Conrad Black: Toward a theory of Canadian exceptionalism | National Post

2013/09/30 Leave a comment

While the front part is typical Conrad Black over the top, his conclusion is interesting:

There are limits to what a country of 35-million can do, but it wouldn’t kill Canadians to develop their own brand of exceptionalism. Canada is exceptionally racially tolerant, has been exceptionally careful never to engage in an unjust or unsuccessful war. It has been exceptionally successful at joining forces between the private and public sectors, and should do so again in the field of medical care, and in ownership of the automobile industry and the aerospace industry (so we can finally recover from the disaster of the Avro Arrow cancellation in 1959).

More broadly, Canada is exceptional as the only trans-continental, officially bicultural, parliamentary confederation in history. Canada has also been an exceptionally successful liberal state, and we should build on this to abolish prison for (all but a few) non-violent people; to legalize drugs but require treatment for hard drug users; to honour the treaties with the native peoples fully; to use the tax system to reduce poverty by incentivizing poverty reduction schemes as a way of reducing a wealth surcharge; and to lead the reform of international institutions.

The Canadian answer to the problems in the United States must not be sniggering; it must be to do better here.

Conrad Black: Toward a theory of Canadian exceptionalism | National Post.

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Migration isn’t the answer to unemployment – The Globe and Mail

2013/09/30 Leave a comment

An interesting contrary view to the conventional view in favour of interprovincial migration, arguing the need to shift towards more active labour market training that allows the provinces to create more opportunities within, rather than depopulation. From a Conservative senator, Diane Bellemare, no less, in her book,  Créer et partager la prospérité (Creating and Sharing Prosperity).

Migration isn’t the answer to unemployment – The Globe and Mail.

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Charte des valeurs québécoises – Une neutralité trompeuse | Le Devoir

2013/09/29 Leave a comment

Charles Taylor on the proposed Charter. Sensible as always, and reminding people that religions and expressions of faith vary by religion, and simplistic “neutrality” solutions are anything but neutral.

Pour les « sans-religion » et les tenants d’une religion « discrète », la Charte ne pose pas problème. Elle réserve toutefois un autre sort aux « indiscrets ». Les premiers pourront postuler sans problème des emplois dans le secteur public. Les autres, par contre, seront mis devant un choix déchirant : ou bien ils renoncent à pratiquer leur religion, ou bien ils seront à jamais exclus des secteurs public et parapublic. Cacher leur religion équivaut en partie, pour eux, à la renier et, partant, à renier leur identité.

Les apparences mur à mur de la neutralité de l’État cacheront une réalité tout autre, une discrimination évidente. L’étiquette sur la bouteille nous trompera sur son contenu.

Devrait-on s’étonner que les victimes de ce jeu de trompe-l’oeil se sentent trahies par une société québécoise qui ne cesse de leur promettre l’égalité ?

Charte des valeurs québécoises – Une neutralité trompeuse | Le Devoir.

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With all the comings and goings, who is Canadian any more? – The Globe and Mail

2013/09/29 Leave a comment

Somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but Elizabeth Renzetti has a point on expatriate Canadians, identity and citizenship.

With all the comings and goings, who is Canadian any more? – The Globe and Mail.

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Muslims finding common ground with Christians: The path to peace – The Globe and Mail

2013/09/29 Leave a comment

A good example of an inter-faith initiative, Common Word, trying to reduce violence between Muslims and Christians. While I am not sure how effective this initiative will be among the more militant fundamentalists, it nevertheless is providing a forum and space for moderates, and respect for the commonalities among different faiths.

Muslims finding common ground with Christians: The path to peace – The Globe and Mail.

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Convert one woman, you convert an entire family: Unveiling the rise in female terrorism around the globe

2013/09/29 Leave a comment

On women and terrorism. While still mainly a phenomenon of young men, not limited to them. The article has a broader perspective than Muslim terrorists, mentioning early Russian anarchists, Germany’s Baader-Meinhoff gang, the IRA, Basque ETA, Tamil Tigresses etc.

Convert one woman, you convert an entire family: Unveiling the rise in female terrorism around the globe.

