Saturday, May 2, 2009

Discussion: Canadian Citizenship


Source: TVO



Here are two discussion shows from The Agenda about Canadian citizenship.

First show is about dual-citizenship and second show is about Canadian citizenship in general.

In the second show, I always find it fascinating that the White panelists support multiculturalism and non-white panelists support assimilation.







So what do you think? Is it too easy to become a Canadian citizen? Are people abusing the system? Or do you think the government should to more to encourage people to become citizens?

4 comments:

Anh Khoi Do said...

It's funny to see how the white panelists are afraid to be groundlessly labelled as "racists". Let's face it, the white panelists (if not most whites in Canada) are just spineless people who are afraid to ask immigrants to blend in. I found that the woman who has no problem with people of Chinese heritage not speaking English (and living in Toronto's Chinatown) is way out of touch with reality. Come on, what a way to encourage ghettoization! Just go in a "Chinese/Asian" grocery or even restaurant and you're very likely to see a throng of whites, Asians (who are not of Chinese heritage) and blacks who don't necessarily speak Chinese. Hence, the necessity to know how to speak English (or French if you go to Quebec) regardless of where you want to settle down if you have the age to work.

Moreover, learning a language guarantees your ability to get a job (I hope!). However, I'll add another condition, which means adopting the values that are almost the object of a consensus in Canada: respect for people (regardless of the colour of their skin, their religion and their ethnicity), gender equality, freedom of conscience and freedom of speech. In fact, I've come across many immigrants people, in my life, that are able to speak in English (or French), but are overtly racists and homophobic (although they wouldn't admit it).

As for the immigration exam, I doubt that learning Canada's political system, geography and history is not enough. Unlike Marc Chalifoux, I expect immigrants to know the culture of the country they come in and here are a few examples:

1. What is Canada's national drink?

2. What is Canada's national desert?

3. Besides, being a name of a city, the word "Saskatoon" refers to what?

4. Who wrote the novels Anne of Green Gables?

Anh Khoi Do said...

"I doubt that learning Canada's political system, geography and history is not enough."

I doubt that learning Canada's political system, geography and history is enough.

Degenerasian said...

What about the elderly? You and I are of an age where our parents are in our 60s. Let's say there were still in Vietnam and twe sponsored them over to join us.

It is really necessary that they speak good English and have to go through difficult testing in order to become a citizen? They really aren't going to contribute that much to Canada other than help us.

Anh Khoi Do said...

True. Our government can certainly show some flexibility to the elders. When I was talking about people who are in age to work I should have specified the age (make it 20 years old to 50 years old). In fact, under the age bracket that I mention, the government would take for granted that a kid would go to school.