Monday, February 19, 2007

"Heroville", Canada

The tumultuous entry (now broadcast around the world) of Herouxville, Quebec into Canada's immigration debate demonstrates the great divide that exists in Canada on the immigration issue.

On one side are the majority of Canadians who instictively feel something is wrong with Canada's mass immigration policy (currently about 250,000 per year, the highest per capita in the world). On the other side are Canada's mass immigration industry and its supporters (often described as a fifth column) who tell Canadians that mass immigration is wonderful.

The national and international uproar that Herouxville has caused is wildly out of proportion to its size. The town has a population of 1300 and is located in rural Quebec, about 150 km. northeast of Montreal. Most Canadian towns and cities of all sizes have passively accepted the historically high immigration levels that Canada's federal government set for the country in 1990, but which it has never justified. In doing so, Herouxville is literally like David taking on Goliath.

In fact, the little town's virtual "Declaration of the Rights of Canadians", which bravely contradicts official multicultural policies, sounds almost like a call to revolution.

Ironically, Herouxville has not had the direct experience with mass immigration that Canada's urban centres have had. In fact, it has only a few immigrants. So it is surprising that it has made its recent observations. Undoubtedly, the observing has been done from a distance. And obviously the place it has looked at is the large urban area of Greater Montreal. Like Greater Toronto/Southern Ontario and Greater Vancouver/Fraser Valley, the Montreal area has experienced probably the highest immigrant inflow and the greatest demographic change in its history.

Clearly, recent immigrants have felt empowered by their high numbers. And they have been encouraged by Canada's immigration industry to assert their power. And that is precisely what Herouxville is reacting to. In the opinion of many Canadians, the little town is saying now what the country's federal government has been too timid to say, but should have said many years ago: that the interests of the country (in this case, Canada's cultural practices) are paramount. Cultural practices that conflict with those in Canada have to be left behind in immigrants' countries of origin.

The councillors clearly point out that, like most Canadians, they are willing to accept some immigrants, but that a long-established society exists in Quebec. This society has developed its own culture and it is tired of hearing recent multiple demands, (particularly in the Montreal area) that Canadians should adjust to the cultural wishes of new arrivals.

As public reaction across the country has subsequently shown, Herouxville's frustration is shared by the majority of the country's population. For years, most Canadians have disapproved while Canada's "officialdom" has either not spoken up against or subserviently bowed to demand after demand.

There is a long litany of disapproved demands. For example, like most people in Canada, Herouxville did not like the Supreme Court's approval of the wearing of the Sikh dagger (kirpan) in schools. Like most of Canada, it does not approve of women being subordinated to men and male maltreatment of females---a practice which is officially denied but actually practiced by some immigrant groups.

It also believes that newcomers should use the public schools to learn how to integrate into Quebec society; immigrants' own private schools will undermine that goal. Finally, it declares that Canada has many traditions such as Christmas which have to be respected.

One thing that the declaration does not say directly is that the immigration industry and a significant number of recent arrivals seem to believe that this demographic change in Montreal and other parts of Canada should continue unabated. It would seem that Herouxville does not approve.

Obviously, this is because, like the rest of Canada, Herouxville was never asked if it wanted a mass immigration policy. Nor was it asked if it wanted the major demographic transformation which has occurred in the country since this policy was implemented in 1990.

It would seem that, by implication, Herouxville (as well as a number of other Quebec towns and some provincial politicians who have recently expressed solidarity with Herouxville), are bluntly saying to Canada's official "accommodators": "Why are we bringing in all of these people?" and "Enough is enough!"

Canada's accommodating "officialdom" has not liked what Herouxville has said. Among the accommodators is Canada's CBC, which eminent Canadian journalist Robert Fulford has called a "herd of independent thinkers". Although the CBC has done very good work generally, its record on immigration is poor, to say the least.

Many Canadians are aware that the CBC has shamelessly promoted mass immigration, abused its position as a publicly-funded institution to cater to every whim of Canada's immigration industry (often reaching new depths of sycophancy in the process), and intimidated anyone who opposes mass immigration. There is a huge amount of evidence to back up these claims.

The like-minded in a number of other media outlets (as well as a number of politicians) have mocked and patronizingly dismissed Herouxville and the many Canadians who agree with the Quebec town. Neither they nor the CBC want to admit that mass immigration policies have spawned what many Canadians would call a cultural, enviromental and economic disaster-in-progress.

Nor do they want to shoulder part of the responsibility for what has occurred, or face the good possibility that they will be called to an accounting. In fact, both continue to use their power to bully. And both find it incomprehensible that they could be wrong.

However, according to the Herouxville Town Council, "officialdom" is wrong. Direct response to the town has been much like that recorded in the rest of Canada. Around 99% of the 2000 people who had e-mailed the council by the end of last week agreed with the Town Councillors. In one Councillor's opinion, the reaction of the majority of e-mailers is summed up by one commentator: "At last, someone is standing up instead of prostrating themselves like certain ministers, judges, executives and companies."

