challenging for my parents to raise my sister and I, all while being new to a country and adjusting to a new culture themselves. I never asked, nor ever cared to. As kids, we don't realize that our parents may be going through their own personal challenges associated with parenthood and integration. Now that I'm older and I'm able to relate to that same challenge - in a different way - as a mom, I decided to have a heart-to-heart with my mother, to see what her experience was really like.

A Brief Conversation With My Mother

Me: When you first came to Canada, did you have any plans or strategies in place as to how you would raise your kids in this culture?

Mom: No, not at all. I didn't even have the intention to stay in Canada. Situations changed and opportunities presented themselves and I, then, became a resident. So, the thought of raising kids here was far from my mind.

Me: So you have no real plan in place then boom! You're married and soon have your first child. What were some of your first experiences or challenges when it came to cultural differences in raising your kid?

Mom: I'd have to say food. Random, yes I know, but that was a challenge right from the start. See, back home in Haiti, babies start to eat real food like solids by three months. I'm talking about rice and beans. When I had you the doctors were giving me a whole different set of instructions that were so far from what I knew. I tried to stick to most of them but bent some [of] their rules from time to time. You turned out just fine [she laughs].

Me: What would you say was the toughest challenge for you?

Mom: Not having my family or a community that I'm used to around. In Haiti, everyone binds together to help raise a child. When a woman gives birth, she has a whole team at her disposal. Some cooking, some cleaning, some helping her bathe. Even as the child gets older, in Haiti I'd have access to free childcare or even counsel and advice - but in Canada I didn't have that. [Community] definitely eases things for the mom. But being here and not having much family around to begin with, I was left to do it all alone as many other women here do. It can be done, but it's tougher and that was rough for me.

Me: It always seemed to me as if you couldn't care less that you were raising us in Canada and stuck to your Haitian views. Did you ever think at all about how your upbringing could affect us in this culture?

Mom: Nope [She laughs hard]! Never had that concern. I knew you were smart kids and would figure things out for yourselves. As for us, parents, we stuck to our views, not only because it was all we knew, but also because we thought they were best for our family.

I enjoyed this conversation with my mother. I feel that I learned something new. I love that she stuck to her ideals and shared them with me. Because now, I have something to pass on to my kids, too.

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My Mother Didn't Raise Me 'Canadian' - And Now I Know Why | CBC Parents

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Being born a first-generation Canadian was a balancing act for me. It meant both growing up in a Haitian household, acknowledging all of the traditions and culture, and adapting to Canadian society and its norms. This was quite challenging because Haitian culture can be very strict and different - at least compared to what I saw on TV and outside of the home.

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 Canada's Multiculturalism - Worth Defending 

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 Canada's Multiculturalism - Worth Defending 

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Despite the diversity of Canadian communities and many people's efforts to promote social equity, white supremacy continues to dominate sectors, allowing few other racial groups to succeed. In Ted Talk: “Canada's Multiculturalism; worth defending” (8:00, 2019) shows that the representation has been and continues to be a slow process. For instance, most reporters and editors are still white and male, as is the case in some workplaces. True diversity has eluded many civic organizations and businesses, particularly at the highest levels of senior leadership.

The Marjory of non-white people is struggling to work for meeting their basic needs to live in a decent living situation condition. Therefore, hard work and good credentials will not be enough to help people to succeed if the government does not adopt policies that provide equitable opportunities to all citizens.

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Crossman, A. (2019, June 23). Understanding Meritocracy from a Sociological Perspective. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/meritocracy-definition-30

Government of Canada. (2021, November 20). Women and Gender Equality Canada.

https://women-gender-equality.canada.ca/en.html

Helmes-Hayes, R. (2019, April 19). The Vertical Mosaic. The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/vertical-mosaic

Historica Canada. [The Sikh migrants who challenged Canadian immigration law]. (2021, May21). The Sikh Migrants Who Challenged Canadian Immigration Law [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZyvg_87e6o

HumberEDU. [Ethnicity vs. Race | Part 1 of 2: The Vertical Mosaic and the Story of Canada]. (2017, August 10).  The Vertical Mosaic and the Story of Canada [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4p9MyPHLnE

Jedwab, J. (2011, June 27). Multiculturalism. The Canadian Encyclopedia.

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/multiculturalism.

Magazine, L. [Japanese Canadian Internment | Narrated by David Suzuki]. (2016, December7).  Japanese Canadian Internment [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8TQTuMqM9g&t=3s

TEDx Talks. [Canada's Multiculturalism - Worth Defending | Amira Elghawaby | TEDxOttawa]. (2019, December 6). Canada's Multiculturalism - Worth Defending [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_ptjP1eKo

CBC/Radio Canada. (2019, January 22). My mother didn't raise me 'Canadian' - and now I know why | CBC parents. CBCnews. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://www.cbc.ca/parents/learning/view/my-mother-didnt-raise-me-canadian.