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Multiculturalism is a dirty word for a lot of people. There certainly are a lot of significant problems associated with multiculturalism. Canada is a multicultural society. I daily read ugly news about gangs formed out of immigrant populations. Naturally one wonders why are we importing criminals into Canada? When one reads about honor killings committed by immigrants who harbor brutal backwards values, why did we import such savages into Canada?

However, the bigger view presents a different picture. New immigrants overwhelmingly work and study hard and generally improve Canada's economic, educational, and cultural landscape. Overall, multicultural societies fare better than relatively homogeneous xenophobic societies such as North Korea and Iran. Historically, times of greatest economic prosperity are associated with times of greatest multiculturalism and economic and cultural engagement with other nations.

From Benefits of Multiculturalism | BIPT

"Benefits of Multiculturalism

Innovation and Creativity
--At least 35 per cent of Canada Research Chairs are foreign-born, even though immigrants make up only 20 per cent of the Canadian population.
Immigrants to Canada win proportionally more prestigious literary and performing arts awards.
--Foreign direct investment into Canada is greater from countries that are well represented in Canada through immigration.
--Immigration rates improve trade between Canada and immigrants’ countries of origin.
--Immigrants make significant contributions to innovation: Report
--Why Immigration is Critical to Canada’s Prosperity: Report"

I think the best solution to ridding Canada of problems associated with criminal immigrants is a policy of intolerance to criminal behavior and enforcing existing laws. Canada is exploring the idea of stripping immigrant criminals of their Canadian citizenship:
MPs vote to study bill that would strip citizenship - Politics - CBC News
  • Profile picture of the author SteveJohnson
    Multiculturalism is a dirty word for a lot of people.
    Mainly due to people who advocate multiculturalism as an ideology, promoting tolerance of other cultures' values even when they are in conflict with established 'norms' of society - honor killings, for example.

    The U.S. has never been 'multicultural' in the modern context of the word, but since its inception - and, as history as shown, whether it wanted to be or not - it has been and is culturally diverse.

    The ideological multiculturist would never agree with your concept of 'enforcing existing laws'. They would advocate rewriting existing law to accommodate the behavior and beliefs of the other culture, even to the detriment of the host community.
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    • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
      Originally Posted by SteveJohnson View Post

      Mainly due to people who advocate multiculturalism as an ideology, promoting tolerance of other cultures' values even when they are in conflict with established 'norms' of society - honor killings, for example.

      The U.S. has never been 'multicultural' in the modern context of the word, but since its inception - and, as history as shown, whether it wanted to be or not - it has been and is culturally diverse.

      The ideological multiculturist would never agree with your concept of 'enforcing existing laws'. They would advocate rewriting existing law to accommodate the behavior and beliefs of the other culture, even to the detriment of the host community.
      The "ism" in the word does imply imposition of an ideology. I oppose that myself. Dogma is always ugly whatever direction it takes.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Rewriting laws for immigrants is where the cultures really start to clash, too. You can't peacefully tell a whole nation of people that they have to change long valued traditions because other people want to live there. Traditionally - that's called invasion. When people move to a new culture, they should do so with the intent of adapting to the laws and ways of that country. If enough people move from one culture to another, some norms will end up eventually blending and changing on their own. For politicians to push for it only encourages conflict.
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    • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      When people move to a new culture, they should do so with the intent of adapting to the laws and ways of that country.
      Like Europeans did when they "moved" to North and South America, Australia, Africa, etc.?
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      • Profile picture of the author SteveJohnson
        Originally Posted by whateverpedia View Post

        Like Europeans did when they "moved" to North and South America, Australia, Africa, etc.?
        Unless it is their intent to conquer, yes.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sue McDonald
      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      Rewriting laws for immigrants is where the cultures really start to clash, too. You can't peacefully tell a whole nation of people that they have to change long valued traditions because other people want to live there. Traditionally - that's called invasion. When people move to a new culture, they should do so with the intent of adapting to the laws and ways of that country. If enough people move from one culture to another, some norms will end up eventually blending and changing on their own. For politicians to push for it only encourages conflict.
      Well said - it is not only a problem in Canada but here in Australia we are experiencing the same problems. We have thousands of boat people arriving here ever year and these people are not changing to live like we do and they will not give up their cultures and customs. They get to Indonesia and pay the boat smugglers to bring them to Australia. When they get here they claim refugee status and the Government has to feed and clothe them and even provide cigarettes for those people who smoke.
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  • Profile picture of the author hardraysnight
    Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

    Multiculturalism is a dirty word for a lot of people. There certainly are a lot of significant problems associated with multiculturalism. Canada is a multicultural society. I daily read ugly news about gangs formed out of immigrant populations. Naturally one wonders why are we importing criminals into Canada? When one reads about honor killings committed by immigrants who harbor brutal backwards values, why did we import such savages into Canada?

