Multicultural Must Read: A complicated tragedy

Syrian Canadians mourn the loss of Marrisa Shen

Chinese source 51.ca reports:

Cross-cultural translation: A statement reads: "The Syrian community in Canada join their fellow Canadians today in shock and condemnation of the despicable homicide of young Marrisa Shen. At this moment of sadness, we earnestly join all Canadians in mourning and hope that this terrible incident won't result in a backlash against refugees. The Syrian community in Vancouver will be lighting candles for Marrisa Shen this Friday at 9:30 a.m. at the Provincial Court of British Columbia in Vancouver, where the perpetrator is expected to appear before a judge." This statement was written in English and translated into French and Arabic. However, the translation into Chinese is missing, which resulted in great dissatisfaction among the internet users of the Chinese community. At the same time, the mention of a possible "backlash against refugees" makes Chinese internet users feel that the rally was not purely to mourn Shen. Also, some internet users think that holding the event outside the provincial court puts pressure on the judge. (12/09/2018)


Multicultural reporting on this event highlights the conflict between different minority groups, not just minority groups and the mainstream. The murder has been reported on in mainstream media: by some as a defense of their anti-refugee sentiment, and others express the complicated natures of both migration and tragedy.

MIREMS' mandate to make language barriers transparent brings stories from minority communities to the mainstream. By listening to multilingual and multicultural communities, Canadians can deepen their understanding of Canadian events.