Times are a Changing

IS CANADA BECOMING A LESS TOLERANT SOCIETY

This was in MacLean’s Magazine on December, 2007.

http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20071022_110249_110249&source=srch

I find it interesting and disturbing that the society in this country are now coming to the realization that the times are changing.
Let me try to provide a perspective from the eyes of an immigrant, meaning me.
In the US, they promote a “melting pot” approach to immigrants. That is you arrive in that country and you follow their rules, laws and culture. If you want to preserve your own culture, you do so in the privacy of your home, but the Government (federal, state or local) does not provide any resources for your individual expansion of your culture.
In Canada, they choose to promote a “mosaic” approach. This encourages the individual culture to be promoted and all levels of Government provide resources to assist in that promotion. So the Caribana Festival is subsidized by Governments, and the newspapers (representing ANY culture) are also subsidized by all Governments. So that leads to situations like the Sikh wanting to join the RCMP, is given permission to wear a red turban, instead of the red hat, and the rules are changed.
So to maintain the “mosaic”, the Canadian society has changed its own rules to accommodate the immigrants.
Let me go further and explain a situation that is unique to the Canadian culture. In Quebec, they see their language as an integral part of their culture. So in some parts of that province you MUST speak French. Now bear in mind that Quebecois French is not the same as Parisian French, so any immigrant who speaks French (Parisian or taught proper French), is not totally accepted in the Quebecois culture.
Put the “mosaic” approach and the Quebecois attitude together, and we have a potential problem looming.
You will notice that I never used the word “racist”, because the backlash is not based on race; it is based on the erosion of a culture and tradition. Canada is built on the expertise of immigration, hence the “mosaic” approach.
In the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, immigration to Canada was from Europe. In the late 70’s and early 80’s, the influx was from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, and at that point the change began. This massive shift became more noticeable in late 80’s, 90’s and 00’s when Asia and the Middle Eastern immigrants started to have an impact.. Most of the so called immigrants in Canada are no longer immigrants, as they are now “born” in this country, their parents came to Canada in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.. Most refuse to speak or learn both the official languages because they are in the “mosaic”.
Canada is changing, and its traditions will soon be no longer a viable status quo.
The only question remains to be asked is:
Will Canadian Society remain Tolerant?
Peace

The responsibility of tolerance lies in those who have the wider vision.