    However, the bigger view presents a different picture. New immigrants overwhelmingly work and study hard and generally improve Canada's economic, educational, and cultural landscape. Overall, multicultural societies fare better than relatively homogeneous xenophobic societies such as North Korea and Iran. Historically, times of greatest economic prosperity are associated with times of greatest multiculturalism and economic and cultural engagement with other nations.

    From Benefits of Multiculturalism | BIPT

    "Benefits of Multiculturalism

    Innovation and Creativity
    --At least 35 per cent of Canada Research Chairs are foreign-born, even though immigrants make up only 20 per cent of the Canadian population.
    Immigrants to Canada win proportionally more prestigious literary and performing arts awards.
    --Foreign direct investment into Canada is greater from countries that are well represented in Canada through immigration.
    --Immigration rates improve trade between Canada and immigrants' countries of origin.
    --Immigrants make significant contributions to innovation: Report
    --Why Immigration is Critical to Canada's Prosperity: Report"

    I think the best solution to ridding Canada of problems associated with criminal immigrants is a policy of intolerance to criminal behavior and enforcing existing laws. Canada is exploring the idea of stripping immigrant criminals of their Canadian citizenship:
    MPs vote to study bill that would strip citizenship - Politics - CBC News
    i live in z bi-cultural country, but have all the problems of a multicultural country due to untethered immigration policies by successive governments
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    Forced multiculturalism won't work. The trouble is, that's how it's been handled.
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    • Profile picture of the author Thomas
      Originally Posted by SteveJohnson View Post

      Mainly due to people who advocate multiculturalism as an ideology, promoting tolerance of other cultures' values even when they are in conflict with established 'norms' of society - honor killings, for example.

      The ideological multiculturist would never agree with your concept of 'enforcing existing laws'. They would advocate rewriting existing law to accommodate the behavior and beliefs of the other culture, even to the detriment of the host community.
      I think multiculturalism can work to some extent, but only if the cultures involved are already broadly similar to each other. Serious problems only arise when the immigrant culture is vastly different to the host culture.

      In Europe, for example, there is quite a lot of third-world and/or non-Christian immigration into places like France, the UK, and Sweden. The result is race riots, cultural violence ("honour" killings, etc.), terrorism, etc.

      Here (Ireland), some 17% of the total population are foreigners. However, they are almost entirely from other European countries, with the 2 largest immigrant groups (by far) being white, English-speaking Britons with existing family connections to Ireland, and white, Catholic Poles, mostly of whom already speak English before arriving in the country.

      However, despite hosting a foreign population that is, for example, twice that of the UK (as a percentage of the overall population), Ireland hasn't had any race riots, immigrant gangs, or any significant level of problems with "cultural differences".

      And, while it does have a pretty overwhelming national identity that is very hostile to outside interference, one very un-PC (but true, nevertheless) fact remains: when almost all immigrants are the same race, speak the same language, have the same religion, and have a very similar culture to the native population, there's very little to fight about anyway.
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    • Profile picture of the author socialentry
      Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill View Post

      Forced multiculturalism won't work. The trouble is, that's how it's been handled.
      Tell that to Lee Kuan Yew.
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      • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
        Originally Posted by socialentry View Post

        Tell that to Lee Kuan Yew.
        I don't know you, so I have no idea what you mean by that.
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        • Profile picture of the author socialentry
          Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill View Post

          I don't know you, so I have no idea what you mean by that.
          Lee Kuan Yew - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

          Apologies if I am a bit laconic/minimalist.
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          • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
            Originally Posted by socialentry View Post

            Lee Kuan Yew - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

            Apologies if I am a bit laconic/minimalist.
            I saw that page before I posted my last response. What I don't know is why you posted your reference to him. If you don't want to have a discussion, that's fine, enjoy your minimalism. No harm done.
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            • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
              Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill View Post

