本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Illness spawns some shunning of Asians


By CAROLINE ALPHONSO
From Thursday's Globe and Mail


As Linda Lai ate breakfast with a friend at a Toronto restaurant this week, she noticed there were no customers seated at the table beside her.

And when she picked up her children at school, Ms. Lai was shocked when another Chinese mother told her she was standing too close.

Fears over the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome are escalating around the globe, and in Canada many people in the Asian population are finding themselves being blamed and discriminated against. In some cases, they are being targeted by members of their own community.

Intolerance is showing its ugly face; many people refuse to sit beside Asians in crowded trains and buses.

At a Toronto school, a mother asked a parents group how to stop Chinese students from attending. In Calgary's Chinatown, a number of restaurants, bakeries and hair salons have signs posted asking patrons who have recently arrived from China, Hong Kong or one of the other affected countries to stay away for 10 to 14 days.

Ms. Lai, a Toronto resident, understands the concern among many Canadians. The number of SARS cases in Canada climbs higher with each passing day, especially in Ontario.

Ms. Lai takes precautions to avoid infection. She refuses to take her youngest child out of the house.

"This is a very civilized country, but I understand everyone is sensitive and nervous," she said. "I don't blame them."

At the restaurant, Ms. Lai, who was sitting near the entrance, noticed the waitress asking customers whether they wanted to sit at the table beside her. They declined.

Parents at the school where her three older children attend usually socialize with each other. But Ms. Lai noticed that they kept their distance from each other. "One mother complained to me. She said, 'Don't stand too close to me, because I'm too scared.' "

Cathy Walker, national health and safety director for the Canadian Auto Workers union, has fielded calls from members all across the country who are worried about serving Asian customers.

Workers from a new local at the Great Blue Heron Charity Casino in Port Perry, Ont., wanted to know whether they should wear masks and gloves when dealing with Asian customers. They also asked whether they could simply refuse service, especially if an Asian customer appears to be sick, she said.

At Casino Niagara, three Asian workers were escorted out because they wore masks.

"We're emphasizing [to casinos] the need to put all of this in perspective. Normally, simple contact with a customer is not going to put anybody at risk," she said. "I'm really worried about a racial undertone to all of this."

Cynthia Pay, president of the Chinese Canadian National Council, is concerned. She has heard stories of people refusing to sit beside Chinese people on buses. She acknowledged there is a lot of fear within the Chinese community, as well.

The group is calling on the government to speak out against stereotyping Chinese. Ms. Pay said there are many pictures in the news media showing Chinese people wearing masks, and this implies they alone carry the disease, she said.

"This attitude is getting reflected in people's behaviour," Ms. Pay said.

With reports from Katherine Harding and from CTV reporters Kirk Heuser and Steve Chao更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net