Stereotyping. Verbal harassment. Poor customer service. Workplace unfairness. Exclusion from dating.
A quarter of British Columbians with ethnic Chinese or South Asian origins say they have experienced moderate or significant amounts of those types of discrimination in B.C. as a result of their ethnicity. In total, four in five report experiencing at least a small amount of such discrimination.
鈥淭he good news is that the majority have experienced only small amounts [of discrimination], but still to have a quarter of this segment of the population experience a moderate or significant amount is not something that our society should be proud of,鈥� said Steve Mossop, president of Insights West.
An Insights West poll of 658 ethnic Chinese and South Asian British Columbians in August and September found more than half reported experiencing a 鈥渟mall amount鈥� of discrimination in B.C., 19 per cent said discrimination has been 鈥渕oderate鈥� and six per cent said it鈥檚 been 鈥渟ignificant.鈥� Sixteen per cent said they have felt no discrimination because of their ethnicity.
A poll of that size typically has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
B.C. is home to roughly 700,000 people of Chinese or South Asian (predominantly Indian and Pakistani) origin, with most living in Metro 91原创.
When Insights West conducts future polling on perceived discrimination and related ethnocultural issues, Mossop said, it would like to add a comparison group that represents the experiences of British Columbians as a whole, as well as other ethnic populations, including those of European descent.
Farid Rohani, a board member of the Laurier Institution, welcomed plans for a wider array of ethno-cultural groups in upcoming polling. Rohani, an Iranian-91原创, said focusing on discrimination against members of just two ethnic groups can potentially lead to a misplaced sense of victimhood and grievance.
Insights West found 28聽per cent of the Chinese and South Asian British Columbians who answered the online poll said they had frequently or sometimes lost a potential employment opportunity because of their ethnicity. Another 24 per cent claim to have been treated unfairly in the workplace. Chinese and South Asians older than 55 were the most likely to say they鈥檝e experienced unfairness on the job.
South Asians (28 per cent) were also more likely to cite workplace discrimination than Chinese (23 per cent). While 37 per cent of B.C.鈥檚 Chinese men in the poll believed they had experienced dating discrimination, the proportion was much lower for Chinese women, at 19 per cent.
