聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The other day we were discussing politics in the office. As a collective we decided the United States has veered way too far to the right, while Canada currently sits too far to the left and that we would all be a lot happier if somehow those two polarized thoughts could meet somewhere in the middle.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 For example, we discussed various religions and discovered that we are for religious freedom as long as that religion doesn鈥檛 undermine human rights. So, human rights and equality comes before anything else.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Canada is a mosaic, so best described as a salad, in regards to the different cultures and backgrounds of people that live here. I feel like this is what we have to protect within our country. Canada doesn鈥檛 produce enough people to sustain itself as a country, so immigrants are important in ensuring the country鈥檚 future. However, Canada is supposed to be focused on celebrating differences, while putting people first.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 My grandmother is proud of her heritage having emigrated from Holland many years ago. Her and my grandfather first lived in a renovated railcar by Elbow, Saskatchewan. They worked hard and made a life for themselves here. They identified as both Canadian and Dutch.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 They came to Canada for a reason and I think immigrants still come to Canada for a reason, but what we hear now is that many don鈥檛 want to give up any part of who they were at home. However, they are no longer in their country鈥� so, human rights violations like female genital mutilation 鈥� although illegal 鈥� is happening.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Stewart Bell with Global News wrote an article on July 17 of this year, 鈥淔emale genital mutilation practitioners travelling to Canada, border officers warned.鈥� The act itself may be a part of a religion or culture, however, it is linked to infections, infertility, and childbirth complications; which is a human rights issue. You鈥檙e endangering someone鈥檚 life for your religion or culture and to me that鈥檚 not acceptable.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Surely there is a way to celebrate a culture or religion without compromising the rights of an individual?
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Now, I know Canada doesn鈥檛 have a perfect track record either as the country subjected First Nations to terrible atrocities based solely on culture and religion. However, the country should have learnt from this and should defend human rights above anything else鈥� and no, we shouldn鈥檛 worry about offending anyone if we are focused on human rights especially in our own country.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I don鈥檛 believe we can force beliefs onto other countries, that鈥檚 what people go to war for, but when coming into Canada it should be made clear that we welcome all cultures and religions, however, the country will not tolerate practices that compromise human rights even if it is part of a culture or religion. So, we鈥檙e not asking them to completely give up their culture or religion, but to see that human rights are at the forefront of our beliefs as Canadians and that as a Canadian they may celebrate their cultures or religions, however, certain practices may need to be re-evaluated if they infringes upon human rights.
