Q. When did you come to Canada and what were some of the problems you faced?  

Halima: A. I came to Canada in July 1995.  I did not face a lot of problems in Canada except for the fact that I cannot visit the rest of my family members in other areas of the world because I don't have documents to travel with.   I am an elderly woman,and I spend a lot of time staying indoors because I can't stand the cold. I don't go to school to study anything that might help me.  If I were in Somalia I would be living a different life, because I am used to the lifestyle there.  But most of us in Canada cannot go back because of the civil war in Somalia.  ; 

Q.When did you come to Canada, and how are things different in Canada?   

Zahra: A.  I came to Canada in 1996.  My life was no different than the lives of many other Somalis who lived in Somalia. I was content and at peace with myself. Unfortunately that was taken away from me by the civil war.  My life in Somalia was better than the one I am living in Canada. I would like to go back to Somalia someday when it is safe because there is no place like home.   

Q.Did you speak English when you came to Canada?   

Ze inab: A.  Yes, I knew how to speak English, because I went to university in Somalia where English was taught in all the courses.   

Q.Did you finished university?   

Zeinab: A.  Yes I did, then I was a high school teacher for awhile.   

Q. Do you have any problems raising your children in Canada by yourself? 
  
Zeinab: A. No I don't, but it is difficult because back home I had help from family, relatives, and mates.  I also had sufficient money and a  house where I lived a happy life.   

Q.How do you manage to work now and still raise four children?   

Zeinab: A.  Some of my kids go to school and some go to day care, thank god.   
  

Q.Since you don't have the landed  document, what do you do at the moment?   

Abdi: A.  I do my best to keep up what I studied in high school.  I work as a volunteer and I think that is the most important thing to do, because I am getting an experience and contributing to the community.   

Q.Could you please share your settlement experiences with me?   

Safia: A.  My four children came to Canada before me with their father.  They are now Canadian citizens. I was denied convention refugee status when I came two years later.  I stayed behind because my mother was dying and I was taking care of her.  Even though my children testified that I am their mother the immigration refused. I may be facing deportation one day.   

Q.Can you tell me about your experiences In Canada and in the community you live in?   

A.I have had two experiences with Canada.  The good one is how the government has welcomed us when we first came here.  Unfortunately, things have changed and that is unfortunate.  Many Somalis don't have rights in this country.  I have been here for more than six years and I have no resident status.  There is also a  local problem that our community is experiencing.  The area that I live is becoming dangerous. All the teenagers are being harassed by the security men who see them as criminals because of their black skin.  The police have also given bad reports about these youth by the security men.  This have caused many young Somalis in this neighbourhood feel hopeless, and as a result,  many of them have left the country.  

The security men also harass e lders and women.  They carry dogs to terrorize our community.  There is one incident the police are investigating, in which a young Somali girl was dragged by the security men into an empty room and fondled.    

Dogs are considered unclean by our Muslim community, and when the security men try to unleash these dogs into the community it is not only a terror: it is a violation of our rights as Muslims.    

I have seen the security men beat up a man with mental problems.  This man hadn't done anything to anyone -- when the police realized this, he was released.  The problem is that the security men are not part of the community.  To them, we are outsiders, and they never try to understand this community.