(This column originally appeared in the Toronto Sun)
When it comes to immigration, elites don’t seem to trust Canadians to hold the right opinions.
They’re paranoid. They think we’re all secretly racist, waiting for an opportunity to pick up a pitchfork and chase immigrants we see out of town.
And the CBC has given these elites more reason to look down their noses at everyday people.
“Canadians aren’t as accepting as we think,” read a recent headline on CBC.ca.
The article, written by pollster Angus Reid, took aim at the social myth Canada is a multicultural utopia and that Canadians are open to any and all immigration.
Reid’s poll found almost seven in ten Canadians believe newcomers should “do more to fit in” when they come to Canada. Only 32% thought we should encourage newcomers to keep their own customs and language.
In the U.S. the split is closer to 50/50.
So, are Canadians suddenly less tolerant than our American neighbours?
Despite the predictable handwringing by many on the left, this poll simply confirms what we all know.
Canadians are a welcoming and generous people, but there are limits to our openness.
When it comes to immigration, Canadians expect newcomers to join the Canadian family and that they’ll learn the local language, contribute to our economy and respect our laws and traditions. We hope they’ll branch out into the broader community and truly become Canadian.
These are not unreasonable views. In fact, this is what most newcomers expect when they pick up and move to a new country.
Our expectation that newcomers will integrate into Canadian society is part of the…READ MORE
