Post by Souriquois on Oct 27, 2016 12:20:46 GMT -4
It seems to be happening in every country, but here in Canada, as I mentioned in the multiculturalism thread, has potentially lethal implications, as our past "identity wars" resulted in people getting killed and nearly a civil war. These guys are playing with fire, and ignoring them won't make them go away.
They're from the Conservative Party but actually not, the Reform Party (our old far-right party) and the Conservative Party merged and the Reform Party slashed and burned the thing.
I don't even know how this shit can be dealt with. But it's getting ridiculous, and they're trying to pull this country into some dark places in order to score political points.
Also wondering if these guys are being bankrolled by Vladimir Putin like Donald Trump and their counterparts in Europe. These figured seemed to have just, appeared out of nowhere after Trudeau pissed off Putin.
startouch.thestar.com/screens/4fcddffe-d9c8-47f4-9a22-56aabf88494b|_0.html
They're from the Conservative Party but actually not, the Reform Party (our old far-right party) and the Conservative Party merged and the Reform Party slashed and burned the thing.
First it was Kellie Leitch with her plan for screening of potential immigrants for “anti-Canadian values.”
Now comes Steven Blaney with his proposals to test all citizenship applicants to preserve “Canadian identity” and to ban federal employees from wearing niqab face coverings at work.
“It is critical that we make sure that new Canadians fully endorse the Canadian principles that are the foundations of our society,” Blaney, a Quebec MP, said this week as he formally entered the federal Conservative leadership race.
Leitch and Blaney are among a dozen or so possible candidates seeking the leadership, but their outspoken comments on immigration and Canadian “values,” “principles” and “identity” have gained them far more news coverage than any of their competitors.
Cynical politics on their part or do they reflect a growing trend in Canada?
Clearly, these two federal MPs are eagerly stirring the cesspool of fear, anger and hatred that has played a huge role in the populist anti-immigrant movement behind Donald Trump in the U.S. and the rise of right-wing politicians in Europe.
In Canada, Leitch and Blaney are trying to tap into the deep discontent of some sectors of Canadian society, expressing a populist paranoid view of immigration, refugees and mainstream politics.
At a glance, such an approach seems out of step with how Canadians really feel about immigration and values.
That’s because Canadians are becoming more immigrant-friendly — not less — than ever before, according to a new national poll.
Indeed, the Environics Institute survey found 58 per cent of those polled disagree there is too much immigration and that fewer people now voice concerns about immigrants not adopting “Canadian values” than at any time over the last 20 years.
But what’s most relevant for Leitch, Blaney and other politicians of their ilk is that countless millions of Canadians apparently agree with their views.
At the same time as the new poll showed increased positive attitudes toward immigration, it still indicated 40 per cent of us believe too many immigrants don’t adopt Canadian values, 37 per cent say immigration levels are too high, 36 per cent feel Canada has accepted too many Syrian refugees and 26 per cent believe Canada has done a poor job in keeping criminals and suspected criminals out of the country.
And that’s the pool into which Leitch and Blaney are diving in their efforts to win the Tory leadership. In that race, they need only to win over a few thousand diehard party loyalists, not millions of general voters.
Still, if the American election and recent voting in Europe is any example, it’s critical that fair-minded Canadians speak up and let Conservatives know that it’s time to stop pandering to fear, anger and hatred for the sake of winning votes at a leadership contest.
And it’s crucial that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau take a leading role in speaking up for immigrants and refugees.
That’s the view of former immigration minister Lloyd Axworthy, who is spending several weeks this fall in Germany on a fellowship looking at global refugee migration and its impact on Germany.
In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel at first opened the doors wide to Syrian refugees, but she failed to follow up by explaining fully to Germans why accepting the refugees would be good for the country. The result has been the surprise victories by right-wing politicians in local elections and subsequent moves by Merkel to slow the movement of refugees.
“The lesson here in Germany is that if you don’t take on the Leitchs and their supporters, they will gain strength,” Axworthy told me.
As Axworthy sees it, Trudeau “needs to direct his communication skills towards giving Canadians an accurate, yet compelling story of the benefits at home and the stronger role Canada can play internationally to reform the global refugee system.”
