To the Expositor:
Seeing the front page of March 16, 2015, Sudbury Star, with concerned citizens protesting against Bill C-51, brought me to the real core problem of why we have to put up with terrorist activities in this country because of our lax immigration policy that went from having consideration for the feelings of Canadians as a whole to being over tolerant and over accommodating to all, allowing far too many undesirables into this country that have no real liking or love for Canada, other than what they can get for free, and have everything their way instead of ours.
In trying to combat terrorism with the so called C-51 anti-terrorism legislation, as usual the Harper government screws thing up by instead of just dealing with only terrorist issues, they tried to encompass other areas which have no place within that legislation and people are right to be upset if we give up our rights, it should be for a safer Canada from terrorists attacks only.
In a nutshell the following is a to-the-point, simple and straight forward consideration regarding immigration/citizenship policy in the words of Sir Wilfred Laurier in 1907:
“First of all we must insist that the immigrant that comes here is willing to become a Canadian and is willing to assimilate our ways, he should be treated on equal grounds and it would be shameful to discriminate against such a person for reasons of their beliefs or place of origin. But it is the responsibility of that person to become a Canadian in all aspects of life, nothing else but a Canadian and there can be no divided allegiance here.
Any man who says he is a Canadian, but tries to impose his customs and habits upon us, is not a Canadian. We have room for one flag, the Canadian flag. There is room for only two official languages here, English and French. And we have room for loyalty, but only one loyalty to the Canadian people. We won’t accept anyone, I’m saying anyone, who will try and impose his religion or his customs upon us.” – Wilfred Laurier 1907.
O’Canada, where did we lose sight of this common sense approach to welcoming those with willingness to integrate into society with an expectation for them to become loyal and true Canadian citizens and just close the door on the rest of them, whose actions paint all with the same brush and that’s unfair to the good immigrants who want a life of peace and freedom here.
Colin Pick
Manitowaning
