Racism in Canada

Kimep

New Member
Apr 14, 2011
1
0
1
Hello everybody, I need your opinion about racism in Canada. I am from Kazakhstan, and I have to do questionnaire!

1. Is it correct to divide Canada into the English-Speaking and French-speaking half?
2. Is it possible to get rid of racism in Canada by joining the two sides into a unified whole?
3. Do you think it necessary to expand the autonomy of Quebec, and even make it independent?
4. Why do you think Canada refused to attend the UN conference against racism (09.21.2011)?
5. How does racial discrimination affect Canada’s socio-political situation?

Thanks a lot!
 

TenPenny

Hall of Fame Member
Jun 9, 2004
17,466
138
63
Location, Location
1. No, Canada has a lot of cultures, French and English being the main ones.
2. No. There's lot of racism in Canada that has nothing to do with French and English.
3. No, Quebec could function just fine as a province like Ontario.
4. Because the UN is being used as a tool to go into subjects that have nothing to do with its mandate.
5. Racial discrimination hurts Canada's standing as a virtuous ideal of societal behaviour, but when you examine it, Canada is no worse than any other country, and better than the vast majority in this regard.

No Problem!
 

damngrumpy

Executive Branch Member
Mar 16, 2005
9,949
21
38
kelowna bc
You don't understand the French and English have been fighting since time began
and hell we don't want to change anything. Racism has always existed here as
far back as the country started. There was once a campaign slogan in BC that went
something like Beware of the Yellow Pa-rel. I don't know if it was the Tories or the
Liberals but it was one of them. We used to have a head tax to keep the Chinese out.
Natives, and the Irish, the Catholics and the Jews have been the brunt of racism in
this country, that is until they got a foot hold and socked it to some other group as
part of the new mainstream. Unfortunately, it is still alive and well and will not end any
time soon. There is no solution for Ignorance it has a life of its own.
 

MHz

Time Out
Mar 16, 2007
41,030
43
48
Red Deer AB
It starts with leaving the old baggage back in the 'old country', for the most part we didn't do that so most people settle in with other people from the same old country, almost not like leaving home. Integration will probably be done by the 3rd or 4th generation to live here. That doesn't mean it isn't fun along the way, ie traveling should take a few years if you can do it in a hurry.
 

Durry

House Member
May 18, 2010
4,709
286
83
Canada
Hello everybody, I need your opinion about racism in Canada. I am from Kazakhstan,

Thanks a lot!
Canada is the most foregiving country in the world.
It has the greatest respect, and provides the highest rewards, to those who contributes to it's culture and contribute to building this country.

In Canada, you only get the respect you earn.
 

damngrumpy

Executive Branch Member
Mar 16, 2005
9,949
21
38
kelowna bc
We as a country are better than most but it still exists and that is just the way it is.
Unfortunately there will always be people who think they are superior to some other
race and I don't know how you legislate against that. Oh you can prosecute hate
crimes but you can't legislate hate out of people's hearts. One thing we can all do
is tell people that when you say something like that to you, that is is unacceptable.
I do.
 

shadowshiv

Dark Overlord
May 29, 2007
17,545
120
63
50
Kimep, this isn't really the sub-forum for this type of thread(you had it originally in the Arts & Entertainment sub-forum) so I am going to place it into one that fits it better.:)
 

The Old Medic

Council Member
May 16, 2010
1,330
2
38
The World
Canada has been cited repeatedly by the United Nations because of its extreme racism.

But, this has absolutely NOTHING to do with the French speaking population and the English speaking population. In fact, generally, they get along fine, with no "racism" at all, because they are the same race. They are Caucasians, of European ancestry.

There is a bit of religious "racism", with Roman Catholics being somewhat oppressed in some areas of Canada. But even that is slowly dying away.

The real racism, and it runs very deep in Canadian culture, is whites against Native Peoples. Canada has been cited at least 7 times by the United Nations because of its institutionalized,. and virtually complete, racism against its natives.

Canada, until very recently, stripped away the Native status of any Native woman, the instant she married a non-Native.

Canada is the ONLY country that determines who its Native (Aboriginal) peoples are, and that denies all bands/tribes the right to self-determination.

Canada then divides those that they consider to be "Natives" into those that are members of a band/tribe, and those that are not. Status Indians (those that belong to a band or tribe) have a great many rights that Non-Status Indians do not have. Once again, only the Federal government is allowed to determine who can, and who can not, belong to any band or tribe.

Then, there are the Métis people. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes the Métis as being one of the 3 aboriginal peoples of Canada, but as late as 2008, the Federal government was arguing before the Supreme Court that the Métis no longer existed, that they were extinct. The argument of the government was that they became extinct with the issuance of "Manitoba Script" (which was issued to all "recognized" Métis people in what had been "Rupertsland", to make up for the lands that the government confiscated from them. Of course, the Script was essentially useless to the Métis, but what did that matter?).

The Supreme Court held that in fact, the Métis do exist, and that they ave aboriginal rights to hunt, fish and gather. The Federal government, and most Provincial governments are still fighting to deny the Métis any such rights.

