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PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #0720/01 2581957
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151957Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9851
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 000720 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAN, S/GPI - M. WALKER, AND S/P 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SMIG SCUL EAID TSPL BTIO BEXP
EINV, OEXC, OIIP, CA 
SUBJECT: CANADA: EXPERIENCE ENGAGING DIASPORA COMMUNITIES 
 
REF: A. STATE 86401 
     ¶B. OTTAWA 639 
     ¶C. OTTAWA 596 
     ¶D. OTTAWA 501 
     ¶E. OTTAWA 260 
     ¶F. TORONTO 200 
     ¶G. TORONTO 149 
     ¶H. TORONTO 93 
     ¶I. TORONTO 86 
     ¶J. TORONTO 84 
     ¶K. TORONTO 52 
     ¶L. TORONTO 40 
     ¶M. TORONTO 6 
     ¶N. VANCOUVER 196 
 
¶1. (U)  Like the United States, Canada is a nation of 
immigrants.  Immigrants make up twenty percent of the overall 
population in Canada, according to the most recent census 
data (2006).  The largest Diaspora in Canada is from the 
United Kingdom (579,620) followed by China (466,940), India 
(443,690), the Philippines (303,195), Italy (296,850), U.S. 
(250,535), and Hong Kong SAR (215,430).  Sri Lankans, 
Jamaicans, Pakistanis, Iranians, and Vietnamese also make up 
large immigrant populations of around 100,000 people each. 
Since 2001, the largest amount of immigrants have come from 
China (155,105), India (129,140), the Philippines (77,880), 
Pakistan (57,630), and the U.S. (38,770), with other large 
communities from Iran (27,600), Colombia (25,305), Sri Lanka 
(22,305), Mexico (16,520), Afghanistan (16,240), Algeria 
(16,235), and Lebanon (11,355).  Canada accepts about 250,000 
immigrants each year, and the "wooing of new Canadians" is 
now an important part of Canadian politics (ref e).  Toronto 
is the most diverse city in Canada, with 47% of residents 
foreign-born (ref l). 
 
¶2. (U)  The most publicly active Diaspora communities in 
Canada during 2008 and 2009 have been Iranians and Sri 
Lankans.  Supporters of the Tamil Tigers have engaged in 
public protests throughout Canada to generate public 
awareness for their cause (refs i, j, and k).  Iranians came 
out in force during the disputed elections in their homeland 
(ref d). 
 
¶3. (U)  Embassy Ottawa has compiled an extensive list of 
Diaspora organizations in Ontario, including the following: 
 
Canadian Friends of Burma 
Afghan Women's Organization 
Afghan Association of Ontario 
Armenian National Committee of Canada 
Belarusan Canadian Coordination Committee 
Canadian Jewish Congress 
B'Nai Brith Canada 
Ottawa Kurdish Community Association 
Canadian Arab Federation 
Council on American-Islamic Relations (Canada) 
Canadian Islamic Congress 
Canadian Tibetan Association 
Algerian Cultural Centre 
Committee for Democracy and Justice in Cambodia 
Chinese Canadian National Council 
Tamil Canadian Congress 
Cypriot Federation of Canada 
Federation of Canadian Turkish Associations 
Latvian National Federation of Canada 
Lebanese and Arab Social Services Agency of Ottawa--Carleton 
National Council of Barbaidan Associations in Canada 
National Council of Jamaicans in Canada 
Portuguese Canadian National Congress 
General Group of Canadian Senegalese 
Serbian National Shield Society of Canada 
Slovak Canadian National Council 
Vietnamese Canadian Federation 
World Sikh Organization 
Canadian Palestinian Foundation 
Canadian Friends of Somalia 
Canadian Friends of Sudan 
 
¶4. (U)  Following responses are keyed to ref a questions: 
 
A) Diasporans listed above form identifiable communities and 
networks, including on-line; 
 
B) Diasporan communities in Canada focus mainly on kinship 
but also serve as important sources for community, social 
services, educational, and remittances assistance; 
 
C) The Canadian government has engaged in extensive Diaspora 
outreach, in particular to support its involvement in both 
Haiti and Afghanistan; 
 
OTTAWA 00000720  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
D)  N/A 
 
E).  N/A 
 
F).  N/A 
 
G).  N/A 
 
H) The Canadian Friends of Somalia, Sudan, and Burma are 
leading Diaspora organizations geared toward 
democracy-promotion in their homelands; 
 
I) The Canadian government provides extensive funding to 
Diaspora groups, including budgetary support and grants for 
conferences and seminars; 
 
J). The Embassy has extensive, on-going contact with all 
three organizations in response H and their executive 
directors. 
 
 
¶5. (U)  Embassy points of contact for Diaspora issues are: 
 
Kurt van der Walde, Deputy Political Counselor 
Emily Fertik, Human Rights Officer 
 
Visit Canada,s North American partnership community at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / 
 
BREESE