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Charte des valeurs: Interesting Silence

2013/09/28 Leave a comment

An interesting commentary on the silence of Quebec National Assembly member Fatima Houda-Pepin, who in the past has been one of the most vocal speakers on the risks of Islamic fundamentalists and sharia law. I had a number of discussions with her during a study tour in Holland a number of years ago, and she is  impressive and worth listening to. From a 2012 interview, worth reading from an integration perspective:

« J’ai un cheminement particulier et ce cheminement-là n’est pas fait par tout le monde », ajoutait-elle. D’origine marocaine, Fatima Houda-Pepin, élue en 1994, est issue d’une « famille très religieuse et pratiquante », précisait-elle. Elle-même a fréquenté l’école coranique. Mais la religion, c’était pour elle « la joie, le partage, la musique » avec des amies juives et chrétiennes aussi. « J’ai connu le fondamentalisme en arrivant au Canada », a-t-elle signalé.

« Quel choc, à mon arrivée au Canada, il y a 35 ans, confiait-elle à La Presse en 2007. J’y ai découvert des cercles d’endoctrinement où les femmes sont voilées entre elles, à l’intérieur de leurs propres maisons. » Elle disait avoir reçu un deuxième choc : l’indifférence des pouvoirs publics.

Charte des valeurs québécoises – Le silence de Fatima

On the more mundane political level, interesting opposition to the proposed Charter from the politician who after the loss of the 1995 referendum blamed the loss on money and the ethnic vote:

Charte des valeurs: Parizeau s’apprête à sauter dans le débat | DENIS LESSARD | Politique québécoise.

Not surprisingly, the inconsistency between the strong position of the Conservative Minister for Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney, and the “I have no problem” position of the Conservative Minister for Quebec, Denis Lebel, gets criticized:

Charte des valeurs: Denis Lebel attaqué par les libéraux

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Canada’s human rights museum was meant as a unifying force, but, so far, has only inspired criticism

2013/09/28 Leave a comment

Good overview of some of the criticism from the various communities on how their particular historical experience is portrayed in Canada’s national human rights museum in Winnipeg, opening next year. There is no way to satisfy any or all of the groups completely, given the nature of their experience and the understandable strong feelings that each of them have on how it is depicted.

And to further complicate matters, each group looks at their experience both in the particular sense, as well as making comparisons with how other groups are portrayed (or not).

However, one positive outcome (hopefully) will be more discussion about the historical experiences of these communities, and improve awareness.

Canada’s human rights museum was meant as a unifying force, but, so far, has only inspired criticism | National Post.

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As a student of David Gilmour, and a feminist, I say put away the rope – The Globe and Mail

2013/09/28 Leave a comment

A bit off topic but as it relates to political correctness, have been following the “public lynching” of David Gilmour, a well-known author and professor at University of Toronto, who in a clumsy interview, explained why he only teaches male authors because those are the ones he relates to best.

Given that UofT also offers specialized courses by geographic region and community (e.g., Canlit, American, African, Asian, British and Jewish literature), gender (including LGBT), Shakespeare,  post-colonial etc., I find the criticism excessive. Students can choose or not to take the course, and the issue for the university is not that each course should be a survey type course. Rather, the English department has to ensure that there is a full-range of course themes to provide students with a broad perspective on writing and literature, and looking at the undergraduate calendar, that would appear to be the case.

As a student of David Gilmour, and a feminist, I say put away the rope – The Globe and Mail.

David Gilmour controversy: Margaret Atwood says universities places for ‘free expression’

‘Down the hall’ from David Gilmour

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PQ leader Pauline Marois losing her feminist allies: Hébert | Toronto Star

2013/09/27 Leave a comment

One of the ironies of the debate over the proposed Charter.

PQ leader Pauline Marois losing her feminist allies: Hébert | Toronto Star.

And in other Charter-related news, Tom Mulcair, Leader of the Official Opposition and NDP, maintains his position against the proposed Charter but will not provide any funding for a legal challenge, trimming his sails somewhat:

Charte des valeurs québécoises – Thomas Mulcair modère ses intentions

And no surprise, the hijab is largely accepted, the niqab is not. Previous polls in English Canada are similar; covering the face is rejection and separation, not integration:

Pour certaines personnes, c’est le concept de la domination homme-femme. D’autres ont tout simplement un sentiment anti-islam. Mais il y a aussi le fait que le niqab crée une distance entre les gens qui est en dehors des normes sociales. Des gens vivent un inconfort par rapport à ça.

Sondage sur la tolérance des Québécois: le hijab oui, le niqab non

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