In another year that has seen major issues of cultural importance affect Canadians both at home and abroad, it is time the government officially recognized the multicultural society of our country by renaming the August long weekend the Canadian Heritage long weekend.
While no one can complain about having a day off in August, the words “civic holiday,” leave much to be desired, especially when in Edmonton right now, many local residents will be visiting or participating in the Heritage Festival in Hawrelak Park. Groups representing cultures from across the globe will be showing off the fares and wares of their countries of origin, as well as parts of their history and culture. Some groups at odds globally will sit down together in the park’s surroundings to celebrate the rich multicultural background that makes Canada one of the favoured destinations for refugees and immigrants. The more we learn about one another, the greater the chance at peace.
Nationally and internationally, though, there are growing instances of intolerance and the clash of cultures that are further exacerbated by global events. South of the border, only on Wednesday did an Arizona judge place an injunction on some of the more offensive and intolerant elements of that state’s newest attempts at stopping illegal immigration. At home, the concept of “reasonable accommodation” has been gaining steam in Quebec, thanks to a small French town that believed it was necessary to pass a constitution-like document spelling out what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour to new immigrants. This sparked a provincial tour of public forums where Quebecers shared their thoughts, some bordering on racist. The subject can be boiled down to one statement — if you don’t like the way we live, get out.
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip by Israel has exacerbated tension within those groups both locally and abroad. Here in Canada, beyond the grim picture of the war in Afghanistan painted by the recent disclosure of sensitive documents to the media, the press has been complicit in driving a ‘them-against-us attitude’ with stories about honour killings and home-grown terrorism, incidents that take place but in the very small minority. Women of the Muslim faith must now in Canada show their faces when they vote, and in France, any form of religious garb, targeted specifically at people of Islam, has been or will be made illegal to wear in a public place. Secularism is winning the day over acceptance and inclusion.
So are we a melting pot or a welcoming society? Who should accommodate whom? The fundamental point is that anyone who comes to our country can be a true Canadian. It is not as simple as arguing that all of us came from an immigrant family. It is acknowledging that being Canadian extends to everyone, that instances of what some might see as cultural barbarism are few and far between and that nobody needs to accommodate anyone. We only need to interact, at a deeper level than visiting an ethnic restaurant. Renaming this holiday for the heritage we share with everyone across the country would be a massive step in promoting solidarity based on where we live, not where we came from.
