| As an immigrant from Scotland to Canada, I am | | | | nothing against anyone who wears traditional head |
| now very proud to call my self a Canadian as it is | | | | dress but I do have a lot against rules and laws |
| truly a wonderful country that I love dearly | | | | which are enforced upon me, not being applied to |
| together with all it stands for, or should I say all | | | | a colleague who wears a head dress. Surely there |
| that it is meant to stand for? What I have | | | | is something sadly wrong with our system when |
| noticed over the past few years is how the | | | | in these and numerous other situations, we |
| Canadian Government seems to have developed | | | | Canadians are being forced into second place and |
| a fear of upsetting certain types of immigrants. | | | | exposed to potential police charges or dismissal |
| They make it obvious that they do not mind | | | | from our employment simply because we do not |
| upsetting any immigrants who are of Caucasian | | | | cover our head with what the authorities consider |
| origin but when it comes to almost all other | | | | "an acceptable alternative" to what the law |
| cultures, the Government appear to take on a | | | | demands? |
| different approach with basically everything they | | | | I have also experienced an actual situation where |
| do. | | | | after various interviews for a certain job, a non |
| I have Philippine friends in British Columbia who | | | | Caucasian immigrant who was unsuccessful in his |
| have been in Canada for just over ten years and | | | | candidacy simply screamed "Discrimination" and |
| they are in receipt of both their full old age | | | | after a few weeks, the company ended up |
| pension and their CPP pension, even although they | | | | offering him a job. Now, if that had been myself |
| came under the sponsorship program and have | | | | who was unsuccessful and I had screamed |
| never paid anything into any pension schemes | | | | discrimination because I am Scottish, do you think |
| here in Canada. Equally, I have British friends who | | | | that same company would have offered me a |
| have also been here for much more than ten | | | | job three weeks later? This is what I am |
| years and yet, even although they did pay into | | | | speaking about. Blatant and obvious discrimination |
| the Canadian pension schemes, only receive a | | | | does exist here in Canada, but it is not against |
| small proportionate pension and in one case no old | | | | those who are not Caucasians, it is against |
| age pension at all. I personally enjoy living in a | | | | everyone else who are and namely us Canadians. |
| multi-cultural society. However, I have to admit I | | | | What is even more annoying is the fact that it is |
| am beginning to feel that the multi-culturalism is | | | | both assisted and supported by our Government. |
| only being applied to those of us who are not | | | | It all makes me wonder why we Canadians are |
| Caucasians and I think this is sad. I have many | | | | such an accepting race of people. We seem to let |
| friends of different cultures, races, religions and | | | | the World walk all over us and just accept it. We |
| creeds and they are wonderful people. However, | | | | accept endless upward changes in gas prices. We |
| like them I came from another country and unlike | | | | accept thousands of workers losing their pension |
| some of them, although I am Scottish by birth, I | | | | rights just because their employer claims |
| do not go around dressed in a kilt with a plaid | | | | bankruptcy. We accept our traditional Canadian |
| shawl over my shoulder and a dagger in my | | | | Mounted Police uniform being changed to suit the |
| socks. For one thing, the dagger would not be | | | | whims of new recruits who are not Canadian. We |
| allowed and I would be picked up by the police, | | | | accept endless tele-sales calls from people who |
| even if I maintained it was part of my traditional | | | | can hardly speak English and we cannot |
| national dress. On top of this, I am not going | | | | understand. We accept the Lord's Prayer being |
| around the country demanding that the National | | | | removed from our Christian schools. We are now |
| Anthem at the 2010 Olympic Games should be | | | | accepting changing the traditional words of "Happy |
| sung in broad Scottish, or German, Polish, Italian, | | | | Christmas" to Happy Holidays. We even accept |
| Hungarian, Dutch or otherwise. Mainly because I | | | | the fact that in British Columbia the Government |
| came to Canada and accepted Canada as she | | | | have a monopoly ( Normally illegal elsewhere ) on |
| accepted me and now I am proud to be a part | | | | everything to do with our cars, including insurance, |
| of it, its traditions and its ways, all as they were | | | | air care, tax and stickers. Basically, my point here |
| meant to be. | | | | is simply. If Canadians in general are so accepting |
| If I ride my motor cycle without a crash helmet, I | | | | of almost everything, then why can't our millions |
| am likely to be pulled by the police and charged | | | | of non-Canadian immigrants (Who asked to come |
| with the offence and yet, if someone rides a | | | | here to live) be equally accepting of our traditions, |
| motor cycle wearing a traditional head dress | | | | our religions and our ways and maybe even the |
| instead of a crash helmet, they are not pulled by | | | | way we dress? |
| the police and charged. Is this not a form of | | | | To many other countries it now appears that |
| discrimination against all those who do not wear | | | | Canada controls their immigration laws and decides |
| traditional head dresses? Also, being involved with | | | | who they will allow into Canada and then, Canada |
| the construction industry I have noticed that, | | | | allows the same immigrants, once they are in to |
| even although the safety laws and company | | | | Canada to actually dictate how Canada will be run. |
| regulations are that hard hats must be worn, | | | | Remember that old saying which goes "The tail is |
| those who were traditional head dress again | | | | now wagging the dog?" Where will it all take us I |
| appear to be immune to the rules which apply to | | | | really do wonder? Perhaps I should go out and |
| all others. Please don't take me wrong. I have | | | | ask some of our immigrants! |