Financial Struggles, Disillusionment: Immigrant Discontent Growing in Canada

Commentary In June, I ruptured my Achilles tendon. That necessitated me going to the local hospital for check-ups and physiotherapy. Given my inability to drive as my right foot was injured, I used Uber to get to and from the hospital. Unsurprisingly, most of my drivers were immigrants, mostly recent ones. Given the understandable lack of job opportunities for new immigrants, especially ones with limited English skills, leasing a car and driving for Uber seemed to be a good opportunity. One of my drivers was a Ukrainian gentleman who informed me that he had been in Canada for about four months. I naively assumed he must be happy and grateful to get out of a war zone. I was wrong. He informed me that he was having difficulty supporting himself and his family. He was working as a line cook full time and driving Uber at the equivalent of another full-time job. I could see he was physically and mentally exhausted. ...