Canada ethnic tensions

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East In a world with a multitude of problems, where local wars are starting at an alarming rate, Canada, once a beacon of people’s harmony, is starting to fall apart. This is mainly the fault of the political class of Canada; their lack of emphasis on being Canadian, being proud to be Canadian, and building a better life for our families. Canadian history is one of compromise and listening to the needs of people. This seems now to be forgotten. Immersed in a steady stream of denial, there seems to be a competition to invent means of despising and changing our history in a truly woke mode. This constitutes a trend aimed at destroying our nation’s harmony. By isolating ethic communities from each other in a way that emphasizes being Canadian as secondary, in the name of multiculturalism, the message is that there is no need to consider ourselves as a unified nation we should all strive to build. Driven by their venal intentions to secure power, today’s Canadian politicians use ethnic tensions from abroad, developing them here, to further their electoral purposes. If they had Canadians’ best interests at heart, they would dedicate their time and power to develop Canada instead, creating a healthy and united Canadian nation. There is no need to endlessly apologize to various ethnic groups and make useless declarations of acknowledgements without taking action to unite the nation. As we have seen with the recent wars in Europe and the Middle East, ethnic tensions are well on the rise in Canada. There is a noticeable increase in hatred between people, with a sharp increase in antisemitism. The outpouring of anti-Jewish hatred that has continued unabated since Hamas’ attacks on Israel a month ago, has baffled and dismayed many people in this country, while emboldening anti-Semitic voices in unprecedented ways. Jewish communities in Canada have been concerned for years about the steady rise of anti-Jewish sentiments and anti-Semitic attacks. Deeply complacent and sanctimonious Canadian politicians of all stripe have tut-tutted about the concerns and assured us constantly that the warnings were over-wrought and the flare-ups would soon pass. And yet, in an era of “cancel culture”, when tolerance for comparatively mild infelicitous and unthoughtful comments generate widespread pearl-clutching and even state censorship, the most hateful comments in Canadian public spaces pass almost unchallenged. Too many ethnic communities, the most targeted being the Jewish community; this cone of silence has only served to make the community more isolated and vulnerable. It seems that Canada has learned nothing from the long history of anti-Semitism, which often goes underground for years only to rear its ugly head at times of crisis and conflict. Canada, as a nation and a government, has not responded to outbursts of Jewish hatred with the same vigour and determination that it marshals for discrimination and spite directed at other ethnic groups. The Israel/Palestine quandary has occupied generations of Canadian diplomats and government officials, producing more hot air than workable solutions. Moreover, the weakest and most marginalized of Palestinians have borne the brunt of this inaction. Many Palestinians live in unacceptable conditions and face intolerable constraints. The multi-generational traumas they have endured will have long-term impacts. While Palestinians must reject and distance themselves from the Hamas-style extremism if they want international support, there will also be no lasting peace in the Middle East until Palestinians gain greater control over their lives in a region that accepts the permanent presence of both Palestine and the state of Israel. Standing together with Jewish people against hate is consistent with defending the right of the state of Israel to exist and defend itself. Canada has been slow and off the mark on the issue, following rather than leading the international response. Given the woeful state of Canada current global standing and military preparedness, Canadians have learned to expect nothing substantial from the government in the international arena. As Canadians, we must, individually and collectively, speak out and stand up against antisemitism and any kind of ethnic hatred in all forms. We as Canadians would do better to look to building our nation. One can only be saddened that a complex, historical, religious, and geopolitical confrontation has been framed by simplistic, often ahistorical, and hate-filled commentary. Canadians are distraught by the Hamas massacres in Israel and are terrified that the Israeli response will be equally destructive and traumatic, particularly for civilian populations in Gaza. If we have learned anything from the past, it is that silence equals complicity and that failure to stand with vulnerable people leaves them to face blistering and hate-filled attacks on their own, to the detriment of us all. It is my sincere hope that we will once again concentrate on working together to make Canada the most beautiful nation where we all live in harmony and strive to build a better life for our children and grandchildren. What are your thoughts?