by arthur Weinreb, associate Editor,
September 1, 2004
Ever since the days of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, multiculturalism has become the overriding factor that defines Canada as a nation--even more so than our national preoccupation with health care. To the worshippers of political correctness, multiculturalism has become obsession-like--highlighting the rights of ethnic and minority groups over those of individuals. But apparently not all immigrants to this country think that the way Canada practices multiculturalism is, as one noted convicted felon might say, a good thing.
Writing in the National Post, journalist Heather Sokoloff reported on a study done by Lily Dyson, an educational psychologist at the University of Victoria. In an article published in the Canadian Journal of Education, Dr. Dyson wrote about the relationship between some Chinese immigrant parents and the Canadian educational system that their children are a part of.
One portion of the report notes the concern that some of these parents have about the quality of education that their kids are receiving. They feel that their offspring are not being sufficiently challenged to be able to cope with the outside competitive world. This feeling, of course is not unique to immigrants from China or elsewhere. But these parents expressed concerns that they had about the role that multiculturalism plays in their children’s education.
The study found that although the parents appreciated the festivals and cultural days that their schools held, many parents preferred that their children spend more time learning about the history of other cultures, world geography and foreign languages. In the National Post article, Dr. Dyson is quoted as saying, "They [the parents] appreciate ethnic food festivals, but find them superficial."
We need more Canadians that think like these parents do. and the word "superficial" is an excellent adjective to describe how Canada’s multicultural policies have degenerated into nothing more than an exercise for show, full of sound and fury signifying nothing. It says a lot about our educational system when students spend more time eating feta cheese and baklava than they do studying ancient Greek history or when african dances are mastered by students that have no idea where Kenya or Chad are.
Multiculturalism, as it is currently practiced in Canada, is trendy. It makes whites, born in this country, feel good. They can go around feeling proud of themselves and show the world how tolerant, compassionate and understanding they are. But as the Chinese parents have correctly deduced, it does absolutely nothing to ensure that the children of these immigrants and their descendants receive sufficient knowledge and values to become productive Canadian citizens.
It would be nice if more Canadians thought the way the parents that were interviewed in Dyson’s study did. But it won’t happen quickly. Multiculturalism, together with racism and a lot of other "isms" have become growth industries in this country. Too many groups are receiving government largess for putting on these "superficial" festivals and artistic displays to ever willingly give it up. and if the government even wanted to scale back expenditures in this area, one utterance of the "r" word and they would back right down.
Of course the Liberal government has no desire to anger the various ethnic groups that they are so dependent for votes and other political support. Despite what Liberals such as anne McLellan, the Minister of Public Security might say, multiculturalism and being politically correct is a greater priority than the security of the country and its people.
So many people come to Canada with the hope of becoming Canadians. Unfortunately they are never told what a Canadian is. The government simply throws money at them to buy food and costumes and told to put on an ethnic event.
Canada would be a much better country if more citizens and immigrants viewed things the way the people who were interviewed by Dr. Dyson do. These Chinese parents realize that their children will only be able to gain equality, true acceptance and success if they are given the chance and the tools to be able to fully and competently function in Canadian society.