Canada has denied equality of education to almost all minority groups, especially the natives and Métis. The schools available on the Reserves are horrible, and the schools in the "less affluent" parts of most cities and towns are also "second rate". Without a decent education, it is very difficult to climb out of poverty and despair, but so what. They're just Indians, Métis, Natives, Pakistani's, etc., right?

Then you can look back on how Canada has treated various ethnic groups such as: the Chinese, Japanese, Ukranians, Germans, Italians, etc. etc. It didn't (and sadly still doesn't) matter how many generations a family has been in Canada, if there is any crisis, minorities are immediately rounded up, their property confiscated, and they go into internment camps (also called CONCENTRATION CAMPS).

Canada held their "enemy aliens" (which were generally people that had beenin Canada for 2 or more generations) far longer than any other western country did, following World War II.

Just look at the newspapers in SK, AB, BC, MB, ON and even in NS, and see how the Natives, the Métis, foreigners, etc. are written about in letters to the editor.

Or, take my cousin, a retired Crown Attorney, who was devastated when I proved to him that his mother was Métis. As he put it, in his final letter to me, "You have destroyed my memories of my mother". All because we have a common native ancestor.

Yes indeed, racism is very much alive and well in Canada. Canada is FAR from the enlightened country that so many of you want to believe that it is. You just don't bother to "look under the rug", and thereby keep yourself in ignorance about reality.
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
61
48
Ottawa, ON
Hello everybody, I need your opinion about racism in Canada. I am from Kazakhstan, and I have to do questionnaire!

1. Is it correct to divide Canada into the English-Speaking and French-speaking half?

I'm not sure I follow the question. What do language communities have to do with racism?

2. Is it possible to get rid of racism in Canada by joining the two sides into a unified whole?

Not necessarily, since the French-English debate does not necessarily have anything to do with racism.

3. Do you think it necessary to expand the autonomy of Quebec, and even make it independent?

Possibly. But again, nothing to do with racism.

4. Why do you think Canada refused to attend the UN conference against racism (09.21.2011)?

Pety politics.

5. How does racial discrimination affect Canada’s socio-political situation?/
Well, it would certainly affect immigration policy for one. Though this would not be unique to Canada.

Thanks a lot!

You're welcome.
 

The Old Medic

Council Member
May 16, 2010
1,330
2
38
The World
Oh yes, I forgot to mention one other tiny aspect of this.

The Supreme Court of Canada held that Native peoples do not have the right to go back and forth across the US/Canada border, with their goods.

This right is enshrined in the treaties that ended both the American Revolution AND the War of 1812. Those treaties specifically state that natives have the right to move back and forth across the border, without hindrance, to work in either country without having to formally emigrate, and to move their personal household goods without any duties, etc.

The Supreme Court of Canada denied Native peoples the right to do this. In fact, they stated that the clauses that guarantee this are "non-operative".

In effect, the Supreme Court of Canada has abrogated the treaties that ended those wars, and they have reinstated a State of War between our two countries. (If the treaty is meaningless, then we are still in a state of war, aren't we?)

By the way, the USA honors the right of any Canadian native person (50% native or more) to come to the USA, to get a Social Security Card, to work, and to move any and all of their personal property into the USA, without any customs duty whatsoever. They do not have to register as foreign nationals, they do not have to get anyone's permission to work, etc.

Look it up on the Internet, it makes for some fascinating reading.

So do the citations by the United Nations against Canada for racism.
 

Durry

House Member
May 18, 2010
4,709
286
83
Canada
@ Medic
I think your criticism of whites against minorities is somewhat harsh.
Although I do agree with discrimination against the natives and others, I think there are responsibilities that both sides have to accept.

Racism is just not a white thing, it is often as bad with minorities.
 

Unforgiven

Force majeure
May 28, 2007
6,770
137
63
Canada has been cited repeatedly by the United Nations because of its extreme racism.

But, this has absolutely NOTHING to do with the French speaking population and the English speaking population. In fact, generally, they get along fine, with no "racism" at all, because they are the same race. They are Caucasians, of European ancestry.

There is a bit of religious "racism", with Roman Catholics being somewhat oppressed in some areas of Canada. But even that is slowly dying away.

The real racism, and it runs very deep in Canadian culture, is whites against Native Peoples. Canada has been cited at least 7 times by the United Nations because of its institutionalized,. and virtually complete, racism against its natives.

Canada, until very recently, stripped away the Native status of any Native woman, the instant she married a non-Native.

Canada is the ONLY country that determines who its Native (Aboriginal) peoples are, and that denies all bands/tribes the right to self-determination.

Canada then divides those that they consider to be "Natives" into those that are members of a band/tribe, and those that are not. Status Indians (those that belong to a band or tribe) have a great many rights that Non-Status Indians do not have. Once again, only the Federal government is allowed to determine who can, and who can not, belong to any band or tribe.

