ICYMI: Did you also celebrate Multiculturalism Day? | Mark Bonokoski

The choice and use of words reveals his underlying xenophobia and anti-immigrant views:

“Multiculturalism is our strength,” our PM said in his statement. “It is as synonymous with Canada as the Maple Leaf.”

This is a very strong analogy, especially coming so close to Canada Day, and on the heels of last year’s 50th anniversary of the Canadian flag.

It is also an ill-thought comparison.

Canada is not the Canada of our grandparents, of course. Its British-French roots are withering with each new wave of immigration, with the Official Languages Act the only major factor reminding Quebecers they were founding fathers and therefore essential to the future of our nation as a whole.

Our whiteness, too, is dissolving. According to the Government of Canada, the majority of today’s immigrants now come from Arab League countries, China, the Philippines and India.

A full quarter of Canada’s population speak languages other than French and English.

This is not a criticism, nor racism. It’s just a statistical fact.

During the 2015 federal election, which saw the Harperites demoted to Official Opposition, the influence of the immigrant demographic, and particularly issues dealing with their religion, was both persuasive and incendiary, aided and abetted by politically-correct progressives whose myopic ignorance regarding inclusiveness is often staggering.

The niqab, a head scarf arbitrarily worn by many Muslim women that covers all but the eyes, became an election flashpoint against the Conservatives, who simply wanted it removed momentarily during citizenship ceremonies.

Pushback against the Conservative campaign’s musings about a hotline to report “barbaric cultural practices” like female genital mutilation was so intense that you’d think the Harper government was handing out the scalpels.

Who, even five years ago, would have conceived that these would be front-and-centre election issues in Canada that would play a role in overthrowing a government?

Source: Did you also celebrate Multiculturalism Day? | BONOKOSKI | Columnists | Opinion