Anubhamehta-wpadm

My name is Teresa Hall and this poem describes what Canada means to me. A few years ago, I had met Anubha at a reading series. She was presenting her book and then she said on the mic, how she loved the line in my poem “this land of quiet strength”. When writing this poem, I had agonized over whether “quiet strength” was an accurate way to describe this amazing country. I felt so pleased that another artist felt the same way!

I immigrated to Canada in 1965 after medical training in India, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Yet, in Canada, I faced significant discrimination based on my colour and visible minority status. In Ontario in particular, I was told that I would never get a license to practice medicine no matter what my qualifications. It took me five decades of sustained medical practice to change my circumstance and come a little closer to achieving my larger dream of more equitable health care. Here is a sneak peek into my upcoming memoir ….