              I saw that page before I posted my last response. What I don't know is why you posted your reference to him. If you don't want to have a discussion, that's fine, enjoy your minimalism. No harm done.
              Sheesh Dennis, why didn't you just read his mind? Get with the program. Didn't you read HeySal post with a link to an article about brains interlinking, even over long distances?
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              • Profile picture of the author socialentry
                Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

                Sheesh Dennis, why didn't you just read his mind? Get with the program. Didn't you read HeySal post with a link to an article about brains interlinking, even over long distances?
                yeah i know i am hopelessly lazy when it comes to explaining things,lol.
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            • Profile picture of the author socialentry
              Originally Posted by Dennis

              I saw that page before I posted my last response. What I don't know is why you posted your reference to him. If you don't want to have a discussion, that's fine, enjoy your minimalism. No harm done.

              lol no, I don't mean to be rude, I am simply not an argumentative person because I am very passionate about my views. If I start, I can write all day about it.

              And I think writing on a forum about them won't do anything for them, but since I took the bait, I guess I should take the time to really flesh out an answer.

              Also, I tend to assume that other people have the same interests as me (or that theyre telepaths) --- which is clearly not true.

              If you read the history of Singapore, you know that the small city-state had a lot of racial strife. Furthermore, it is not even really a country. At first, it was never meant to be one, they tried to unite with Malaysia and got rejected because of multiculturalism.

              When Lee Kuan Yew became prime minister,amongst the first few things he did was:

              1-To promote mandatory english as the first tongue (mind you, Singapore is ethnically Chinese and have malay minority)..
              2-Through the indirect use of public housing,"forcefully" split up ethnic neighbourhoods

              He also did a lot of other little things.
              aka Gradually diminish the cultural influence of muslims because of their "difficulty to integrate". Promote multiculturalism in schools, etc.

              Singaporean multiculturalism is a great achievement because the state had a heavy hand in its shaping. That is an example of successful "forced" multiculturalism.
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              • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
                Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

                Sheesh Dennis, why didn't you just read his mind? Get with the program. Didn't you read HeySal post with a link to an article about brains interlinking, even over long distances?
                Is there a WSO for that? I ain't learnt it yet.


                Originally Posted by socialentry View Post

                lol no, I don't mean to be rude, I am simply not an argumentative person because I am very passionate about my views. If I start, I can write all day about it.

                And I think writing on a forum about them won't do anything for them, but since I took the bait, I guess I should take the time to really flesh out an answer.

                Also, I tend to assume that other people have the same interests as me (or that theyre telepaths) --- which is clearly not true.

                If you read the history of Singapore, you know that the small city-state had a lot of racial strife. Furthermore, it is not even really a country. At first, it was never meant to be one, they tried to unite with Malaysia and got rejected because of multiculturalism.

                When Lee Kuan Yew became prime minister,amongst the first few things he did was:

                1-To promote mandatory english as the first tongue (mind you, Singapore is ethnically Chinese and have malay minority)..
                2-Through the indirect use of public housing,"forcefully" split up ethnic neighbourhoods

                He also did a lot of other little things.
                aka Gradually diminish the cultural influence of muslims because of their "difficulty to integrate". Promote multiculturalism in schools, etc.

                Singaporean multiculturalism is a great achievement because the state had a heavy hand in its shaping. That is an example of successful "forced" multiculturalism.
                Thanks for the response. It may have ended successfully (up to this point anyway) but there was a lot of racial strife. That was my point about forced multiculturalism. The "cultures" have to be ready for it, and when it's forced on them they often are not. There are many examples where it has led to violent ends.

                I'm a live and let live kind of guy. Forcing things on people, in my humble opinion, isn't the best way to go about it.
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  • Profile picture of the author bravo75
    Multiculturalism is not so great when the foreigners outnumber the indigenous population.
    Which is the case now in London, for example.
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    • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
      Originally Posted by bravo75 View Post

      Multiculturalism is not so great when the foreigners outnumber the indigenous population.
      Which is the case now in London, for example.
      I can see that something ugly is going on in London, but the demographics seem to only be true of some neighborhoods, while the indigenous popoplution is by far the majority elsewhere.
      Police 'covered up' violent campaign to turn London area 'Islamic' - Telegraph
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      • Profile picture of the author bravo75
        Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

        I can see that something ugly is going on in London, but the demographics seem to only be true of some neighborhoods, while the indigenous popoplution is by far the majority elsewhere.
        Police 'covered up' violent campaign to turn London area 'Islamic' - Telegraph
        I read the article. Man, don't even get me started on these *******s.

