By Staff
January 6th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Joseph Brant Museum is currently featuring an exhibit on Immigration in Canada. The curatorial team at the Museum reached out to local Burlington residents asking for stories on immigration experiences
Charles Zach is 66 years old and has lived in Burlington “all my life”.
Charles Zach
His first job here was helping farmers pick some of their crops in the summertime on Maple Avenue when it was still farmland.
“I am currently a government lobbyist for Canada’s National Firearms Association.
“I’ve been a H.R. manager, I’ve been in I.T., and I’ve been in architecture.
“My mother and father both grew up in the northwestern regions of Hungary. It was under communist rule after the Second World War.
“In October of 1956, there was a full-blown revolution. My father took part in that revolution directly. So when they knew that the revolution was not going to succeed, my father knew that his life now was in jeopardy and peril.
“He was dating my mother at the time. He was 22-23 years old, my mother was 18 years old.
“He asked my mother if she wanted to escape with my father across the border. They landed in Austria. Austria gave them refuge and sent them off to a refugee camp.
“My mother had family in California, and my father had, relatives here in Hamilton.
“We chose Canada and landed at Pier 21 (Halifax) My mother and father landed here in 57.
“And that was the extent of the support. So you had, one suitcase that basically had nothing but pictures and some prized linens that my mother had made.
“They landed in Canada, not knowing the language. It was a brand new start.
“One day, my father heard from one of his friends that there was a brand new brick plant being built on number five highway, it was called Diamond Clay at that point.
“My dad spent his entire life at that plant. Unfortunately, it ended prematurely. He was in a truck crash in Hamilton delivering bricks.
“That plant was very good to my dad and our family.
Leighland Avenue in 2025
“In 1960, we lived at 1420 Leighland. And it was an old, farmhouse, with a good acre property in the back. My family transformed it into a mini farm, as many families did back then.
“My mother and father both came here because they saw this was a country of opportunity.
“There was prejudice against Hungarians and that was all over the place.
“One particular story, my dad at the time working temporarily at the basket factory on Brant Street, it was a huge enterprise way back then.
It was the mentality of Canadians at that point for these new immigrants; that was pretty much everywhere.
” On the flip side, there were people that were very sympathetic.
“I have an appreciation for what they endured, the people that they become because of it, and the strength that they drew from it to actually prosper in Canada.
“I didn’t even know English until I went to grade one. I was also in the Hungarian school system elsewhere.
“The first time I went back, I was around 12 and it was still Communist controlled.
“I’m very politically active now. I’ve actually run for, provincial office here in Burlington as a libertarian twice. Unfortunately, that didn’t come to any fruition, but it was a great experience.
“Burlington has changed radically since I’ve been here. When I was growing up, Burlington was, semi-rural in a small little downtown, everything else was orchards and quasi-little farms – it was beautiful.
“In the mid-70s, things switched. A lot of developers came and knocked down a lot of the farms.
“Burlington has lost a little bit of its soul. When I was a young man, I could go to the Burlington Mall – I was there for the opening.
“That’s a very poignant question to ask me right now. Because we are bringing in a lot of people into this country right now.
“Canada was very welcoming at one point in time, but they were also reserved with how many people they would absorb in society so it wouldn’t cause disruption.
“Sadly, our federal government has missed that lesson. And it’s not just me saying this. There’s a lot of people that are coming here. And we’re letting them in; a lot of them are unvetted.
“So there’s a lot of young people here that grew up here, They’re leaving; they’re going to the States.”
Charles Zack has a lot more to say. The full interview can be found HERE.
A well written and thoughtful article that echoes so many of my own experiences and sentiments – my parents came to Burlington after WW11 and were of Polish and Ukrainian heritage My dad’s first job was to work for Paul Fisher at Fisher Farmers, on what is now known as Burlington Centre Mall – some of the people he worked with worked on farms on Maple Ave, or the ‘basket factory’ which was BONAR & BEMIS back then??? He eventually got a job with the city and worked there until his retirement Although my parents never mentioned prejudice it certainly probably existed – my parents worked hard and were just happy to be free and have a chance in life and to own a home and provide a good start for their kids.
I left Burlington when I was 20 for the working world and couldnt wait to leave – Ironically after living in Toronto/Ottawa and Oakville I chose to move back to Burlington – Although Burlington’s population grew by 140,000 since I left one can understand how a city becomes ‘sterile’ and loses that town feel – The influx of condo’s in the core downtown doesnt help much and a lot of the immigration in Canada seems to be somewhat poorly handled – Burlington’s still great – but not as great as it was
I as well grew up in Burlington and there has always been souless corrupt ppl there. It has nothing to do with where you are born on earth but in fact what type of heart you truly have. Some are soul sucker’s and others are soul replenishers. Unfortunately we have seen more in society today people that to impress and follow the oppressors rather than call a spade a spade. I have been homeless for 14 years and disgraced at the amount of people that have been abused through systems that advertise salvation. Time to be totally honest it’s threat at the end of the day and the choice of whether you will stand up against it or follow the insanity. Canada could be the best country if more people were just simply real instead of players. Sad
Unfortunately I have to agree with most of the comments regarding the changes that have occurred in Canada and Europe when it comes to the integration and assimilation of some of the immigrants that now live here.
