The experiences of immigrant entrepreneurs in a medium-sized Canadian city: The case of
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Student: HOI YUET YAU
Course: College Communication 2(ESL) (SEC. 010)
Instructor: Mrinal Debnath
Introduction
The economic landscape of Canada has been significantly shaped by immigrants, and their
contributions continue to be integral to the country's growth. In the article, "The Experiences of
Immigrant Entrepreneurs in a Medium-Sized Canadian City: The Case of St. John’s,
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada," authored by Nelson Graham and Yolande PottieSherman, the focus lies on exploring the unique and often challenging journey of immigrant
entrepreneurship in St. John's, a remote and peripheral city in Canada. This comprehensive
critique aims to evaluate the article's effectiveness by delving into its accuracy, appeal to
emotion, and relevance within the context of immigrant entrepreneurship in non-traditional
Canadian cities.
Summary
In the article, Graham and Pottie-Sherman provide a valuable glimpse into the immigrant
entrepreneurship landscape within the specific city of St. John's. The study highlights the unique
challenges faced by immigrant entrepreneurs in this region, characterized by its remoteness, a
relatively small immigrant population, and an economy heavily reliant on global oil markets. The
authors base their findings on 28 interviews conducted with immigrant entrepreneurs and key
informants, aiming to uncover the distinct hurdles and opportunities these individuals face. The
research reveals a multifaceted scenario: immigrants in St. John's face challenges such as labor
undervaluation, limitations in the local labor pool, a lack of awareness about available resources,
and a complex and impersonal immigration and entrepreneurial start-up process.
Critique Response
Accuracy
The article demonstrates a high level of accuracy, grounded in meticulous research and a wellstructured methodology involving interviews with immigrant entrepreneurs and key informants.
The authors skillfully present an evidence-based depiction of the unique challenges faced by
these people. Notably, they delve into a predicament where despite government promotion of
immigrant enterprise, immigrant entrepreneurs perceive their labor as undervalued. This is an
accurate portrayal of the unique circumstances in St. John's, and the following quote serves as an
example:
"Our research has uncovered that immigrants in St. John’s often perceive their labor as
undervalued despite various government initiatives promoting immigrant enterprise. This sense
of undervaluation contributes to their overall experience of attempting to establish and sustain
businesses in the city". (Graham & Pottie-Sherman, 2021)
This in-depth understanding showcases the precision of their findings and analysis.
Appeal to Emotion
The article effectively connects with readers emotionally by bringing to the forefront the
hardships faced by immigrant entrepreneurs in St. John's. By providing a detailed account of
how immigrant labor is undervalued, the limited access to local labor, and the challenges in
resource accessibility, it effectively elicits empathy from the readers. The following quote evokes
the frustration experienced by immigrant entrepreneurs, thereby strengthening the reader-writer
connection:
"Immigrant entrepreneurs in St. John’s find themselves in the midst of a complex, lengthy, and
impersonal immigration and entrepreneurial start-up experience. The labyrinthine nature of this
process leaves them deeply frustrated as they strive to carve a path towards success in a
challenging economic landscape". (Graham & Pottie-Sherman, 2021)
Furthermore, the article underscores the formidable impediment posed by the limited local labor
pool in St. John's. It paints a vivid picture of the hurdles immigrant entrepreneurs face when
striving to expand their businesses, particularly in the context of the white-collar sector. This
narrative approach allows readers to empathize with the immigrant entrepreneurs, who must
navigate the challenging terrain of a constrained labor market.
The article also delves into the intricacies of resource accessibility. It sheds light on the lack of
knowledge among newcomers about the available resources, leaving them in a state of
uncertainty and disadvantage. (Lo & Teixeira, 2015) This aspect of the narrative resonates with
readers, as it highlights the vulnerabilities faced by immigrant entrepreneurs who are not
adequately informed about the tools and support systems at their disposal.
In essence, the article succeeds in its emotional appeal by weaving a compelling narrative that
brings the struggles of immigrant entrepreneurs to the forefront. It inspires empathy in readers,
who can relate to the experiences of these entrepreneurs striving for recognition, growth, and
access to vital resources within a challenging environment. This emotional connection is a
testament to the article's effectiveness in not just conveying information but also fostering a
deeper understanding of the human aspects of the immigrant entrepreneur experience.
Relevance
This article is highly pertinent to the ongoing discourse on immigrant entrepreneurship,
especially in the context of non-traditional immigrant gateway cities. St. John's, Newfoundland
and Labrador, provides a compelling case study that highlights the obstacles encountered by
other small to medium-sized cities in Atlantic Canada. The study emphasizes the significance of
addressing unique requirements for immigrant entrepreneurs within these areas, especially
concerning economic and demographic issues confronted by Atlantic Canada at large. As
evidenced below, this investigation holds relevance regarding broader challenges faced
throughout the region:
"St. John’s struggles with an aging labor market, youth out-migration, and a persistent difficulty
in attracting and retaining newcomers. This scenario mirrors the larger context of Atlantic
Canada’s economic and demographic challenges, making the study highly relevant and
essential". (Graham & Pottie-Sherman, 2021)
The significance of this article becomes evident when one delves into the complexities of
Atlantic Canada's regional landscape. Beyond the immediate scope of St. John's, the article
implicitly conveys a resounding message about the universal struggles faced by small and
medium-sized cities in the region. (Sim, 2015) The challenges outlined within the study resonate
as a collective voice, emphasizing that immigrant entrepreneurship holds the potential not only
for individual success but for offering solutions to the wider regional issues that Atlantic Canada
contends with.
By facilitating the establishment of thriving businesses by immigrants, these cities have an
opportunity to bolster their own economic resilience and demographic vitality. Thus, the research
offered in this article stretches far beyond a localized study—it becomes an essential reference
point for guiding future policies and initiatives aimed at enhancing the economic prospects of
Atlantic Canada's smaller cities and improving their capacity to attract and retain newcomers.
Conclusion
In their article "The Experiences of Immigrant Entrepreneurs in a Medium-Sized Canadian City:
The Case of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada," Nelson Graham and Yolande
Pottie-Sherman provide crucial insights into the experiences of immigrant entrepreneurs in a
unique context. The article maintains a high level of accuracy, rooted in comprehensive research.
Through an emotional appeal that highlights the challenges faced by immigrant entrepreneurs, it
successfully connects with the readers, fostering empathy and understanding. Moreover, the
article's relevance to the regional context of Atlantic Canada underscores its significance in the
ongoing discourse on immigrant entrepreneurship in Canada.
References
Graham, N., & Pottie-Sherman, Y. (2021). The experiences of immigrant entrepreneurs in a
medium-sized Canadian city: The case of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Lo, L., & Teixeira, C. (2015). Immigrants doing business in a mid‐sized Canadian city:
Challenges, opportunities, and local strategies in Kelowna, British Columbia. Growth and
Change, 46(4), 631-653.
Sim, D. (2015). Immigrant Entrepreneurship in Canada. Ryerson University Global Diversity
Exchange, Toronto. www. hireimmigrants. ca/wpcontent/uploads/Immigrant_Entrepreneurship_
Canada. pdf.
Lo, L., & Teixeira, C. (2015). Sustaining immigrant entrepreneurship in small-and medium-sized
cities. Journal of entrepreneurship and innovation in emerging economies, 1(2), 146-162.