There is no doubt the people of Nova Scotia are friendly, but are they truly welcoming?

Immigrants "often have difficulty gaining a foothold in the province," in part because of barriers that stem from "negative attitudes and even racism when it comes to welcoming new people into our communities and hiring people 'from away,'" according to the Ivany report.

On March 8, CBC Radio's Mainstreet will be at the Keshen Goodman Library in Clayton Park for Beyond Hello — a community conversation about how Nova Scotians can be more welcoming to newcomers.

Below are some thoughts from Saeed El-Darahali, a member of the OneNS Coalition.

Put yourself in the shoes of a newcomer

Nova Scotians are very friendly, but not very welcoming.

We need to accept people for who they are, not for who they know or who their father is. Last names still have special powers in our society and it's holding us back.

- Read more at CBC.ca -