Last week, I had the privilege of joining the Global Pakistani Diaspora Council (GPDC) at the Milton Public Library, Beaty Branch, for a deeply engaging discussion on the theme: “When in Rome, Do As The Romans Do.”
​During the session, I reflected on my personal journey, the recurring themes of integration, and the lived experiences that have shaped my perspective. Growing up, I lived in both small rural towns and large urban cities across South Asia, the Mediterranean, and the United States, before completing my postgraduate education and starting my professional journey in Canada. Having chosen to plant my roots here, I have dedicated the last 13 years of my career to working with municipal governments across Ontario.
​I had a very candid conversation about the importance of integration and creating an enabling environment where everyone can thrive in Milton. Addressing some uncomfortable realities directly, I opened up about some of the unpleasant experiences I have faced over the years. These challenges were not due to my personal actions, but due to the broad assumptions people sometimes make based on a person’s ethnic background.
​Sometimes, the reputation of an entire cultural group is unfairly hijacked by the actions of a few bad actors. However, we cannot address the situation by being bitter, confrontational, or reactive. Instead, we can overcome it through principled leadership, personal integrity, and leading by example.
With tribalism and tensions running high right now, it is a reality we will continue to deal with unless we are collectively willing to make an effort to identify and address the root causes.
The best way to build trust and unity across all of Milton is by caring for the peace of mind and well-being of all members of the community. We can initiate this process by strictly adhering to local bylaws and traffic rules, treating our shared public spaces with respect, and being uncompromising in our civic duties and environmental stewardship.
​Embracing Canadian values wholeheartedly doesn’t mean losing our cultural and religious identity. We simply need to be strategic about balancing our personal beliefs with our shared responsibilities as Canadians and Miltonians.
​We owe this to the children we are raising here. They deserve to step into their futures with dignity, proud of their heritage, and free to realize their full potential without dealing with any unfair stereotypes.
​Thank you to the GPDC for hosting such a timely and stimulating discussion.
When we actively integrate and embrace our civic duties, we strengthen our entire community, making it more vibrant, resilient, and unified.
