I am Canadian
The whole country it seems is talking about the Shafia family. In case you are in the dark, 3 members of the family (father, mother and brother) were found guilty of first degree murder in the killing of 3 teenage daughters/sisters and the ex-wife in the name of honour. It seems that the daughters were harbouring secret boyfriends and therefore not being subservient to the dominating father. It is the right of the father in this barbaric culture to chose who the daughters shall marry and when. The father was later reported to have said that the "devil should shit on their graves". I can only hope that a worse fate awaits these sorry excuses for humanity.
But I am conflicted. While I applaud the Canadian justice system and the jurors for having reached a relatively swift conclusion to this matter and handing down the recommended 25 years to life sentences with no possibility of parole, that means I will be paying for their survival. As a taxpayer that is. And then we give them a right to appeal - more money spent. These people weren't Canadian, they embraced none of values and morals we appreciate. Send them back from where they came and their backward views are accepted. I don't want their kind to be a part of my Canada. I am not speaking of a specific culture or religion. I am speaking of anyone who does not value each and every member or society as equal. I am speaking of anyone who feels superior to any man, woman or beast and feels justified in eliminating them at will.
A very real issue came to light in a related news broadcast this evening. As a forward thinking just society, we can teach women that they don't have to tolerate emotional, social, physical or sexual abuse at the hands of family, friends or strangers. We have safe houses for women to seek refuge in. But then what. In the case of family members seeking vengence in the form of honour killing, no stones will be left unturned until they are vindicated. One woman who left an arranged marriage 30 years ago still fears retribution from family members and the whole of the Muslim community who still leave death threats for her. Instead of the Shafia sentences empowering woman to have the courage to stand up and seek justice for themselves, there is a very real possibility that woman will go underground instead of getting help. After all, 4 woman died and they had tried to seek help beforehand.
The Muslim community was quick to assure reporters that honour killings were not a part of the Muslim religion but rather something that has been going on for generations in the Middle East countries. And on that point I can rant on an issue that has been a thorn in my side for many years. I really don't have anything against immigration and multiculturalism. I would say that I embrace it. After all, as they say the only true Canadians are the Natives that were here long before the Europeans came. I'm one of those Europeans.
Canada has been referred to as a melting pot - referring to the myriad of cultures that make up this great country. But somewhere along the line, the melting pot got some pieces of gristle in it that refused to melt. They felt that the entire make-up of the dish should change to accommodate them. For me, this started with the 1990 ruling that the iconic image representing the pride of Canada could be dismissed - The Royal Canadian Mounted Police without part of their uniform. Nothing was sacred anymore. Then there was the challenge to the motorcycle helmet law because a turban couldn't be worn under that either. From a purely selfish perspective, if a collision occurs and injuries are more severe because of the lack of appropriate head gear is that my fault? Helmets are there for a reason. If we don't enforce helmet laws on the roads, will we be able to enforce their use on the ice rink? the baseball field? the construction site?
How much does Canada have to bend and change to accommodate the few? Most people come to this country to leave repression, depression and religious persecution. People come for democracy, freedom of speech and religion. I don't care what religion, culture or even sexual orientation you are but I don't think that my rights should be trampled on because they aren't the same as yours. Once upon a time people came to Canada to enjoy the benefits and all that it had to offer...not to change it...not to make it into the country they were so desperate to leave in the first place. Open your ethnic stores and restaurants, teach us about your heritage. Embrace Canada as she is and leave well enough alone.
Proud to be Canadian - Arrogant Worms
The following quote has been circulated in an e-mail recently and is attributed to Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier in 1907.
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith
Becomes a Canadian and assimilates himself to us,
He shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else,
For it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of
Creed or birthplace, or origin.
But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet a Canadian, and nothing but a Canadian...
There can be no divided allegiance here.
Any man who says he is a Canadian, but something else also, isn't a Canadian at all.
We have room for but one flag, the Canadian flag...
And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is the loyalty to the Canadian people."
While the words resonate and are pertinent to my above viewpoints it must be clarified that the correct author is American Teddy Roosevelt and the word Canadian has been changed from American. When I read it without the desired emotion, I quickly realized it could not have been Laurier talking about my Canada in 1907. You see, in 1907 Canada did not have it's own flag! Canadian or American or any other country experiencing immigration - the words mean the same!
No comments:
Post a Comment