It’s a narrative that shows how immigration and multiculturalism have worked for overall well-being and how the original principles set out in the historic 1971 multiculturalism policy declared under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau of openness, fairness and respect of language, customs and religion are as relevant today as they were when the act was passed
Without such a story, Canada risks letting ambitious and cynical politicians such as Leitch and Blaney use their own narrative to kick-start a political “identity war.”
That’s important because Canadians, including Conservatives, must not take the line toward the policies championed by Leitch and Blaney of ignore them and they will go away — because they won’t.
Now comes Steven Blaney with his proposals to test all citizenship applicants to preserve “Canadian identity” and to ban federal employees from wearing niqab face coverings at work.
“It is critical that we make sure that new Canadians fully endorse the Canadian principles that are the foundations of our society,” Blaney, a Quebec MP, said this week as he formally entered the federal Conservative leadership race.
Leitch and Blaney are among a dozen or so possible candidates seeking the leadership, but their outspoken comments on immigration and Canadian “values,” “principles” and “identity” have gained them far more news coverage than any of their competitors.
Cynical politics on their part or do they reflect a growing trend in Canada?
Clearly, these two federal MPs are eagerly stirring the cesspool of fear, anger and hatred that has played a huge role in the populist anti-immigrant movement behind Donald Trump in the U.S. and the rise of right-wing politicians in Europe.
In Canada, Leitch and Blaney are trying to tap into the deep discontent of some sectors of Canadian society, expressing a populist paranoid view of immigration, refugees and mainstream politics.
At a glance, such an approach seems out of step with how Canadians really feel about immigration and values.
That’s because Canadians are becoming more immigrant-friendly — not less — than ever before, according to a new national poll.
Indeed, the Environics Institute survey found 58 per cent of those polled disagree there is too much immigration and that fewer people now voice concerns about immigrants not adopting “Canadian values” than at any time over the last 20 years.
But what’s most relevant for Leitch, Blaney and other politicians of their ilk is that countless millions of Canadians apparently agree with their views.
At the same time as the new poll showed increased positive attitudes toward immigration, it still indicated 40 per cent of us believe too many immigrants don’t adopt Canadian values, 37 per cent say immigration levels are too high, 36 per cent feel Canada has accepted too many Syrian refugees and 26 per cent believe Canada has done a poor job in keeping criminals and suspected criminals out of the country.
And that’s the pool into which Leitch and Blaney are diving in their efforts to win the Tory leadership. In that race, they need only to win over a few thousand diehard party loyalists, not millions of general voters.
Still, if the American election and recent voting in Europe is any example, it’s critical that fair-minded Canadians speak up and let Conservatives know that it’s time to stop pandering to fear, anger and hatred for the sake of winning votes at a leadership contest.
And it’s crucial that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau take a leading role in speaking up for immigrants and refugees.
That’s the view of former immigration minister Lloyd Axworthy, who is spending several weeks this fall in Germany on a fellowship looking at global refugee migration and its impact on Germany.
In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel at first opened the doors wide to Syrian refugees, but she failed to follow up by explaining fully to Germans why accepting the refugees would be good for the country. The result has been the surprise victories by right-wing politicians in local elections and subsequent moves by Merkel to slow the movement of refugees.
“The lesson here in Germany is that if you don’t take on the Leitchs and their supporters, they will gain strength,” Axworthy told me.
As Axworthy sees it, Trudeau “needs to direct his communication skills towards giving Canadians an accurate, yet compelling story of the benefits at home and the stronger role Canada can play internationally to reform the global refugee system.”
It’s a narrative that shows how immigration and multiculturalism have worked for overall well-being and how the original principles set out in the historic 1971 multiculturalism policy declared under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau of openness, fairness and respect of language, customs and religion are as relevant today as they were when the act was passed
Without such a story, Canada risks letting ambitious and cynical politicians such as Leitch and Blaney use their own narrative to kick-start a political “identity war.”
That’s important because Canadians, including Conservatives, must not take the line toward the policies championed by Leitch and Blaney of ignore them and they will go away — because they won’t.
Also wondering if these guys are being bankrolled by Vladimir Putin like Donald Trump and their counterparts in Europe. These figured seemed to have just, appeared out of nowhere after Trudeau pissed off Putin.
startouch.thestar.com/screens/4fcddffe-d9c8-47f4-9a22-56aabf88494b|_0.html