Then, there are the Métis people. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes the Métis as being one of the 3 aboriginal peoples of Canada, but as late as 2008, the Federal government was arguing before the Supreme Court that the Métis no longer existed, that they were extinct. The argument of the government was that they became extinct with the issuance of "Manitoba Script" (which was issued to all "recognized" Métis people in what had been "Rupertsland", to make up for the lands that the government confiscated from them. Of course, the Script was essentially useless to the Métis, but what did that matter?).

The Supreme Court held that in fact, the Métis do exist, and that they ave aboriginal rights to hunt, fish and gather. The Federal government, and most Provincial governments are still fighting to deny the Métis any such rights.

Canada has denied equality of education to almost all minority groups, especially the natives and Métis. The schools available on the Reserves are horrible, and the schools in the "less affluent" parts of most cities and towns are also "second rate". Without a decent education, it is very difficult to climb out of poverty and despair, but so what. They're just Indians, Métis, Natives, Pakistani's, etc., right?

Then you can look back on how Canada has treated various ethnic groups such as: the Chinese, Japanese, Ukranians, Germans, Italians, etc. etc. It didn't (and sadly still doesn't) matter how many generations a family has been in Canada, if there is any crisis, minorities are immediately rounded up, their property confiscated, and they go into internment camps (also called CONCENTRATION CAMPS).

Canada held their "enemy aliens" (which were generally people that had beenin Canada for 2 or more generations) far longer than any other western country did, following World War II.

Just look at the newspapers in SK, AB, BC, MB, ON and even in NS, and see how the Natives, the Métis, foreigners, etc. are written about in letters to the editor.

Or, take my cousin, a retired Crown Attorney, who was devastated when I proved to him that his mother was Métis. As he put it, in his final letter to me, "You have destroyed my memories of my mother". All because we have a common native ancestor.

Yes indeed, racism is very much alive and well in Canada. Canada is FAR from the enlightened country that so many of you want to believe that it is. You just don't bother to "look under the rug", and thereby keep yourself in ignorance about reality.

So you want me to pull your socks up for ya?
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
@ Medic
I think your criticism of whites against minorities is somewhat harsh.
Although I do agree with discrimination against the natives and others, I think there are responsibilities that both sides have to accept.

Racism is just not a white thing, it is often as bad with minorities.
You agree with discrimination against the natives and others....

Obviously
 

Durry

House Member
May 18, 2010
4,709
286
83
Canada
@ Medic
I think your criticism of whites against minorities is somewhat harsh.
Although I do agree "racism does exist" with discrimination against the natives and others, I think there are responsibilities that both sides have to accept.

Racism is just not a white thing, it is often as bad with minorities.
I missed the words "racism does exist", in my above post.
Sorry for the error. When I am Posting on an iPod touch in Starbucks, I often do not always have the best sentence structure.
 

wulfie68

Council Member
Mar 29, 2009
2,014
24
38
Calgary, AB
Hello everybody, I need your opinion about racism in Canada. I am from Kazakhstan, and I have to do questionnaire!

1. Is it correct to divide Canada into the English-Speaking and French-speaking half?
2. Is it possible to get rid of racism in Canada by joining the two sides into a unified whole?
3. Do you think it necessary to expand the autonomy of Quebec, and even make it independent?
4. Why do you think Canada refused to attend the UN conference against racism (09.21.2011)?
5. How does racial discrimination affect Canada’s socio-political situation?

Thanks a lot!

Racism probably isn't the word to use, as many of the groups originate in the same continents. Bigotry or prejudice are probably better terms. Racism does exist but the divide between the English and the French is more historic grudge-holding and not racist.

1) The French population is around 20-25% so calling it a "half" is giving it a little more weight than it deserves. Its not the only source of bigotry and prejudice in Canada but there is some animosity between the groups.

2) No. There is some bigotry (and true racism) that has nothing to do with the English-French dynamic.
3) Not really. I am an advocate of more autonomy for all provinces, but I also think that if Quebec ever became independent, the rest of the country would splinter into regional bodies.
4) Because the UN conference was a joke, and mostly an excuse for Arab nations to dress up and rationalize their enmity for Israel.
5) It affects in small, subtle ways. Various ethnic groups tend to form voting blocks but in the larger sense there are enough disparate groups that they can't really push an agenda. The exception over the last couple decades would be the French sovereigntists in Quebec, but in this week's election, the Bloc Quebecois was decimated. You can see other threads here for a better feel on the relationship between Quebec and the rest of the country.
 

Goober

Hall of Fame Member
Jan 23, 2009
24,691
116
63
Moving
Hello everybody, I need your opinion about racism in Canada. I am from Kazakhstan, and I have to do questionnaire!

1. Is it correct to divide Canada into the English-Speaking and French-speaking half?
2. Is it possible to get rid of racism in Canada by joining the two sides into a unified whole?
3. Do you think it necessary to expand the autonomy of Quebec, and even make it independent?
4. Why do you think Canada refused to attend the UN conference against racism (09.21.2011)?
5. How does racial discrimination affect Canada’s socio-political situation?

Thanks a lot!

How about racism in your country?????

Kazakstan | Amnesty International

Oh yes Human Rights - Does your country plan to have them???