From: The Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples/Afghans/Grant Farr
Since the Afghans have arrived recently, they have maintained much of their culture, including language and customs. Persian-speakers have a better chance of retaining their language than do Pushto-speakers since Persian, which is more the language of the sizable Iranian immigrant community in Canada, is more widely spoken. Not surprisingly, many Persian-speaking Afghans associate to some degree with Iranians. Afghans continue to follow events in their homeland through the expatriate press. Three Afghan newsletters are published in Canada, all in Toronto, and a number in the United States and Europe. Meals and traditional foods are important to the community, and women who are excellent Afghan cooks are well known.
Traditionally, boys were educated in local Islamic schools; most of the Afghans coming to Canada, however, have had some modern education. The immigrant community stresses Western education as a means of upward occupational mobility. Afghans have no desire to start their own schools, and they willingly send their children to public institutions. Although education for women was limited in Afghanistan, daughters in the immigrant community also attend school.
