How do we preserve the great multicultural experiment?

MONTREAL—On Sept. 14, 2001, I joined with 100,000 other people on Parliament Hill to express our sorrow, empathy, and solidarity with the United States after the terrorist attacks on innocent civilians three days prior. Although I have at times been a severe critic of the U.S., there was no way I would not be present that day. In the days that followed, there were no rallies or vigils for al-Qaida or the Taliban. There were only a few triumphalist responses by abominable anti-Americans in small pockets across the world. Compare that to the disgusting reaction in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on 1,300 innocents in Israel. In dozens of events held in support of the Palestinian diaspora, attendees chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which is an incitement to wipe Israel off the map. There were some in attendance expressing their hate for Israel and ecstasy at the unprovoked murder of hundreds of human beings. Although government leaders joined in denouncing the terror attacks, the reaction could not be described as a united Canadian view. Among the left, “whataboutism” reigned. A Canadian Union of Public Employees local in Hamilton, Ont., characterized the murders as “Palestine is rising, long live the resistance!” It soon backtracked, but was expressing the view of a perverse cohort of Canadian thought. The NDP, straddling the fence, alternated from denouncing Hamas to denouncing Israel. For a union or the NDP to equivocate on one of their favourite causes is not unusual. Nor is it sadly surprising there are members of the Palestinian diaspora who would be exultant. But this is a worrisome trend that has emerged among Canada’s diaspora communities. For example, Sikh supporters of Khalistan, a movement with no traction in India. According to journalist Terry Glavin, “in certain major Sikh temples in Canada, it was commonplace to encounter the glorification of … (the) Air India atrocity mastermind, Talwinder Singh Parmar.” Meanwhile, the Chinese diaspora, following direction from Beijing, has encouraged the growth of the Confucius Institute, identified as a propaganda arm of the Chinese Communist Party. And there are the illegal Chinese “police stations” to keep dissenters in line. We know immigration has been Canada’s strength. Eastern Europeans came to grow the Prairies, many of them Jews escaping the pogroms. We put a head tax on Chinese people who built the Canadian Pacific Railway, but they stayed and became proud Canadians. In the post-war period, survivors of the Holocaust joined Italians, Dutch, Jamaicans, and people from around the world. They began the great Canadian multicultural experiment. How is it possible that newer members of various diaspora groups could be so openly contrary to Canadian values? First, our education system doesn’t clearly define our values of democracy, pluralism, free speech, and openness. And we are historically illiterate: only four Canadian provinces offer history as a compulsory subject: Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia. And Quebec’s history course scarcely mentions Canada, except to rebuke it. Second, it is easier to stay in touch with the “home country” via the internet, so many new Canadians know more about politics elsewhere than in Canada. This is most likely a factor in declining participation rates in elections, as without civic responsibilities like compulsory voting or military service, there is nothing obliging anyone coming here to care about Canada or even become a citizen. Not surprisingly, more than three million Canadian residents are not citizens—though that doesn’t take into account how many are on the path towards naturalization. I went to a wedding of Jewish friends in Montreal on Oct. 15. There was a prayer for Israel, as per Jewish traditions, and the events of Oct. 7 were on everyone’s minds. It was a relief to share joy in the midst of such sorrow. But it struck me that despite their connection to Israel, the Canadian Jewish community has always had a strong loyalty and engagement with Canada. In Quebec, the answer to the challenge of integrating newcomers has been negative, with legislation targeted at those who fail to become “real Québécois” and adopt secular values. This is abysmal. But there must be a positive way of encouraging diaspora populations to think of themselves as part of the Canadian fabric. Otherwise, as immigration increases, any sense of Canadian identity, values, and more likely the country itself, may be doomed. The disgraceful celebrations we saw Oct. 8-9 may be a harbinger of things to come. Andrew Caddell is retired from Global Affairs Canada, where he was a senior policy adviser. He previously worked as an adviser to Liberal governments. He is a town councillor in Kamouraska, Que. He can be reached at pipson52@hotmail.com. The Hill Times

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How do we preserve the great multicultural experiment?

There must be a positive way of encouraging diaspora populations to think of themselves as part of the Canadian fabric.

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