Most Canadians would say: "Three cheers for Herouxville". And, for its demonstration of courage in trying to restore sanity to immigration and to re-take control of Canada from the country's immigration industry and its fifth column supporters, most would bestow on it the well-deserved title of "Heroville".

Source



Muslim clerics push for flags to be flown on mosques

The Australian government's repeated insistence on assimilation bears some fruit:

Senior Muslim leaders have called for the Australian flag to be flown outside the nation's mosques as an expression of the Islamic community's "loyalty" and commitment to this country. Muslim clerics yesterday urged Australia's 300,000 Muslims to back the idea as a symbol of "integration" and pride. The former chairman of the Prime Minister's Muslim reference group, Ameer Ali, pushed the Australian Muslim community yesterday to adopt the flag. "Even in Muslim countries in the mosque they fly the national flag ... (such as) in Pakistan. If that can be done in a Muslim country why not in Australia?" Dr Ali said.

He said Muslims opposed to the flag being displayed outside mosques were religiously narrow-minded. "I think they are looking at it from a very narrow, religious angle," he said. Dr Ali said he spearheaded the initiative of displaying the flag outside Muslim schools owned by the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils when he ran that organisation in 2002. He also ensured that students sang the national anthem during special functions. "We are Australian Muslims," he said. "And it (the flag) is a symbol of our national identity."

One of Australia's most respected female Muslim leaders, Aziza Abdel-Halim, said displaying a national flag outside mosques would not conflict with Islamic teachings. "Putting the Australian flag (outside mosques is) a good sign of integration, of being at one with everyone else in this country and our pride in being Australian," said Sister Abdel-Halim, also a former senior member of John Howard's Muslim advisory body. "I don't see anything at all that would contradict Islamic teachings in any way. It would be a nice gesture to have it, especially now that Muslims really need to underline the fact that they are loyal to this country."

Another respected imam, Amin Hady, said it would be especially important for the Australian flag to be flown outside mosques on special national occasions, such as Anzac Day and Australia Day. "That is to me a good idea to reaffirm the commitment of anyone living in this country, including the Muslims who are part of the population," the Indonesian imam said.

Islamic sources have told The Weekend Australian that the move to fly the flag was discussed by executive members of the Lebanese Muslim Association, one of the Islamic community's most prominent organisations. But the move, backed by several LMA board executives, to display the flag outside Lakemba Mosque, in Sydney's southwest, were staunchly opposed by some community members.

It is understood that the LMA's proposal came after a Muslim man tore down the Australian flag from the Lakemba office of the Mufti of Australia, Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali, last year and stomped on it to express his opposition to it. It is believed that Sheik Hilali - who recently labelled Westerners liars and oppressors and said Australia belonged more to Muslim immigrants who "paid for our passports" than Anglo-Saxon convicts - reprimanded the man before ordering him from the office, on the same premises as the mosque.

But Muslim leader Keysar Trad said last night some community members would consider the idea of displaying the flag as "politicising a place of worship". "I have no problem with the flag being at Muslim schools, but a place of worship is for all people to be equal and as such I believe places of worship should maintain the tradition of not raising the national flag," Mr Trad said. And prominent Sydney-based Islamic cleric, Khalil Shami, expressed fears yesterday that hoisting the flag outside mosques would lead to potential violence and further division within the community among factions opposed to the idea.

Source



Victorian schools declare themselves 'war toy free zones'

Toy soldiers, model war planes and wrestling figurines have been banned in schools across the state in a politically correct crackdown. Primary schools and kindergartens have declared themselves "war toy free zones" and outlawed traditional toys and playground games that have even a tenuous link to war.

All schools contacted by the Sunday Herald Sun said they had a policy banning war toys. Principals said schools feared they could be sued by litigious parents if they allowed plastic weapons and war toys in the school ground. "The litigation is so rife you don't risk it," said Clifton Hill primary school head Geoffrey Warren. "It can take a bit of fun out of things. But there's such a wide range of views among parents and you don't please all the people all the time, let me tell you."

Children at primary schools and kindergartens are also forbidden from playing "war-like games" such as cowboys and indians and poison ball. "Obviously parents are going to be disappointed their children are losing the opportunity to do what children have always done," said Parents Victoria president Gail McHardy. "I think there would be much stronger parental support for a ban on video games at school." At one Melbourne kindergarten, children who bring in wrestling figurines are told to put them back in their bags until they get home.

Former RSL president Bruce Ruxton said the social engineers behind the ban on traditional childhood fun were misguided. "They think it's evil," he said. You won't stop kids doing that. It's a political correctness of some type, but misguided."

Child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Greg said the war toy ban had no logical basis. "There is no evidence playing with toy soldiers or wrestling figurines in any way, shape or form has negative effects on the child's psychological development," he said. "I'm happy to embrace new research and see it filter down into policy. But really, show me the evidence."

The Government yesterday distanced itself from the toy bans. "It is up to the school community to determine what type of toy is acceptable at their school," said a spokesman for Education Minister John Lenders.

Source

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