What Hitchens got wrong: Abolishing religion won’t fix anything – Salon.com

2013/12/10 1 Comment

While I like a lot of what Hitchens wrote, I agree with the tenor of this article that Hitchens and the other “extreme” atheists have it wrong, that religion cannot explain all conflict in the world.

… I would like to suggest a truce — one originally proposed by the Catholic church and promoted by the eminent Stephen J. Gould. Science, the study of the natural world, and religion, the inquiry into the meaning of life (or metaphysics, more broadly) constitute non-overlapping magisteria. Neither can invalidate the theories of the other, if such theories are properly within their realm. Any theologian or scientist who steps out of their realm to speculate upon the other is free to do so, but must do so with an adequate understanding of the other’s realm.

Religion (either secular or theological) does not poison all of society and science should not be feared, but rather embraced. Both can bring humanity to new heights of empathy, imagination and progress. To quote the greatest American reformer, “Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge, which is power; religion gives man wisdom, which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals.”

“New Atheists” believe that religion threatens progress and breeds conflict and that were religion eliminated, we would begin to solve the world’s problems. But abolishing religion is not only unfeasible, it would ultimately leave us no closer to truth, love or peace. Rather, we need to embrace the deep philosophical and spiritual questions that arise from our shared existence and work toward a world without deprivation. That will require empathy and multiculturalism, not demagoguery.

What Hitchens got wrong: Abolishing religion won’t fix anything – Salon.com.

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Interview on Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias? – Hungarian Presence in Canada

2013/12/09 Leave a comment

My interview on Hungarian Presence.

Arrogance or bias? – Hungarian Presence in Canada.

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Last day for 30% sale of paper version of my books

2013/12/05 Leave a comment

Reminder last day of Lulu’s pre-Christmas sale for my and other books. 30 percent off Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias: Resetting Citizenship and Multiculturalism and Living with Cancer: A Journey.

Valid till midnight today. Promotion code is LULUVIP160199. 

Book shop link is Lulu – Policy Arrogance (also has link for Living with Cancer).

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Globe editor-in-chief shares his views of Canadian pluralism and how it has evolved – The Globe and Mail

2013/12/04 Leave a comment

Good overview that the challenges to Canadian multiculturalism remain the longer-term overall challenges in healthcare, education, labour, and citizenship. Strong inclusion and participation themes.

The overview also highlights some of the different levels of success of  different communities. None of this is terribly new or insightful; the challenge is developing effective programs and policies to reduce the gaps, while exercising policy modesty in the ability of government to address all the issues involved. For an analysis of these differences, see either Evidence or Anecdote chapter in Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias: Resetting Citizenship and Multiculturalism, or the excerpt in Inside Policy November 2013 (page 30).

Globe editor-in-chief shares his views of Canadian pluralism and how it has evolved – The Globe and Mail.

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Holiday Book Sale: Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias – Until Dec 5

2013/12/03 Leave a comment

Although may not be everyone’s idea of a holiday gift, and many readers of this blog may have already read this book, Lulu is offering a 30 percent discount on my (and other Lulu) books, Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias: Resetting Citizenship and Multiculturalism and Living with Cancer: A Journey.

This offer is valid from now to midnight, December 5. Promotion code is LULUVIP160199. 

Book shop link is Lulu – Policy Arrogance (also has link for Living with Cancer).

Only 14 copies available at this price, so if interested, don’t delay!

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Un cours d’histoire trop «orienté» au goût des profs | Le Devoir

2013/11/30 Leave a comment

Debate over the consultation document for Quebec’s high school history course. Written too much for the teachers, not the students. Some of the debate seems like typical debates between experts, not terribly profound.

Un cours d’histoire trop «orienté» au goût des profs | Le Devoir.

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Birth Tourism: Chinese Flock to the U.S. to Have Babies

2013/11/28 2 Comments

What is striking is that the numbers are relatively small in the US as in Canada. 10,000 may sound like a lot but in context of the number of illegal residents (in the millions) or overall US population, this is minimal.

One could also view this as another immigration channel targeting high-powered and high net worth immigrants, given the amount of money this costs. 🙂

Birth Tourism: Chinese Flock to the U.S. to Have Babies | TIME.com.

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Denmark | The multicultural society: a blessing or a curse?

2013/11/28 Leave a comment

The view from Denmark, a country with integration challenges, and if memory serves me correctly, has moved towards more restrictive immigration and citizenship policies.

Opinion | The multicultural society: a blessing or a curse? – News – cphpost.dk.

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Museum of Civilization changes driven by clashing visions of Canada, former CEO says

2013/11/27 Leave a comment

Others have commented on the change from the Museum of Civilization to the Museum of Canadian History. Whether one calls this values or ideologically driven, Rabinovitch is right on the significance of the change, and taking it to the most fundamental level. Reflects overall government emphasis on history, the military and Crown through a range of initiatives.

While there was much to criticize in the Museum of Civilization, in terms of how it skirted controversies and at times was almost Disneyish in its portrayal of Canadian history, it did give visitors a sense of the social history of Canada.

Rabinovith is scathing in his critique:

…. the underlying tension in the museum “is with the Harper-Kenney vision of Canada as a land of victorious armed forces, brawny resource extractors and compliant monarchists.”

That Conservative vision rejects what he says had been the mainstream Canadian identity — “a cosmopolitan country engaged with the wider world, where citizens seek solutions through informed debate, compromise, social justice and respect for diversity.

“That cosmopolitan vision is loathed by some Reform-Conservatives as a Lester Pearson-Pierre Trudeau invention,” Rabinovitch said, adding that the Museum of Civilization “is seen as its symbolic temple in the heart of the national capital.

“Its heresies must be uprooted. Real Canadian history, interpreted by select historians, must be installed to express Canada’s true identity as a muscular northern outpost of Western values.”

Museum of Civilization changes driven by clashing visions of Canada, former CEO says.

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Defending Citizenship-Based Taxation

2013/11/19 Leave a comment

For those interested, a review of Michael Kirsch’s Defence of Citizenship-Based Taxation, written more from a legal than practical perspective, it would appear.

The Franco-American Flophouse: Defending Citizenship-Based Taxation.

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