The Importance of Multiculturalism
Omar Ha-Redeye responded to Raheel Raza’s article, Endlessly Divisible Canada, in the Toronto Star.
He added to his comments saying,
Unfortunately people like Mrs. Raza suffer from severe inferiority complexes when dealing with the larger Canadian society.
As immigrants to Canada from societies that have failed to develop pluralism and acceptance, they have difficulty fathoming the incredible success we’ve had with multiculturalism in Canada.
Detractors for civil rights advancements fostered from within marginalized communities is an old and effective tactic. The naiveté of these people unwittingly make them pawns of totalitarian and intolerant ideologies, as witnessed by the other responses to her piece.
Canada has a unique history of trying to resolve existing divisions between Protestant English, French Catholic and First Nation communities since the time of Confederation. This challenge has forced us to adopt a more nuanced and inclusive concept of Canadian identity, rather than the melting pot of our southern neighbours.
As a result, we’ve avoided or minimized some of the worst atrocities witnessed in nations demanding total uniformity within their borders. Canada is not without our challenges, but we’re better off than many others in the global community.
Perhaps it’s also important to remember that without the Multiculturalism Act and the abolishment of the Continuous Journey Regulation (1908) prior to it, people like Raheel Raza would never have been welcomed into Canada to begin with.
