The racist-induced incident reported in last week’s Mercury gained interest with the general public as well as with a couple of public agencies and their personnel.
When Ashwani Kapoor and Neha Mugal encountered a harsh racist incident on Nov. 28, and related their story to the Mercury, the reaction was almost immediate.
The incident included a verbal assault as well as a physical intrusion on their vehicle.
The couple said that Mayor Roy Ludwig visited them at their workplace shortly after the article appeared, to assure them that what had happened was not indicative of the general population or what Estevan stood for.
“We really appreciated his visit and his words,” said Kapoor in a follow-up communication with the Mercury.
Paul Ladouceur, Chief of the Estevan Police Service, later stated that the perpetrator of the incident had been identified and charges of creating a public disturbance had been laid on Dec. 4 with a court date pending. The perpetrator has also been ordered to not associate with or communicate with the victims.
“We take these incidents seriously and while the couple said they found the situation disappointing, we too, find it very disappointing. As police chief I haven’t had to deal with any racially motivated investigation since I arrived a couple of years ago.”
Ladouceur said several charges could be pending such as uttering threats, mischief and even assault, depending on the investigation results.
“Assault doesn’t have to be a physical confrontation, it can be acts of aggression, gestures and a manner of approaching people,” he said. “As a society, I’d like to think we are better than that.”
That sentiment was seconded by Debbie Hagel, executive director of the Southeast Newcomer Services who spoke with the Mercury on Dec. 4.
“Not in my city, not in my town,” she said.
The incident, she figured, would not set her team or their client-base back, but it would put even more focus on their education and awareness programs and projects.
“Estevan wasn’t prepared for all the cultural diversity we’ve experienced over the past few years, but if it weren’t for our newcomers, we wouldn’t have had all the industrial growth we’ve experienced either. Our newcomers saved a lot of businesses in this city.”
Hagel went on to state that she found it “admirable that our mayor and police chief raised their voices.”
The agency that has opened its doors for people to help them with everything from work permits, immigration paperwork to skill development, was saddened to hear of the incident, but definitely not defeated.
“Anybody who arrives here with a work permit in hand does so at an extreme cost and that is socially, financially and time. They come to improve their lifestyle, just like our grandfathers and grandmothers did. We kind of forgot about that in our community. We come from immigrants ourselves.”
Hagel was later joined by agency members Elaine Popova and Jay (Jhaldir) Roye who provided some statistical background to illustrate how the Southeast Newcomer Services has expanded its reach in the community as the immigrant base grows.
“Anyone experiencing discomfort, let us help you feel more comfortable and keep in mind we can help employers if they think they might need some sensitivity training. I’m extremely proud to be a Canadian, we all are. Canada doesn’t represent what happened the other day in Estevan, so how do we bring the community together? I say perhaps just lending a hand to a newcomer makes a big difference.”
Popova said they don’t keep track of all the front door visitors, but they have handled over 550 enquiries in the past year and have assisted more than 165 people with their documents associated with the immigration process and the settlement advisers have fielded all kinds of questions from individuals as well as families.
“We’re not experts on everything that they might need, but we’ll make sure we put them in contact with one … we can connect them,” said Popova, “we can bring in the expertise.”
Roye added that funding for their work not only comes from the provincial Ministry of the Economy but also from Saskatchewan Lotteries, SaskCulture and Affinity Credit Union, as well as the Community Initiatives Fund, and Southeast Connections to name a few. “Volunteers are a big part of what we do, too. Volunteers from the community help our newcomers feel welcome; and then our clients are often willing to volunteer in the community to help some organization or people in Estevan and in the area,” Roye added.
Hagel said the newcomer group serves not only Estevan but a wide-ranging geographical region comparable to that covered by the South East Cornerstone Public School Division.
“Yes, volunteers are a big part of it. We get our people into the community as volunteers, so they can begin to understand Canadian culture. It’s a great experience for them as they get to interact with the community.”
That kind of interaction is what our city and region is about, Hagel said, not the negative interaction that occurred at the traffic lights on the night of Nov. 28.
