Quote:
Originally Posted by Savvy27
Multiculturalism as a concept is a very good idea, but I think that the fact that Canada welcomes a large number of immigrants each year, and has for a long time, has led inevitably to a point where Canadians need to establish certain aspects of Canadian culture as essential, then work toward entrenching those values, institutions, etc.
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And how would you define these "essential aspects"?
Is the founding history of Protestant/Catholicism so worth protecting that we should throw out multiculturalism? That seems to be what the Liberal MP is saying. "Multiculturalism diminishes [that] history".
What I typically get from the anti-multiculturalists is that they are okay with some immigration, so long as the immigrants speak perfect English (or French in Quebec), go to a Christian church (or no church), eat burgers and fries, watch Hockey Night in Canada religiously... In other words, so long as they abandon their own culture, they are welcome here.
I like Star Trek's "we are stronger when we appreciate all of our differences and learn from each other". The issues that arise with the extremism is that that opinion needs to be shared by all sides for it to work. Extremists believe that their beliefs and their culture are the only correct way to live. I think ALL communities need to work on tolerance and acceptance of others values and beliefs.