Rebuilding a commitment to Diversity in Community Dr. Bikram Lamba

Dr Bikram Lamba

StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto - Way back in 2007 Bill Curry wrote in Globe and Mail (Oct. 19, 2007) that some briefings provided by federal officials to the Conservative government warn that there is potential for the Québec debate to spread across the country. This was in reference to the hearings of the Bouchard-Taylor Commission in Quebec. 
What was true four years back is true today. With the passage of time, and with more immigrants inundating the land, the diversity and pluralism seem to be getting more complicated. There is repeated challenge to Canadian commitment to diversity.

Imagine the visible minorities have such a huge well educated share in the demographics, but their share in political power, services, especially at the higher level is miniscule. Canada's diversity seems to be getting more complicated and our commitments to diversity also seem to be challenged more frequently.

In a globalized world everything from our economy, to our cultural sector, to our care for the environment and even to our religious lives are reshaped by things that occur in other parts of the globe. The dominance of ideologies such as "material progress and prosperity" and "guaranteed security" are challenging Canadians' commitments to environmental stewardship and welcoming the stranger. Technology has provided many new possibilities for exploiting the environment, for curing disease, for communicating with people around the world and for trading currencies that shape other nations' economies.

Addressing the implications of and responding to each of these significant changes requires drawing upon core values – core values such as our understanding of the purpose of life, the importance of community versus prosperity, whether the environment is a resource or something to be fully preserved. And these core values have become more diverse – both among those who have a long history in Canada and among the many diverse newcomers.

Over a quarter million newcomers enter Canada every year. Of these, about 30,000 are refugees who come because they have no choice other than to accept Canada's protection, hospitality and a chance for a new beginning. Others come for the prospect of a better life and the possibilities of fulfilling careers. The people who come to Canada today are unlike those who were permitted to come during and before the turn of the twentieth century. The range of ethnicities, religions, economic and political experiences among newcomers today has risen dramatically. And we are unable to make any easy assumptions about a person's religion (or lack thereof) or their political approach based on their ethnicity or country of origin.

With this rising diversity comes increasing challenges such as social integration (how all of us live and interact with each other), pluralism (the acknowledgement of diversity), nation building (what is the changing nature of Canada and who is a citizen), identity (dual citizenship, being a hyphenated Canadian), and the place of faith perspective in the public sphere.

Public debates on diversity

These challenges have been discussed in the public arena. Québec witnessed hearings by the Bouchard-Taylor Commission, named by Jean Charest in February 2007 to make "recommendations to the government to ensure that accommodation practices conform to the values of Québec society as a pluralistic, democratic, egalitarian society." These hearings seemed to be a