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Ethiopians in
Canada
Information
from Ethiopian Embassy
 ETHIOPIANS
come from the oldest independent country in Africa.
Located in northeast Africa, Ethiopia was formerly
known as Abyssinia. The Ethiopian presence in
Canada is a recent phenomenon dating from the
1980s. Ethiopia's modern history has been marked by
civil war, fighting against guerillas in the
provinces of Eritrea (a separate country since
1992) and Tigray, and by repeated famines caused by
drought. These factors have forced many to seek
refuge abroad. Amharas, Tigrayans, Oromos, Jews,
and others came to Canada from several countries of
first asylum that included Egypt, Kenya, Italy, and
Greece. The first group of newcomers to Canada was
composed primarily of single English-speaking young
men from middle- and upper-class
backgrounds.
According to the
Canadian census, there were, in 1996, 14,955
individuals of Ethiopian ethnicity in Canada
(13,010 single response and 1,950 multiple
response). There were no official statistics or
separate categories for people who rejected
identification as Ethiopians. (Canadian census data
reported the presence of 6,225 individuals from the
independent state of Eritrea.)
Ethiopians have
tended to concentrate in Canada's urban centers,
particularly within Toronto and its environs,
because they have been more likely to find
employment in a large urban setting. A small group
of Ethiopian Jews (Falashas) made their way to
Montreal where they struck up a good relationship
with that city's Jewish community.
The occupational
transition that has been difficult for many has
resulted in a dramatic decline in their
socioeconomic status. This downward mobility can be
attributed in part to the language barrier: it was
all but impossible for Ethiopians in Canada to find
other than low skilled, manual, or service sector
work until they became proficient in English.
Another problem was that the training and
experience acquired by individuals in Ethiopia
tended to go unrecognized in Canada. Some
Ethiopians responded to the obstacle of obtaining
professional or skilled work by establishing
businesses. A clustering of Ethiopian restaurants
around Bloor and Christie Streets has helped create
the ambiance of an Ethiopian immigrant
neighborhood. Ethiopians also found that they could
make a living in auto repair, furniture
manufacturing, and commercial and instant printing
services.
Although Ethiopian
quest for decent housing and steady employment has
been a preoccupation, various ethnocultural
associations have helped to maintain local
identities and to foster a larger sense of fellow
feeling and cooperation. Eritreans, Amharas,
Oromos, and Tigrayans have challenged themselves by
working together to create a valuable and
formidable complementary counterweight to the
efforts of the Ethiopian government to deliver
humanitarian aid to needy people at home.
Ethiopians in Canada have also emerged as
professionals in finance, engineering, and
particularly in medicine.
The Ethiopian
Orthodox Church in Toronto also played an important
role. The Orthodox Church and even the Ethiopian
Evangelical Church have helped Ethiopian Christians
achieve a greater sense of nationality. Also,
Ethiopian Muslims have found companionship and
strength in many of Toronto's mosques.
ETHIOPIA TO
CANADA
Every year,
thousands of people from other countries come to
Canada to begin a new life. They bring many talents
and skills and the hope of contributing to their
new society. You may be reading this profile
because you are a volunteer in an organized HOST
program, or simply because your work or daily life
has brought you into contact with newly arrived
Ethiopians. Whatever your source of interest, this
profile will help you understand something about
Ethiopia and the people who live there.
Migration is a new
experience for Ethiopians. Traditionally they did
not move abroad permanently or change their
citizenship. The 1974 revolution and the years of
chaos that followed sparked migration. Today, dire
poverty and underdevelopment in Ethiopia continue
to compel many people to leave their country.
Currently, there are more than 15,000 Ethiopians in
Canada.
Ethiopians coming
to Canada will have many of the same questions that
you would have if you moved to a new city or
country. They will wonder how to find a job, which
schools their children should attend, how to find a
doctor and what their new community will be like.
You can help your new friends settle by answering
their questions. You will also find that you have
much to learn from them.
