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Hi, it’s Dozie!
Welcome to today’s From the Editor.
Today, on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, The Newcomers honours survivors of residential schools, remembers the children who never returned home, and recognizes the lasting impacts on families and communities.
In today’s newsletter: Manisha Nayyar on why reaching out can help you build a community in Canada.
Also in the news: Calgary Council backs staying in Canada ahead of the Alberta referendum; Premier Smith says Alberta has yet to decide whether some immigration proposals would cover current residents; Alberta trade with other provinces supports 330,000 jobs ahead of the separation referendum.
Plus, in today’s French in Canada: Nishant Anand shares how you can develop the ideas you’ll use when discussing with the examiner in section one of the TCF exam.
See past issues here.
Reaching out to people in Canada after a networking event is a shortcut to building community
Manisha Nayyar used to think it was best to wait before buzzing someone after an event.
Especially because back in India, it’s not usual for you to ask someone you only know slightly to spare some of their time. I mean, you don’t message a higher-up simply because you've heard good things about the way they work, and you don't ask a stranger for advice either. Doing so would put them in an awkward situation and might give the impression that you want something before you have a right to ask.
Nigeria wasn’t so different either. And so you quickly learn to respect other people's time and personal space by not intruding on it. And so she brought that belief with her to Canada, where being respectful meant waiting for others to reach out first.
Who else did this? I think I was lucky that I had attended a course at Miami Ad School in Toronto a few months before I moved. And I was told about informational interviews. And boy, did I connect and reach out to folks unprompted.
Read the full thing to understand why Canada is different in this regard and how to reach out without feeling like you are intruding ⬇️
Thinking about starting a business in Canada?
Thinking about starting a business in Canada or ready to take yours to the next level? The Immigrant Business Expo – Calgary brings newcomer and refugee entrepreneurs together for a day of practical advice, useful resources, and connections to help start, grow and manage their businesses.
October 3, 2026 | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Calgary Central Library, 800 3 Street SE
Organized by New Horizons Media Inc., the Canadian Immigrant Women’s Association, the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, and the Calgary Public Library, the event includes workshops, an expert panel, a marketplace, and a small business clinic. This year’s theme is The Future of Small Business: AI, Automation, and Digital Innovation.
Know someone who could benefit? Please share this with them.
From our newsroom
Calgary Council backs staying in Canada ahead of the Alberta referendum. The 14-1 vote has no legal effect on Alberta’s referendum, but councillors say separation could raise municipal costs and drive businesses from the province. — Full article here
Premier Smith says Alberta has yet to decide whether some immigration proposals would cover current residents. Five immigration questions are on Alberta’s Oct. 19 ballot. The votes are non-binding, but the key details are still uncertain for people already living in the province. — Full article here
Alberta trade with other provinces supports 330,000 jobs ahead of the separation referendum. The chamber’s estimate also points to jobs supported elsewhere in Canada. The Oct. 19 ballot is non-binding, and the Alberta figure is not a forecast of layoffs. — Full article here
French in Canada with Nishant Anand
Q: How can I develop my ideas in TCF Section 1: Introduction with the examiner?
A: Think of your introduction as 6 boxes:
Who you are
Name
Nationality/origin
Current age
Where you live
How long you've lived there
Your current situation
What you currently do
Your professional role
Where you work
What your responsibilities are
What you like/dislike about your work
Your educational background
What you studied originally
Why you chose that field
Further studies you have undertaken
What you are studying now
Why you decided to continue studying
Your relationship with French (You’ll need to talk in detail here)
When you started learning French
Why you chose French
How you learned it
How French became part of your professional life
How you use French today
Your experience with French-speaking environments
Your future objectives in French
Your personal interests (Elaborate on this section: what you do, with whom you do it, when you do it, and where you do it?)
Music → singing/piano → how often → why you enjoy it
Fitness → gym → what motivates you
Travel → places you've visited → what you learned
Languages → why multilingualism interests you
Future plans
Professional ambitions
Academic plans
French-language goals
Personal projects
What you would like to achieve in the next few years
The key technique: Point → Detail → Reason → Example
Prepare these connectors. Instead of memorizing sentences, memorize functions:
Starting: Pour commencer… / Tout d’abord…
Adding: Par ailleurs… / De plus…
Explaining: Cela s’explique par le fait que…
Giving a reason: Ce qui m’a poussé à…
Giving an example: À titre d’exemple…
Talking about change: Au fil des années…
Talking about experience: Cette expérience m’a permis de…
Talking about the future: À l’avenir, j’aimerais…
Concluding: En somme… / Voilà pourquoi…
Think of it this way: Simple idea → developed naturally → precise vocabulary → good grammar → smooth transitions.
Start your French journey with Nishant
Newsletter writer: Dozie Anyaegbunam
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