Multiculturalism is our culture – Editorials – The Moose Jaw Times Herald

For those who don’t know, Moose Jaw is a small city of some 33,000 people in Saskatchewan, west of Regina, which has about a 4 percent aboriginal population and less than 3 percent visible minority population.

Yet open to accommodation and supportive of multiculturalism:

But imagine if we were newcomers to a city in a foreign country. We have our beliefs, yet in this new place their beliefs are different. We would feel more welcomed if that city, that culture, gave us a time and place to express our beliefs and still be a part of the community.

Just imagine if the roles were reversed. Whose side would we take then? Everyone wants to fit in. We all move to different places for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s for work. Sometimes it’s for family. Sometimes it’s to escape horrible conditions in our home country. Sometimes, maybe it’s simply time to try something new.

Whatever our reason, the most fair we can be is to accommodate every side and hear every voice. This includes the majority and the minority. The women and children-only swim is only for an hour once a month. It’s not a big change to accommodate.

Of course integration is important. No matter our culture, we’re better off united as a community. We need to be united and embrace our multiculturalism. That is an undeniable fact.

However, allowing some consideration to the so-called outsiders and their different beliefs and values, is the best way to show that we are not forcing anyone to change who they are or what they believe. It’s the best way to show that we are a friendly and open place where anyone of any culture is welcome.

Multiculturalism is our culture – Editorials – The Moose Jaw Times Herald.