My grandparents were immigrants to Canada. They came from Eastern Europe to escape persecution. They were grateful for the opportunity coming to Canada provided them. They raised their children with no help from the government. They kept their traditions alive in their home. No special accommodations were made for them nor did they expect them.
Times have changed dramatically.
Presently we seem to be living in a society where some immigrants are bringing with them what they were fleeing from.
Never before in Canada have I witnessed the hatred between different religious groups that have resulted in the burning of the Canadian flag, the shooting and vandalism and bullying of students in public schools and certain private day schools.
The current Federal Government has done nothing to protect ALL citizens. As a result of little or no consequences it encourages these acts to continue.
Having lived and worked in three provinces and then having moved to Burlington in the late 90’s, the museum may want to consider a “not from here” exhibit.
My parents moved from Toronto to burlington in 1950. It was so beautiful. The apple orcharchards in spring were a sea of white . There were many immigrants who had fled Europe after the war but everyone intermingled. There was none of the hate and suspicion that exists today. I think it was because immigration didn’t overwhelm Canadian’s who were already here. Burlington was a fabulous place to grow up. Today I live in mississauga. I don’t recognize burlington when I go back. Trudeau overwhelmed our country with immigration and we can see the sad result.
As a decent from a family that has lived in and around Burlington since the late 1700’s, I kind of have to question this gentleman’s perspective about when we changed from a rural community to a suburban one and his views of immigration. Why is he blaming those that have come after him to Burlington for damaging his ‘quaint’ Burlington? As the fellow commenter James Dunlop has said, this is typical of aging citizens…the ‘get off my lawn’ phase.
“When I was growing up, Burlington was, semi-rural in a small little downtown, everything else was orchards and quasi-little farms – it was beautiful.In the mid-70s, things switched. A lot of developers came and knocked down a lot of the farms. Burlington has lost a little bit of its soul.”
I’m sorry, but obviously Mr. Zack doesn’t remember what Burlington looked like before the in post war 1950s south of the QEW since he was born during the massive suburbanization of Burlington, when our city absorbed a number of postwar European immigrants and families starting their suburban life. Our agricultural town disappeared before the 1970s, including my family’s farm.
His anti-immigrant sentiments saying “And we’re letting them in; a lot of them are unvetted.” is just to farcical, coming from someone who is an immigrant, and that has no idea about what exactly are the tighter rules and regulations of the current immigration system. It’s gotten harder, not easier to come to our country for the same reason Mr Zack has stated “My mother and father both came here because they saw this was a country of opportunity.”
I moved to burlington in the early 1970s. It was a town , a beautiful town that had everything a family could ask for. My 2 children grew up there. Now it looks like it’s trying to compete with TO. Lakeshore is ruined with those condos. The lake view is gone. Lakeshore feels like you’re driving in a tunnel. Traffic is awful.
Great article. I truly miss the old burlington. There are way too many condo buildings going up every where. They have ruined the downtown core. Burlington hasnt lost a little bit of its soul.’ Its lost a lot. I tried to get involved with the city. Because I live in hamilton, they wouldn’t allow it.
This makes little sense. What is the intended purpose of such an article?
I’m thoroughly confused, and I worry that some statements could be taken out of context and misconstrued in a very unhelpful way.
Who is responsible for this?
Editor’s note: The line at the top of the story said exactly where the information came from and a link to the full article (it ran some 60 pages) was provided.
The curatorial team at the Museum reached out to local Burlington residents asking for stories on immigration experiences
Mr. Zack is correct. Burlington, Oakville and Milton have all lost most of their soul. I sold my home of 30 years in Oakville and moved up north to Muskoka due to over population, and a negative community feeling. The quaint small towns we once enjoyed are being ruined by non caring newcomers with their own agendas, schools, religious beliefs, and work ethics. My ancestors fought in great wars to protect what they had built for future generations. Thanks to our federal government, we have been taken over without a war. Shame on the Liberal government for giving away our country. What happened to assimilation not re-population?!!
Telling that Mr. Zack comes so _close_ to an epiphany. “Immigrants were treated with suspicion when my parents immigrated, but I’m very suspicious of today’s immigrants.”
The reflexive but nebulous blame of immigration is sadly ubiquitous among people of Mr. Zack’s age and inclinations. They know that the immigrants are clearly doing _something_, even if they’ve seen no definitive evidence.