Working site on citizenship and multiculturalism issues.
2013/08/09 Leave a comment
In debates about citizenship, the default assumption is that all wish to become citizens of the country in which they live. A good piece on the exceptions and related reasons. As always, individual situations vary, and the degree to which someone has an accepted citizenship (i.e., not from a country where visa and other restrictions make life and travel a pain), the greater the flexibility to choose.
Part of the longer-term trend towards instrumental citizenship, rather than being fundamental to identity.
The Franco-American Flophouse: Not Everyone Wants to Be A Citizen.
2013/08/08 Leave a comment
Good discussion of some of the issues around the monarchy and suggestions for more written clarity regarding the power of the prime minister in relation to the legislature. Other governments have done so without undermining the role of the monarchy; and the article also lists a number of other options that could go further.
Not likely to happen given any debate would be divisive but good to have a range of options laid out and discussed.
Monarchy’s role in government: Most Canadians want fixes, but how? – The Globe and Mail.
2013/08/07 Leave a comment
Good piece by Robert Sibley on the history and the people that shaped Canada’s becoming independent in the 20s and 30s. And a strong comment on how much the role of the public service may have changed since then.
That’s the kind of visionary counsel — backbone stiffening, if you will — Canadians could once expect from their public servants. You have to wonder, given the current dysfunctional relationship between the government and the public service, if those days are long past, and, if so, how that might affect the country’s future.
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2013/08/06 Leave a comment
Good to see a healthy debate on the legacy of Trudeau, given that so much writing has had elements of hagiography. Bob Plamondon’s recent The Truth About Trudeau provides a valuable counter-narrative that, like many counter-narratives, may try too hard to make its case. On the other side, Andrew Cohen, emphasizes the long-term impact of Trudeau’s achievements, particularly the Constitution and the Charter, and his role, sometimes divisive, in trying to keep the country together.
Like all leaders with a legacy of achievement, views and interpretations will differ, but if Trudeau doesn’t ‘haunt us still,’ his legacy continues to shape the country, in big and small ways.
Even the Conservative government, opposed to much of the Trudeau legacy, has to live within it, sometimes with grace (e.g., the 2008 apology to aboriginal Canadians), sometimes churlishly (e.g., refusing to publicly commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Charter). And the reference to multiculturalism in the Charter (the Canadian ‘brand’) has equally sticking power despite efforts to invoke pluralism as an alternative.
2013/08/02 Leave a comment
A good overview putting some of the critiques in a broader context. Yes, the changes have been significant and, in many cases overdue, and a number of others less defensible. But his great political skill has been able to operate at two levels at the same time: developing and encouraging support among the numerous ethnic communities in Canada while pursuing some major policy changes that make immigration more restrictive for non-economic immigrants.
One of my own ‘tests’ of how immigration and the related issues of citizenship and multiculturalism are perceived in a country is the presence or absence of strong anti-immigration lobbies or political parties. While we have a range of critics of immigration policies, naturally enough, we have no major organized opposition to Canada as an immigrant-based country.
All Canadian political parties are engaged with immigrants and new Canadians, with any wedge politics to increase support among ethnic communities, not to create a split with the ‘mainstream’.
The dynamic in Quebec is different, and more influenced by European debates and tensions.
2013/08/01 Leave a comment
A good initiative as some of these soft techniques – providing less intrusive ways to influence behaviour rather than heavier regulation – are worth exploring, despite the inevitable criticism of nanny statism.
The changes in citizenship language requirements and procedures essentially tried to nudge people to doing citizenship testing up front through a faster process. Unfortunately, given the abysmal processing capacity and backlog – more than 2 years to become a citizen, largely moot.
Canada studies Britain’s ‘nudge unit’ for ways to give the public a push – The Globe and Mail.
2013/07/31 Leave a comment
More debate on the mandate of the new national history museum. Removal of the phrase ‘critical understanding’ is significant, and reflects a change in substance and tone. Ironic, given one of the valid criticisms of the Canada Hall was its Disneyland-like airbrushing of Canadian history.
All governments struggle with how to cover and portray their history and the balance between reinforcing a national narrative while being honest about the less uplifting parts. See Margaret MacMillan’s The Uses and Abuses of History for a great discussion and examples
2013/07/30 Leave a comment
Andrew Cohen’s take on the monarchy. He makes a valid point about how our general fascination with celebrities, and celebrity culture, overwhelms the substance of the monarchy. But I don’t share the urgency of the ‘natural evolution’ and shedding the monarchy; it is part of our history and heritage, is fully embedded in our institutions, generally works well, and change would be a distraction to more pressing issues. On the other hand, changing the oath ….
2013/07/29 Leave a comment
Good overview on the remake of the Canadian Museum of Civilization into the Canadian Museum of History, and the likely narrowing of focus and messaging. While the CMC was ‘content light’, my experience taking visitors around from many countries is that the Canada Hall gave them a powerful image of the diversity and evolution of Canada.
And some of Jack Granatstein’s lament in Who Killed Canadian History seemed exaggerated as our kids went through their primary and high school education with a reasonable amount of ‘traditional’ history in addition to social history. Not to say a refresh is not warranted, but hopefully less jingoistic than the War of 1812 celebrations.
How Stephen Harper is rewriting history – Canada – Macleans.ca.
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