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        • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
          Originally Posted by bravo75 View Post

          I read the article. Man, don't even get me started on these *******s.

          Muslims Enforcing Sharia Law on the streets of London - WTF!!! - YouTube - YouTube
          They don't represent all Arabs or Muslim immigrants. My understanding is that they've been violent towards Muslims as well who don't support their version of Islam. Are they legally allowed to act as self-appointed ideological police officers in a UK neighborhood? Shouldn't they get arrested for that?
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          • Profile picture of the author bravo75
            Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

            They don't represent all Arabs or Muslim immigrants. My understanding is that they've been violent towards Muslims as well who don't support their version of Islam. Are they legally allowed to act as self-appointed ideological police officers in a UK neighborhood? Shouldn't they get arrested for that?
            We are told that Islamic extremists differ from moderate Muslims. But how many moderate Muslims wish to see Britain governed by Sharia Law, but wish this to happen via the ballot box rather than the bomb?
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  • Profile picture of the author derekwong28
    Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post


    "Benefits of Multiculturalism

    Innovation and Creativity
    --At least 35 per cent of Canada Research Chairs are foreign-born, even though immigrants make up only 20 per cent of the Canadian population.
    Immigrants to Canada win proportionally more prestigious literary and performing arts awards.
    --Foreign direct investment into Canada is greater from countries that are well represented in Canada through immigration.
    --Immigration rates improve trade between Canada and immigrants’ countries of origin.
    --Immigrants make significant contributions to innovation: Report
    --Why Immigration is Critical to Canada’s Prosperity: Report"

    [/url]
    I would be surprised if this were not otherwise. Canada's immigration system heavily favors those with high qualifications and/or wealth. Its lifestyle is highly attractive to those who lived in highly stressful (and polluted) environments. I know a lot of people from Hong Kong who gave up very high paying jobs and businesses to move to Canada. However, there is also a confounding factor. A lot of highly qualified Canadians move to the US all the time for higher paying jobs.
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    • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
      Originally Posted by derekwong28 View Post

      I would be surprised if this were not otherwise. Canada's immigration system heavily favors those with high qualifications and/or wealth. Its lifestyle is highly attractive to those who lived in highly stressful (and polluted) environments. I know a lot of people from Hong Kong who gave up very high paying jobs and businesses to move to Canada. However, there is also a confounding factor. A lot of highly qualified Canadians move to the US all the time for higher paying jobs.
      An increasing number of Canadians are moving to China for higher paying jobs, LOL.
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    • Profile picture of the author Angle Warrior
      Originally Posted by derekwong28 View Post

      I would be surprised if this were not otherwise. Canada's immigration system heavily favors those with high qualifications and/or wealth.
      You're kidding right? The Canadian Gov. has one of the weakest systems in the world when it comes to immigration, but first before I rant I must say there are a SUPER AMOUNT of great people that have immigrated to Canada with respectful beliefs and respect for Canadian culture.



      That being said, Canada is quickly becoming a cesspool for the worlds unwanted. The Canadian Gov. will allow almost anyone who claims the life is at risk to stay, and we will support them because they are NOT wealthy, they are NOT well educated, they are poor, and the Canadian Gov. will support them by providing them with an income of over $2,000 per month per adult PLUS after one month in Ontario they have full medical and dental coverage.



      If you are born a Canadian maybe even a veteran who fought to protect this Great Country from people trying to force the beliefs and culture on us and others then you can expect the Canadian Gov. to fork over LESS than one third of that given to immigrants, Average Benefit 65 and over $ 528.49 per month.



      Yes I will agree there are a lot of great people that have come to Canada and help it grow, work hard and are PROUD to be Canadian, than there are those that despise Canada and it culture and our laws, they don't respect our environment or Canadians and are the heartbeat of the tax less underground economy avoiding whenever possible to pay the very taxes that made it possible for them to stay here in the first place.


      If they break a Canadian law DEPORT THEM, end of story.
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