Monday 30 January 2012

How easy it is to be Canadian!

Dual citizenship, working and travelling in two more more countries, paying taxes? Maybe.
Upholding the culture, values, traditions and beliefs in which country? Which one?

UPDATE: Now that they have been convicted, the testimony held back has been revealed.

 
The Shafia honour-killings trial heard from plenty of Afghan witnesses prepared to vouch for the parents and son accused of murdering four female members of their family.

The Shafia case is a supreme one. There are cultures, traditions, religions and races where polygamy, lying, are permissible. Canada is not one of them.
I have followed the case closely, the inconsistencies, the inadmissible evidence revealed after the jury ws sequestered.

This reporter has been a good read:
I became keen on understanding Islam when I had classrooms graced with the presence of some 80% multicultural rainbows. I learned what I could, e.g., had some delightful Lebanese students explain which dishes to order on a dinner date!

We shared mutual practices, faith-based notions. We practiced equality, and treated one another with dignity and respect.

They were a broad mix of kids and we had some interesting discussions. One time, during a discussion when a student's friend had lost an ill sibling, we were talking about the chronic ill health of the young brother. The pregrieving was hard on the family. The discussion continued about death and dying.
One student chimed in with, "Suicide is OK if you are defending your peoples! My uncle was a suicide bomber." I declared that this was not acceptable in Canada. It was shocking.

In some cultures, in some parts of the world, you tell 'permissible lies'. In Islam it is called Al-taqiyya, and it means that the "concealing or disguising of one's beliefs, feelings or opinions to save oneself from injury." I faced this when dealing with some of my students. I would catch them in an act and they would tell me "I swear I didn't do it, Miss!"

As long as dual citizenship is allowed, those holding beliefs contrary to Canada's laws, will be torn. Perhaps not torn, but making a cultural choice. Those with assets have been welcomed into Canada, like the Sharia family. Perhaps, while there was a financial means test, perhaps there should have been a values test. Women are equal in Canada.

I am so shocked when I read about this Shafia case.

I am further shocked when I read that an NDP candidate for leadership has dual citizenship.
Andrew Coyne reported,


Mulcair's citizenship only matters if Canada matters


At bottom, the question of Thomas Mulcairs dual citizenship has nothing to do with him, and everything to do with us. The NDP leadership candidate was within his rights to take out French citizenship some years ago. He did nothing shameful...
Again, the unbearable lightness of being Canadian.
According to Coyne, to become a citizen of another country you will lose your citizenship in Denmark, Japan, Norway. You cannot acquire citizenship in another country outside of Germany.
The US doesn't do it formally, but their oath says that new citizens must "renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity." In Australia, you may not be a member of parliament if you are a citizen of a foreign power.

Either this is your home, or it is not.
Either you uphold the beliefs of Canada or you do not belong here.

7 comments:

Vagabonde said...

This is a tough subject. I am a dual citizen of France and the USA – it is OK for France. I kept my French citizenship because of my parents who would have been so upset if I had renounced my French citizenship. I abide by US laws though and I am not a Muslim. I think a lot of problems are created by the culture rather than by the religion. Most people in the US are Christians but only the Mormons are allowed to “baptize” people when they are dead. I hear they have baptized quite a few including Shakespeare, Elvis Presley, Joan of Arc, etc. Many believe it’s OK to have more than one wife. I have known Algerians in France since I was a child and never heard of an honor killing, and they are all Muslims. What do you think of bride burning in India or girl killing in China? You know there are many horrible killings all over the world. It is good that Canada does not let these killings go unpunished in their country.

Cloudia said...

most interesting post~



Warm Aloha from Waikiki
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Jenn Jilks said...

I agree, Vagabonde. Culture is as bad as religion.

The Citizen article cited a total of 11 such killings in Canada since 2005.
In 2006: Khatera Sadiqi (20), and her fiance, shot by her brother.
In 2007: Anitha Selvanayagam (16) and her boyfriend run over by her father.
In 2007: Aqsa Parvez strangled by her father and brother.
In 2009: Amandeep Kaur Dhillon (22), stabbed by father-in-law.
In 2010/11: four additional suspected crimes.
Today, I read of an Afghanistan woman strangled when she gave birth to her 3rd daughter.
There are many horrible crimes against women by men. The world has so far to go.

Linda said...

Very deep, disturbing article...thanks, I think! Have a blessed evening - always enjoy your blog, even when you make me think!

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

I have always thought the idea of dual citizenship to be troubling. It would be hard to avoid situations that demand a choice.

Kay said...

We just saw this article in the Honolulu Advertiser and were stunned at the depravity. The whole thing is so shocking! How could they ever have felt this was right? Your link showed more of the frightening story.

Reader Wil said...

We have the same problems with muslims here in the Netherlands: honour killing, women and girl circumcision. Not all muslims are like that, but there is no respect for other religions in many cases. Women are second rate citizens. In my culture women and men are equal. Jewish people are treated badly and homosexuals are threatened. I wish we followed the same policy as the Norwegians have.