Canadian Muslims encounter increasing hostility

2013/10/14 Leave a comment

Haroon Siddiqui of The Star on polls showing different levels of distrust for different ethnic and religious communities, similar to the earlier poll posted on BC attitudes (British Columbians grow more wary of other religions, interfaith marriages).

While some of this is normal (negative attitudes tend to prevail regarding more recent communities), the gaps are still startling.

We didn’t have such polls 50 years ago when the minorities that were likely viewed with suspicion included Jewish Canadians, Italian Canadians and the like.

Canadian Muslims encounter increasing hostility: Siddiqui | Toronto Star.

Filed under Immigration, Multiculturalism, Religion Tagged with ,

Slow the flow of immigrants into Canada

2013/10/14 2 Comments

Martin Collacott on immigrant selection and quantity. Collacott has a point in that there never has been, to my knowledge, an analysis of what should be the appropriate level of immigration to Canada; the government just sticks with the current levels.

The temptation to select immigrants on the basis of their ability to integrate, once one gets beyond the basics of language and professional competencies, becomes subjective all too quickly, and subject to potential abuse, as a history of previous immigration restrictions illustrates.

Guest column: Slow the flow of immigrants into Canada

Filed under Immigration, Multiculturalism, Public Policy Tagged with ,

Embassy Magazine List of Top Reads – Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias

2013/10/12 2 Comments

Made the list (under books for Policy Wonks)!

Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias: Resetting Citizenship and Multiculturalism

Andrew Griffith

Anar Press

Sept. 8, 2013

This former director general responsible for the federal government’s multiculturalism portfolio gives readers a glimpse into the sometimes uncomfortable gap between public service expertise and ministerial direction. Mr. Griffith says he witnessed a fundamental reset of multiculturalism policies and programs between 2007 and 2011 under Jason Kenney’s direction (who was first secretary of state and then minister responsible for the file). “Given the sharp nature of the policy reset, and the entrenched views of many public servants, this book aims to provide a small case study of how public servants adjusted to the new reality—one in which their expertise was fundamentally challenged, discounted, and at times ignored,” he writes. Mr. Griffith’s book is making waves in the Ottawa bubble.

http://www.embassynews.ca/top-foreign-policy-books/2013/10/09/insightful–international-reads-of-2013/44604?page_requested=1

Filed under Multiculturalism Tagged with , , ,

Sondage Léger – L’appui à la Charte se solidifie

2013/10/12 Leave a comment

The latest poll. While the numbers are up for the Charter, not clear whether this will translate into a majority PQ government. And on real issues – economy, healthcare, and education – the government is not doing well.

Sondage Léger – L’appui à la Charte se solidifie | Le Devoir.

Filed under Charte des valeurs québécoise, Interculturalisme, Multiculturalism, Polling Tagged with ,

Identité ou citoyenneté? – Transmettre le sentiment d’appartenance | Le Devoir

2013/10/12 Leave a comment

Some good reflections on the teaching of history and national narratives, and the risks of being both too critical and not critical enough. Citizenship guides like Discover Canada tend to focus on the positive (but not exclusively); high school history texts may have a more balanced picture:

Trop verser dans l’histoire « glorifiée », afin qu’elle forge ce sentiment identitaire, est aussi risqué. « Il y a aussi un danger de tomber dans une vision nationaliste et de faire dire à l’histoire certaines choses. On peut intéresser les jeunes à l’histoire, et elle aura toujours une part de politique, mais on devrait laisser aux historiens le soin de transmettre l’histoire. Au final, je trouve que c’est aussi grave d’avoir une visée politique que d’avoir une visée cachée dans l’enseignement de l’histoire, qui est celle d’inculquer l’ouverture à l’autre. Pas parce que c’est une mauvaise chose, mais parce que ça peut être fait ailleurs et que l’histoire de l’humanité, c’est l’histoire du bien ET du mal. »

Identité ou citoyenneté? – Transmettre le sentiment d’appartenance | Le Devoir.

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Du bilinguisme au multiculturalisme – Selon qu’on est anglophone ou francophone…

2013/10/12 Leave a comment

Interesting poll comparing support for bilingualism, multiculturalism, biculturalism, and official languages. Fairly significant age and regional differences, but nothing too surprising:

Selon Jack Jedwab, ce sondage permet aussi de faire des recoupements fort révélateurs. « Par exemple, le sondage démontre que les répondants qui sont les plus favorables au multiculturalisme sont aussi ceux qui sont les plus favorables au biculturalisme. C’est que, dans leur perception, le multiculturalisme n’est qu’une extension du biculturalisme. À l’inverse, les répondants les moins favorables au multiculturalisme sont aussi ceux qui sont les moins favorables au biculturalisme, leur perception identitaire étant plutôt celle de la singularisation. Il est donc faux de prétendre que les tenants du multiculturalisme sont opposés au biculturalisme et au bilinguisme. Ce sont plutôt les opposants au multiculturalisme qui s’opposent aussi au biculturalisme et au bilinguisme. »

Du bilinguisme au multiculturalisme – Selon qu’on est anglophone ou francophone… | Le Devoir.

Filed under Interculturalisme, Multiculturalism Tagged with , , ,

Multiculturalism isn’t an excuse to import traditions that smack of bigotry

2013/10/11 Leave a comment

On some of the tensions within the Chinese-Canadian communities, between mainland and Hong Kong origin, between earlier and recent arrivals. Habacon gets multiculturalism right, and the kind of discussions that increasingly take place within families.

Including tensions and discrimination between ethnic communities, not just between the mainstream and ethnic communities, as part of the new multiculturalism priorities in 2010, was overdue.

Multiculturalism isn’t an excuse to import traditions that smack of bigotry.

Filed under CAPAR, Multiculturalism Tagged with , , ,

Lisée préférerait que les candidats à la mairie de Montréal taisent leur opinion sur la Charte | Le Devoir

2013/10/11 Leave a comment

Not a good sign when the Minister responsible for Montreal, Jean-François Lisée, wants the mayoral candidates and other Montreal politicians to be quiet on the proposed Charter. Likely this will only invite more comment, and draw further attention to opposition to the Charter. While it may play well in the hinterland, we will see the overall impact over the next month or so.

Lisée préférerait que les candidats à la mairie de Montréal taisent leur opinion sur la Charte | Le Devoir.

PQ unhappy its values charter has become an issue in Montreal mayoral election

Filed under Charte des valeurs québécoise, Interculturalisme, Multiculturalism Tagged with , , , ,

The meaning of martyrdom: Ways to bear witness

2013/10/11 Leave a comment

On martyrdom in various religions.

The meaning of martyrdom: Ways to bear witness | The Economist.

Filed under Religion Tagged with ,

British Columbians grow more wary of other religions, interfaith marriages

2013/10/10 1 Comment

The respective rates of “comfort” with interfaith marriage are not surprising:

  • 66% comfortable with Christians
  • 53% comfortable with Buddhists
  • 40% comfortable with Jews
  • 36% comfortable with Hindus
  • 28% comfortable with Sikhs
  • 17% comfortable with Muslims

The article would have benefitted from actual intermarriage rates compared to attitudes, as overall intermarriage rates have generally increased, albeit from a small base.

Attitudes are not limited to the “mainstream;” as the article notes, many within communities also want their children to marry from within the community, either to preserve their faith, pass it on to children, or at least theoretically have fewer compatibility issues.

Douglas Todd: British Columbians grow more wary of other religions, interfaith marriages.

Filed under Multiculturalism, Religion Tagged with , , , , ,

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