The
following is a letter from Marilena Pasca (Toronto)
sent
to one of my faithful readers who has forwarded it to me.
A Letter to
Justin Trudeau
So many letter writers have explained how this land is made up of
immigrants.
Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people
why today's Canadian is not williing to accept this new kind of
immigrant.
Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to
come to Canada, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line
in Halifax or Vancouver and be documented. Some would even get down
on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to
uphold the laws and support their new country in both good and bad
times.
They made learning English a primary rule in their new Canadian
households and some even changed their names to blend in with their
new home. They had waved good-bye to their birthplace to give their
children a new and better life and did everything in their power to
help their children assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed
to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labour laws to protect
them. Perhaps some were fortunate enough...like my grandfather...to
be given 160 acres of prairie grassland. All they had were the
skills, craftsmanship and desire they had brought with them to trade
for a future of prosperity. It wasn't easy.
Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out.
Canadians...like my Uncle Jim, fought along side men whose parents
had come straight over from Germany, Italy, France, Japan, China,
Czechoslovakia, Russia, Sweden, Poland and so many other places.
None of these first generation Canadians ever gave any thought about
what country their parents had come from. They were Canadians
fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan.
They were defending the Freedom as one people.
When we liberated France and The Netherlands, no one in those
villages was looking for the Ukranian-Canadian or the
German-Canadian. The people of Paris and Amsterdam saw only
Canadians. And they carried one flag that represented Our Country.
Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up
another country's flag and waving it to represent who they were. It
would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so
much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be a
Canadian. They stirred the melting pot into one red and white bowl.
And
here we are in 2016 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same
rights and privileges...only they want to achieve it by playing with
a different set of rules: one that includes a Canadian passport and
a guarantee of being faithful to their
mother
country.
I'm sorry, that's not what being a Canadian is all about.
Canadians have been very open-hearted and open-minded regarding
immigrants, whether they were fleeing poverty, dictatorship or
persecution...or whatever else makes us think of those aforementioned
immigrants who truly did ADOPT our country, our flag, our morals and
our customs...and left their wars, hatred and divisions behind. I
believe that the immigrants who landed in Canada in the early 1900's
deserve better than that for the toil, hard work and sacrifice of
those legally searching for a better life.
I think they would be appalled that they are being used as an
example by those waving foreign country flags, fighting foreign
battles on our soil, making Canadians change to suit their religions
and cultures and wanting to change our country's fabric by claiming
'discrimination' when we do not give in to their demands. It's about
time we get real...and stand up for our forefathers' rights.
We are CANADIAN!
I am a native of this Country and Proud of it!
NO MORE POLITICAL CORRECTNESS.
And while we're on the subject: Allow CHRISTMAS back in stores
and our schools!
I want back the country of my birth!
Opinion
and Response re the Foregoing...by Richard
This well-written letter expresses the frustration that brought Trump
to power.
In Canada we practise the Mosaic (each group has a 'tile'...the right
to keep their culture in the overall mosaic that is our country)
whereas, in the U.S. they practise assimilation (each group must
conform to American cultural standards).
When I was taking my Masters at Canisius in Buffalo, NY, I was often
challenged to explain why we (Canadians) had bilingualism in our
country...why people got jobs in government simply because they were
bilingual...and why we allowed turbans in our police force...and why
we allowed certain immigrant groups like Mennonites to have special
status...and so on and so on.
We now have immigrants from Muslim countries being brought to our
country with all expenses paid and a generous monthly stipend. Is
their intent to be a 'tile' in the Mosaic, to build their own schools
and churches...challenge our laws regarding clothing, etc. or to
assimilate?
Marilena has presented some very compelling reasons why our newcomers
from Syria and Africa should assimilate and I would add, “Repay
some of the support they have been given at a future time.”
Our current government seems unable
to get out from the populist glow of the International community
to face reality.
LET YOUR POLITICIANS KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!
Compiled by Merle Baird-Kerr...March 9, 2017
Regardless
of yesterday or today, I believe my foregoing quote by Charles
Dickens applies...whether immigrant or fine citizen of Canada. Our
country is young and is called an 'an
immigrants' paradise'
because everybody would have been an immigrant at some point in their
life...and that makes them 'welcomers' to newly landed immigrants.
Canada is a multi-cultural migration destination; despite this,
peace and harmony exist...and foreign people, eager to launch their
own endeavour, are assisted whole-heartedly.
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