OPPORTUNITIES AND DANGERS

by Mark Zarecki
 

There is a major issue that is disconcerting: some new immigrants to Canada from Third World countries are arriving with strong cultural biases promoted by their home lands.  For example, major media in Pakistan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia have recently published and/or broadcast anti-semitic tracts.

In some cases it is ugly old fashioned anti-Semitism.  In the last year, we have experienced it when client groups from Arab countries have refused to come to our building because it is a Jewish building.  We heard of it when we were informed that an Arab child was afraid of a school teacher who has a Jewish spouse.  On a positive note, the mother came to JFS to allow her son to meet Jewish children and realize Jews are not evil.

In my travels in the community, I have heard assertions of Jewish responsibility for the World Trade Center, Jewish control of the media and others related to Jewish conspiracies which are troubling on a personal level.  They illustrate the depth and pervasiveness of intolerance and hate promoted by governments in some Third World countries.

Canada has a social responsibility to educate and counter these prejudices.  First because Canada is proud of its recent tradition of pluralism and openness as a society - one that does not tolerate racism.

Second, intolerance can lead to violence; it is not a large step from hatred to action.  This has been seen with the Jewish school attack and burning last year in Montreal.

Third, and most importantly, recent immigration to Canada has increased the numbers of people coming to Canada with attitudes of intolerance.

It is my belief that there is a necessity to look at the acculturation process that new immigrants undergo.  We must promote positive values of tolerance and pluralism, as part of the integration of new Canadians.

This approach will have a dual benefit of safeguarding our value system and spreading the Values of tolerance and pluralism back to home countries.  There is clearly a clash of ideas between fundamentalism of whatever type and Canadian values.  We have an opportunity to have a positive impact on this conflict.  We must start at home; to date we are not succeeding.

Mark Zarecki is the Executive Director of Jewish Family Services in Ottawa.  This article first appeared in the October 2004 issue of the Jewish Family Services Newsletter