New Year’s baby shows changing face of community
January 10, 2018, 2:44 pm
The face of rural Saskatchewan continues to change. It’s not surprising that the first baby born to a Moosomin family in 2018 was born to a family of immigrants.
Rayaan Bawa was born an hour and 15 minutes into the new year.
His family started out in India, and have come to Moosomin, after living in larger centres in Canada, for work at Seed Hawk.
Our immigrant numbers in Moosomin continue to grow, as they are growing in all of the larger communities in the area.
According to the 2016 Census, Moosomin is home to 215 immigrants and 160 individuals who are not yet Canadian citizens.
There are smaller numbers in smaller communities—Rocanville has 50 immigrants and 25 who are not yet Canadian citizens, Redvers has 35 immigrants and 10 who are not yet Canadian citizens, Whitewood has 20 immigrants and 15 who are not Canadian citizens.
Moosomin seems to be unique in the sheer numbers of new Canadians for a smaller community. The town of Virden has a larger population, according to the census, but smaller numbers of immigrants and people who are not yet citizens.
It’s wonderful to see how Moosomin has been transformed by immigration over the last few years.
In the last few years, people have come from the Philippines, India, South Korea, China, Honduras, South Africa and other countries to add to the ethnic mix. Most people who lived in Moosomin before that are the children, grandchildren or great grandchildren of immigrants who came to Canada from the British Isles and Europe.
Our new immigrants have changed the face of our community. They have introduced new traditions and customs, and they have become an important part of the community.
I am proud to see how our immigrant communities have become part of the community.
I am proud to see our immigrant families buying homes and starting businesses, investing in the future of our community.
If our communities are going to be successful and grow in the long term, immigration will be a big part of that growth and that success.
I hope that all of the people from around the world who have made Moosomin and surrounding communities home over the last few years find that it truly does become home.
I can’t imagine what it would be like to leave so many family members and friends for a new life in a different culture half way around the world. (And I can’t imagine what 40 below feels like to anyone who has grown up in a tropical climate!)
I do know that such a move involves a lot of sacrifice, so I hope that everyone in Moosomin and area does everything they can to make sure our new residents feel perfectly at home!
Our rural communities have always been known as open, friendly, welcoming communities.
Hopefully Rayaan Bawa’s family, and all of our immigrant families, have a bright future and will always feel that our community truly is home!
