Minority groups worry about 'spillover effect' in Canada after Donald Trump presidential win
Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election has left many minority groups in Winnipeg worried about whether his presidency could provoke more hate crimes in Canada and encourage racism.
"We have our share of racists here in our country," said Shahina Siddiqui, president of the Islamic Social Services Association.
"Now having Mr. Trump in power, is it going to embolden our hate-mongers? Our own racists or bigots?" she said.
"I hope that this doesn't spill over into Canada, that's my concern."
Siddiqui said she has family in Chicago and Texas, and she said there is a lot of uncertainty about their future there.
"Up until now it was just a joke, I would tell them 'you know you can always come to Canada' and we would just laugh about it."
During his campaign Trump pledged to crack down on immigration and to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. It's those ideas that has Siddiqui worried.
"We have a large Muslim population there, people don't know what's going to happen and so that uncertainty is not a healthy place to be."
'The LGBT community has every right to be scared'
The LGBT community in Manitoba is also reeling from the Trump win.
"It feels heavy today, I think there is going to be a period of people who are just grieving the loss of this," said Michelle McHale, Steinbach Pride spokesperson.
"And for him to take it by that much," McHale said.
"I think any time there is such a significant player in the world that makes a statement such as that, I feel the people who feel justified in the United States will be louder and the people who have similar views here will feel hopeful that perhaps that can be obtained here too."
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Trump has been criticized for controversial comments about groping women, and there are concerns about equal rights of women being jeopardized.
"The LGBT community has every right to be scared right now given some of the things that have been said, like will all the gains that have been made be lost?" she asked.
'Feels like sad ending'
Winnipegger and Mexican Jorge Requena is concerned about his relatives living in California, Texas and Arizona who he says have already been victims of racism.
"Last night to me felt like the sad ending to a movie, when evil wins in a comic book, it just feels fictitious to me," Requena said.
Requena, the lead singer of musical group Mariachi Ghost, said he's still trying to get over the shock of learning Donald Trump will become the next president of the United States.
"I feel disappointed in the American people," he said. "Having so much family there, I'm just very scared and worried."
Requena said his aunt who lives in California has already been forced to move to a different neighbourhood because of racial tensions.
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Requena's also worried about his parents in Mexico City. He fears there could be violence in his home country if Trump builds his promised wall between Mexico and the U.S.
He said he wonders what would happen if Americans try to force Mexico to pay for it too.
"When we say no to the wall what's going to happen?"