Although this
cultural profile provides insights into some
customs, it does not cover all facets of life. The
customs described may not apply in equal measure to
all newcomers from Ethiopia.
Summary Fact
Sheet
Official Name
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Capital City Addis
Ababa
Type of Government
Democratic Republic
Population 60
million
Area 1,251,282 sq.
km
Major Ethnic Groups
mhara, Tigrinya, Oromo, Afar, Somali, Omo and
others
Languages Amharic
(official), Tigrinya, Oromo, and others
Religions Ethiopian
Orthodox Tewahedo Christianity, Islam, Judaism,
traditional indigenous beliefs
Unit of Currency
Birr
National Flag Three
horizontal stripes of green, yellow and red (top to
bottom). At the center is the country's coat of
arms: a yellow star on a round, blue
background.
Date of
Independence Never colonized
Did you
know?
The name Ethiopia
come from a Greek word meaning "sunburned faces."
The Greeks called all peoples south of Egypt
Ethiopians because of their darker skin. Ethiopia's
former name is Abyssinia, a word of uncertain
origin: some people believe it comes from an Arabic
word meaning "mixed" - a reference to the country's
many ethnic groups; others contend that the name
belonged to an early Ethiopian tribe.
*The Ethiopian
Embassy in Canada is also accredited to the
countries of Mexico & Cuba
Ambassador of
Ethiopia to Canada :HIS EXCELLENCY Dr. Berhanu
Dibaba
Embassy
Diplomats: Mr. Tebege Berhe -
Counselor
Mrs. Yeharerwork Bekele
- Attache
Embassy working
hours : Monday-Friday 8:30am-
4:00pm
The Embassy closes
on ALL Canadian Statuary Holidays as well as
on
All Ethiopian
National holidays which are as follows:
12 September -
Ethiopian NEW YEAR
28 September - The
Finding of the True Cross (Meskel)
*25 November
- Ramadan (Id Al Fater)
07 January -
Ethiopian Christmas
*20 January -
Ethiopian Epiphany
*01 February- Id Al
Adha (Arefa)
02 March -
Victory of Adwa Commemoration Day
*09 April -
Ethiopian Good Friday
*11 April -
Ethiopian Easter
01 May -
International Labor Day
*02 May - Birth of
the Prophet Mohammed (Mawled)
05 May - Ethiopian
Patriot's Victory Day
28 May - Overthrow
of the Derge Regime A Note of Thanks to All
Ethiopians in Canada
As many of you are
aware, Ethiopians everywhere have been taking
various initiatives from making their individual
contributions to organizing fundraising activities
to assist their fellow Ethiopians back home who are
facing a severe drought.
As part of this
initiative and in an attempt to help facilitate
this endeavor, the Embassy in Canada had opened a
special account where Ethiopians in Canada can send
their contributions.
The Embassy would
like to inform that we have transferred $16,700.00
Canadian Dollars ($10,809.76 USD) to the Disaster
Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC). This
amount was collected from mid December 2002 to the
end of January 2003. Prior to this, the staff at
the Embassy have also contributed from their
salaries a total of $4,516.00 USD which was also
donated to the DPPC. In total, Ethiopians in Canada
including the Embassy staff have so far donated
$15,325.76 USD.
We would like to
take this opportunity to thank you all for your
generous contributions and encourage all Ethiopians
in Canada to continue to support their compatriots
in their hour of need.
Embassy of
Ethiopia, OTTAWA
P.S. You can send
your contributions by : Check or Money
Order
Payable To :
Embassy of Ethiopia
#210-151 Slater Street, Ottawa, ON K1P
5H3
OR
Bank
Transfer
To : Embassy of
Ethiopia
Bank of
Montreal
Account Number :
2444-8083-699
112 Kent Street,
Ottawa, ON
(If you donate by
Bank Transfer, please send us a copy of the
transfer slip with your name and address, so that
we can send you a receipt)
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