Don Valley West MP Rob Oliphant has sent his regular leaflet to constituents. In it, he muses on what he calls “21st Century Multiculturalism“. He asks whether “all communities are integrating appropriately.” And whether citizenship has “intrinsic value” or is it merely an “economic commodity.” In our experience most Canadians feel terrific admiration for those who come to Canada seeking a new life. They may find Mr. Oliphant’s concerns are not quite well enough defined. There seems little lack of English instruction or services for those who seek, as most do, to integrate. For them the most important determinant of how greatly they cherish Canada is whether the economy is providing jobs. Although we may regret that our vital values are sometimes less front-of-mind than making a living, we really should acknowledge this reality. As to “integrating appropriately” our view is that it matters little if the occasional immigrant lives rather more within a community or not. The integration issue turns entirely on something else. And that is whether there are forces at work to intentionally isolate some newcomers. Late last year, a report raised concerns that some were being told to reject our values, raising the prospect of “parallel societies”. The purpose, it was said, was to ultimately demand change to our way of life simply by strength of numbers. We congratulate Mr Olphiant on thinking about the issues and hope that all MPs will reflect wisely on our strengths and vulnerabilities.
