Quillette Podcast Sri Lankan by Birth, Tamil by Heritage, Canadian by Choice
Dec 19, 2025
Roy Ratnavel, a Tamil-Canadian business executive and author of 'Prisoner #1056', shares his remarkable journey from being imprisoned in Sri Lanka to thriving in Canada's finance sector. He discusses the complexities of immigration and emphasizes the importance of integration and personal responsibility. Ratnavel contrasts past forced integration with modern ethnic enclaves that can impede assimilation. He also reflects on the political evolution of the Tamil community in Canada and critiques performative DEI efforts, advocating for merit-based advancement.
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Why Immigrants Vote Liberal Despite Conservatism
- Roy observes immigrant voting often leans liberal despite conservative household values due to perceptions of party hostility.
- He believes media portrayals that label conservatives as anti-immigrant push immigrants toward liberal votes.
From Prison To Canada
- Roy Ratnavel was rounded up at 17, tortured in a Sri Lankan prison, and escaped after two and a half months with help from his father's friend.
- His father secured a compassionate Canadian visa, and Roy arrived in Toronto in 1988 where opportunity transformed his life.
Mailroom To Bay Street
- Roy started in a Bay Street asset manager's mailroom and outworked colleagues to rise through sales into senior leadership.
- A senior sales mentor taught him corporate behavior and opened career paths he would never have had otherwise.