#1Jul 21st, 2006
Read On :
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Fri, July 21 / 06
Convenient Canadians
By PETER WORTHINGTON
What in heaven's name are 50,000 Canadians doing in Lebanon?
Surely they can't all be there for a wedding, or a family reunion, or an academic conference, or even as tourists?
The estimated 50,000 are roughly 20% of all the Lebanese who have become Canadian citizens -- about 250,000 of 'em.
Put another way, there are twice as many Canadians in Lebanon as there are Canadians in the army.
Are they all in Lebanon for a visit? Hardly.
Most are dual-citizenship Canadians who've chosen to return to the motherland to live as Lebanese -- until trouble strikes and then they want the Canadian government to rescue them, not the Lebanese government.
Under terms of Canada's dual citizenship policy, the country in which people choose to live, or to visit, takes precedence over Canadian law -- which isn't to say we, as a country, shouldn't help people in trouble.
Frankly, any dual-citizenship Canadian who chooses to live in one of the danger areas of the world should not expect Canada to rush to his aid and rescue him and relatives when danger threatens.
Instead, appeal to the government you prefer to live under, rather than the Canadian one.
Now Canada is chartering seven ships and a bunch of aircraft to rescue these citizens, many of whom have chosen not to live in Canada. Does Canada have an obligation to be responsible for them? The cost to taxpayers of removing tens of thousands from Lebanon is enormous.
How many, one wonders, of these people will move back to Lebanon when the crisis is over and security is restored -- assuming it ever will be in Lebanon?
The view that "a Canadian is a Canadian" and all should be treated equally may need revising.
Why should the government be responsible for naturalized citizens who return to live in a dangerous country in which they are also citizens?
Tourists or short-term visitors are in a different category.
Some MPs have suggested Canadians in Lebanon whose principal country of residence is Canada, should be rescued first, since those whose primary home is Lebanon are better able to survive than visitors.
Although Lebanese have settled in Canada for well over a century and are productive citizens, Canada's current policies risk clogging the country with people who shouldn't be here and whom we don't want.
Already, we won't deport terrorist suspects or criminals if there's fear they may be executed or tortured in their birth country. This means virtually no bad guy can be deported to the Middle East.
Canadians of Syrian or Iranian descent should avoid visiting Damascus or Tehran where they're in danger of being grabbed on phony charges -- which in no way is to suggest that the Lebanese Canadians being evacuated have done anything illegal.
We already have a self-described al-Qaida family in Canada, with one member charged with murdering an American soldier in Afghanistan. Many feel this family doesn't deserve to be Canadian, since their allegiance is to an enemy of Canada.
Canada accepts that dual citizens have special rights. But the policy needs fine-tuning. It can be argued -- as some countries do -- that allegiance should be to one country, not two or three.
If someone wants to be a Canadian, that person should give up citizenship in his birth country.
An exception should be made with the U.S. on grounds that we are geographically, traditionally and culturally close.
But for other immigrants, the choice should be one citizenship and one passport.
It's too late now for Lebanon, where 50,000 Canadians outnumber Americans by a two-to-one ratio.
Ludicrous. Change the law before the next crisis!
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There it is folks more common sense and intelligence something you will never read or hear from the lefty fiberals or ndp.
I think until I stop saying "I'm going home" when talking about trips to Canada, I'll still be Canadian. I said it today when talking about going back to BC for my brother's wedding. One of the girls said "I thought you lived here" and then I had to explain "well, yeah I live here, but I'm really Canadian"...
