Working site on citizenship and multiculturalism issues.
2013/10/26 Leave a comment
Munir Sheikh, the former Chief Statistician of Canada, on the case for a more independent Statistics Canada to help improve trust in the quality of their reports.
To restore faith in Statscan, free the Chief Statistician – The Globe and Mail.
2013/10/25 Leave a comment
Nice commentary by Victoria Ferauge on the hijab. Required reading for Premier Maurois and those in Quebec in favour of the Charter. My favourite quote (among many):
Quebec (and other places) are trying to judge what is inside someone’s head by what he or she wears on their bodies. It’s matching insides to outsides – always a perilous undertaking fraught with error and misunderstandings. If one thinks it is possible to see a “message” and make judgements about a woman based on what she wears, then it follows that all women everywhere can be judged that way. So then, what does it mean, mes amis, if a woman wears a short black skirt, a tight blouse and high heels? What “messages” is she sending? And are we allowed to treat her differently because of how we interpret her intentions manifested through her fashion sense?
Do we really want to go there? For that matter, weren’t we there a few decades ago?
2013/10/25 Leave a comment
Appears that early hard wiring of the brain for language may be less important than commonly thought, and that there is little long-term difference between those who are raised bilingually and those who learn it later in life. Having seen colleagues struggle with learning French as an adult, anecdotally this seems counter-intuitive, however.
Des chercheurs déboulonnent des mythes sur le bilinguisme | Le Devoir.
2013/10/24 Leave a comment
Andrew Cohen, contrasting preparations, events and resources for Canada’sC Centennial in 1967 to the meagre offerings in 2017. I am old enough to remember the Centennial train, visiting Expo 67, and the various nation-building projects.
Changing times, governments then had a larger nation-building role, the current government has a more minimalist approach, and a general weaker sense of national identity (the 60s were a decade of affirmation of Canadian identity). And of course, in 1967, physical events were the main way to reach people; now one has to be in cyberspace as well.
A good reminder of what was, and suggestion of what could have been. With the risk that we will wake-up in 2017 asking: “Is that all?”
2013/10/24 Leave a comment
A good reminder of the business case for a diverse workforce:
“Diversity of thought is really what you’re driving for,” says Ms. Hirji, who has spent years driving and formulating diversity policy at RBC. “There are differences that you want to bring to the table so that you end up with more options and more of a reflection of your clients. To win in your market, you need to hire the market.”
Workplace diversity: ‘To win in your market, you need to hire the market’ – The Globe and Mail.
2013/10/23 Leave a comment
A good update on the person who prompted one of the more significant reasonable accommodation cases before the Supreme Court, Gurbaj Multani, who insisted on his right to wear the ceremonial kirpan to school. The Court ruled in his favour, but imposed conditions (i.e., it had to be sewn into clothing). Needless to say, the proposed Quebec Charter sends a signal to citizens like Multani that they are not fully welcome or accepted.
Sikh student who won kirpan case now considers leaving Quebec
2013/10/23 Leave a comment
Third-party leader François Legault tries to create some space for his party between the PQ and the Liberals in the ongoing Quebec Charter debate, noting the ugly tone and focus on Quebec Muslims, and wanting to find a compromise approach working with the other party leaders. His proposal was quickly rejected by PQ Premier given their wedge-issue electoral strategy.
Legault dénonce le «procès contre la religion musulmane»
Lysiane Gagnon criticizes Quebec Liberal Leader Philippe Coulliard for his recent silence on the Charter.
Liberal values, but no Liberals
A further illustration of the PQ political strategy can be seen in Minister Drainville’s release of the public consultations on the Charter. Like so many governments these days, the consultation process was designed to generate a more favourable result for the government, rather than a more objective reading. Interestingly, lots of support for the removal of the crucifix in the Assemblée nationale, and opposition to cities and sectors having an exemption.
2013/10/23 2 Comments
Sensible correction to earlier jurisprudence that had allowed for residency to be defined as legal residency, not physical presence. Imagine upcoming citizenship legislation will also make this clear as 2010 proposed changes included this as one of the measures (minority govt situation and election meant bill did not proceed).
In a judgment meant to clarify how long immigrants must live in Canada before qualifying for citizenship, Justice Peter Annis set out not only the “essential characteristics of being a Canadian” but also how one becomes “Canadianized.”
After acknowledging his comments “may exceed the bounds of judicial notice,” he wrote that being a Canadian was based on “attitudes of respect for others and a willingness to accommodate cultural, social and economic challenges to resolve our differences.”
He said he agreed with Justice Francis Muldoon, a former Federal Court judge, that “being a Canadian is something that cannot be readily learned, but only experienced by living here because ‘Canadian life and society exist only in Canada and nowhere else.’”
Canadian values can only be learned by living here, judge says in rejecting citizenship application
2013/10/22 Leave a comment
A good piece on some of the challenges in providing healthcare in a diverse society, provoked by the position paper of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. While some accommodation is reasonable, when feasible, particularly for elderly patients where language may be an issue, and in some cases gender, being overly accommodating goes against integration, as it removes another touch point among communities. If excessive accommodation is provided, it creates expectations for ongoing and further accommodation.
Again, my experience is that more and more of the people I interact with are from diverse backgrounds. I don’t consider my consent to their providing treatment as me accommodating them, just part of my normal interaction with professionals.
The society’s CEO, Jennifer Blake, said the organization does respect that many people feel more comfortable with a doctor of the same culture, language or gender – “when that can be achieved.”
“The problem really arises in emergency or night coverage when it is simply not possible to accommodate every preference,” said Dr. Blake by email. “We have taken the position that our fundamental responsibility is to ensure that there is a competent, well-trained professional available 24×7.”
2013/10/22 Leave a comment
A good article by Kathryn May of the Ottawa Citizen on Mel Cappe’s upcoming Public Policy Forum speech. Thoughtful remarks on the decreased demand for policy advice and reduced role of the public service. Reinforces points in my book. Quote:
“The issue isn’t whether advice is followed or not but whether public servants can prepare the work they need for ministers to make decisions … Let the minister choose whether to take or ignore the advice, but they should hear it. Let the minister choose to ignore the evidence, but don’t allow them not to have the evidence in front of them.
“I never expected my advice to be followed, but it was heard, listened to and taken into account. When the government did what it thought was politically the right thing to do and I was heard, I was successful whether they followed my advice or not. But if public servants don’t get heard, it’s not a good thing for the country.”
Public service losing its ability to provide policy advice, former top bureaucrat says
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Multicultural Meanderings 