From: The Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples/Chileans/Harry Diaz
Chile is a society divided into classes that are clearly defined according to wealth and lifestyle. Many of these patterns have influenced the organization of the Chilean communities in Canada. The integration of Chileans into Canadian society, however, is slowly changing these patterns since the social referents are different in Canada. Accordingly, new cultural rules have begun to govern Chilean communities in this country.
In their homeland, Chileans are characterized by their organizational capacity, a trait that has persisted in Canada. Chilean Canadians have created a variety of organizations along political, religious, artistic, sport, and gender lines. Until the late 1980s political organizations were extremely important. Most of them were Canadian branches of Chilean left-wing political parties, and in many Canadian cities there were political organizations for Chileans, each one representing a specific political organization in Chile. Their main activities were the mobilization of Canadian individuals and organizations against the Chilean military regime and solidarity work with the political opposition in Chile. Many of these political groups disappeared in the late 1980s because the process of democratization in Chile made solidarity work unnecessary. Some Chileans, however, have remained active in solidarity work with Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Cuba.
Women have also organized themselves. Some of the women’s groups were created as branches of political organizations with the purpose of integrating women in solidarity work. Other groups have focused on women’s issues, such as the Comité de femmes chiliennes du Québec. This organization, which was created in 1980, for several years did advocacy work for female political prisoners in Chile. Since 1990 it has become more integrated with Québécois organizations and has diverted its efforts to international solidarity.
Another expression of this organizational effort has been the Asociación de profesionales, técnicos y artistas chilenos del Quebec (PROTACH), an organization that brings together a large number of Chilean professionals, technicians, and artists living in Quebec. The organization, which began in 1990, has been very active in promoting activities such as workshops within specific professional fields, as well as in organizing more general activities. For example, in 1994, with the support of the Quebec government, it organized a seminar on investments in Chile.
Chileans have also made contributions to the Canadian social fabric. Within the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI), there are several organizations founded by or with the help of Chileans: for example, Working Skills Centre, New Experiences for Refugee Women, and the Kitchener YWCA Multicultural Centre. Chileans have also played an important role in provincial organizations (such as the Immigrant Women of Saskatchewan) and national organizations (such as the Canadian Association for Latin American and Caribbean Studies), in which they have often served as directors.
Like most other Latin Americans, many Chilean males are in love with soccer. They have created a large number of soccer teams all over Canada, giving them the names of traditional Chilean teams – such as Colo-Colo or Barrabases. These teams tend to appear and disappear, although some of them – such as Colo-Colo of Montreal – have had a long life. They organize championships within each city, playing against other Chilean and non-Chilean teams, and also regional competitions, such as the Salvador Allende Cup that brings together Chilean teams from all the main western cities from Manitoba to British Columbia.
