Editor:
Re: Tolerance is beneath us, April 1 column.
I assume columnist Taslim Jaffer came to Canada of her own free will. If so, why does she want to change Canada?
I will give you a few reasons as to why you may feel tolerated rather than accepted:
• Canada, a traditional Christian country, to appease some non-Christian immigrants, has had to change our celebration of Jesus’ birth to season’s celebrations. Is this what she means by our non-acceptance or intolerance?
• Our children are not permitted to say the Lord’s Prayer in school for the same aforementioned reason.
• To be politically correct, our politicians want us to be tolerant in all respects with regards to non-Christians in all things so we don’t hurt anyone’s feelings, not withstanding that other citizens’ feelings might be hurt.
• Immigrants and refugees arriving in Canada are afforded financial assistance amounting to more dollars per month that a Canadian senior citizen who paid taxes over their lifetime, and we are now accused of being intolerant or not accepting them. (Editor’s note: immigrants and refugees are not eligible for more government financial assistance than pensioners.)
A few years ago, a landed immigrant committed an indictable offence and was ordered deported. His countrymen demonstrated at the airport and literally shut it down. Of course, this showed our intolerance towards a criminal who, in his own country, would probably have been jailed or possibly stoned to death.
Canada has opened its door to immigrants of different religions from all over the world who have been allowed to practise their own particular religion, so I fail to see where we have not accepted them.
Perhaps they should immigrate to Australia where they will either integrate or be forced to vacate.
Patricia Kroeker, Surrey