A WHITE Christmas!

I was recently reading Stranger in the Village, by James Baldwin, an American novelist and essayist in which he describes his experience living, for an extended period of time, in a Swiss Village. As a white North American I was moved by the final sentence of his essay. "This world is white no longer, and it will never be white again." The full impact of that statement struck a deep chord in me when, on Boxing Day, we decided to visit the Scarborough Town Centre, a large mall near our home.  We were not bargain hunting but rather, after briefly suffering a massive power failure, we were anxious to get out to hobnob and experience the excitement of the eager shoppers.  Outside many of the shops convivial customers were waiting their turn to go inside. Like the backwater currents in a mighty  river, hectic shoppers surged in both directions along the corridors. It was exciting and I turned to Maureen and said, "Did you happen to notice that we are a minority on two counts..we're white and we're old!"  This tiny part of Canada where we live, is white no longer. Did we feel overpowered, out numbered, out of place? Truthfully, not at all, although tired when we finally headed home, we took with us some of the optimism and excitement we experienced.

As I pondered this experience I began to realize that, as exciting as the concept of multiculturalism seems, it cannot endure as it currently exists. In other countries it is now being perceived as a failure. In 2010 German Chancellor Merkel said, "The approach of multiculturalism, to live side by side and to enjoy each other, has failed, utterly failed." Ex President Nicolas Sarkozy of France stated in 2012 that immigrants should accept and melt into a single community. And David Cameron's attack on multiculturalism has divided the country, said the OBSERVER on February 6, 2011. The Globe and Mail, back in February of 1997, warned about the crack in our own mosaic. Modern tribalism, in whatever form, as currently seen in North and South Sudan, is a powerful force of destruction when thousands can't find work and living conditions are appalling.

As Canadians we are currently struggling to continue our responsible parliamentary system of government! Traditionally we believe in equal opportunity for all and that we are all equal before the law. However, freedom in this country is not unlimited and there are certain behaviours that we as Canadians should not tolerate from anyone, our tolerance for diversity notwithstanding! History shows, and continues to demonstrate, that tribalism leads to suffering and violence. If multiculturalism means holding on to outdated religious and  social values then the road ahead is fraught with danger.

I remember someone saying that a healthy culture requires mutual respect and interaction. They compared it to a mountain river that is enriched by the many streams that join it along its course. It is not a collection of polluted pools that lay stagnant and static ready to erupt at any time! (See: Can Humanism Stem the Rising Tide of Tribalism? by Pat Duffy Hutcheon).The main stream must be open to receiving new ideas, new music and art, new science and in so doing enrich  itself. But, at the same time the new comers must learn the language, engage in open communications and be willing to forgo old tribal grievances and biases. If multiculturalism, as it now stands does not progress towards an enriched integration, its many tribal and demographic elements will ultimately cause our Canada to fail. 

Let's begin by changing the appellation 'multiculturalism' to some word (Interculturalism has been suggested!) that reflects more precisely what we Canadians are - integrated, open and honest people who share together the values of freedom and the law. Tribalism will ultimately destroy that vision. Healthy integration will carry our values into the future,

And that's Dick's View of the World this Week.