Further thoughts on the reaction to the anti-Israel demonstration in Vancouver on the anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack...The vast, vast majority of people I've seen react online and talked to in person expressed their anger and disappointment over what was done that day. They agreed that declaring "We are Hamas," burning Canadian flags, and chanting "Death to Canada" are all unacceptable.These emotions were shared by born-and-raised Canadians and immigrants alike. However I noticed a fair amount of people suggesting the atrocities on display at the protest were the result of Canada's commitment to diversity. First things first: this is not diversity. Diversity is a stadium full of people born in countries that were once at war with one another, cheering in unison when the Canucks make it to the second round of the playoffs. Diversity is walking through town in December and seeing people taking part in Yalda, Hanukkah, and Christmas celebrations, each sharing the beauty of their culture with the other.Diversity is being able to eat at restaurants serving authentic dishes from around the world, or sharing recipes from your childhood with friends.Canadians have taken the best traditions, beliefs, and customs from around the world and integrated them into our culture, rooting out the parts that are best left where they originated. What have remained largely unchanged are the core values that undergird our society. Canadians stand for freedom, acceptance, respect, and equality, and those ideas are evident in the way we conduct ourselves at home and on the world stage. Our alliances have been built on the understanding that we will uphold those principles. That is why, for example, the Canadian government sides with Israel and not Hamas, why it sides with Ukraine and not Russia. You get the point. It was, until recently, a given that Canada and its residents would stand firmly against terrorist groups. What I saw at the rally on Monday was the antithesis of everything I just mentioned. Freedom was called for, though the western term was replaced by the ersatz revolutionary equivalent that, if implemented, would inevitably lead to nothing but death and destruction. Acceptance, respect, and equality were represented only on the outskirts of the protest, where people stood in unity against Hamas and other murderous terrorist groups.It's often said that "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter."This too is a canard; while people are free to believe what they want in private, they must realize that in Canada, public support for certain groups is not acceptable.We don’t live in a land of relativism. It’s a slippery slope when ideologically-motivated activists, many of whom are new to the country, try to convince us that their freedom fighters should be ours, too. It’s like, no man, that’s not how it works.While the vast majority of newcomers checked their ideologies at the door when they boarded the plane to Canada, a growing number have opted instead to not only bring their baggage along with them, but insist that others help them unload it. Anyone who burns a Canadian flag, chants "death to Canada," or expresses support for any of our enemies is not here for the right reasons, and honestly has no place in our country. This is a fringe minority that should be viewed as entirely separate from those who come seeking to live a life in accordance with Canadian values, who feel disgust when chants they had long heard outside their windows begin emanating from the streets of Vancouver.This is not their fault. In fact, they are among the greatest allies in the fight against the erosion of Canadian values by those seeking to turn this country into the place from whence they came.While those who took part in the protest should be reprimanded, can we really blame the ideologically possessed for taking advantage of the opportunity to spread their creed unchecked in a foreign country?No, the blame lays higher up the ladder.The federal government's response to what happened in Vancouver on Monday has been disappointing, but not at all unpredictable. The Trudeau Liberals have capitulated to the vocal few, leaving the masses with no other choice but take it upon themselves to defend our values.Samidoun, the group that organized the event in Vancouver, is aligned with the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is listed as a terrorist entity in Canada. When asked whether they would put Samidoun on the list, the Liberals' response was a word salad that could only be interpreted as "maybe."That's just weak leadership. And it's that weak leadership that has allowed countless ideologically-motivated people to come to Canada, including a suspected ISIS terrorist. Diversity is our strength, but it cannot be co-opted to come at the expense of our values. Thankfully the backlash from those who champion Canadian values has led more principled politicians to step up and vow to do what should have been done long ago. We must ensure that Canada does not become fertile ground for hate and terrorist-support to sprout and fester.
Further thoughts on the reaction to the anti-Israel demonstration in Vancouver on the anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack...The vast, vast majority of people I've seen react online and talked to in person expressed their anger and disappointment over what was done that day. They agreed that declaring "We are Hamas," burning Canadian flags, and chanting "Death to Canada" are all unacceptable.These emotions were shared by born-and-raised Canadians and immigrants alike. However I noticed a fair amount of people suggesting the atrocities on display at the protest were the result of Canada's commitment to diversity. First things first: this is not diversity. Diversity is a stadium full of people born in countries that were once at war with one another, cheering in unison when the Canucks make it to the second round of the playoffs. Diversity is walking through town in December and seeing people taking part in Yalda, Hanukkah, and Christmas celebrations, each sharing the beauty of their culture with the other.Diversity is being able to eat at restaurants serving authentic dishes from around the world, or sharing recipes from your childhood with friends.Canadians have taken the best traditions, beliefs, and customs from around the world and integrated them into our culture, rooting out the parts that are best left where they originated. What have remained largely unchanged are the core values that undergird our society. Canadians stand for freedom, acceptance, respect, and equality, and those ideas are evident in the way we conduct ourselves at home and on the world stage. Our alliances have been built on the understanding that we will uphold those principles. That is why, for example, the Canadian government sides with Israel and not Hamas, why it sides with Ukraine and not Russia. You get the point. It was, until recently, a given that Canada and its residents would stand firmly against terrorist groups. What I saw at the rally on Monday was the antithesis of everything I just mentioned. Freedom was called for, though the western term was replaced by the ersatz revolutionary equivalent that, if implemented, would inevitably lead to nothing but death and destruction. Acceptance, respect, and equality were represented only on the outskirts of the protest, where people stood in unity against Hamas and other murderous terrorist groups.It's often said that "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter."This too is a canard; while people are free to believe what they want in private, they must realize that in Canada, public support for certain groups is not acceptable.We don’t live in a land of relativism. It’s a slippery slope when ideologically-motivated activists, many of whom are new to the country, try to convince us that their freedom fighters should be ours, too. It’s like, no man, that’s not how it works.While the vast majority of newcomers checked their ideologies at the door when they boarded the plane to Canada, a growing number have opted instead to not only bring their baggage along with them, but insist that others help them unload it. Anyone who burns a Canadian flag, chants "death to Canada," or expresses support for any of our enemies is not here for the right reasons, and honestly has no place in our country. This is a fringe minority that should be viewed as entirely separate from those who come seeking to live a life in accordance with Canadian values, who feel disgust when chants they had long heard outside their windows begin emanating from the streets of Vancouver.This is not their fault. In fact, they are among the greatest allies in the fight against the erosion of Canadian values by those seeking to turn this country into the place from whence they came.While those who took part in the protest should be reprimanded, can we really blame the ideologically possessed for taking advantage of the opportunity to spread their creed unchecked in a foreign country?No, the blame lays higher up the ladder.The federal government's response to what happened in Vancouver on Monday has been disappointing, but not at all unpredictable. The Trudeau Liberals have capitulated to the vocal few, leaving the masses with no other choice but take it upon themselves to defend our values.Samidoun, the group that organized the event in Vancouver, is aligned with the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is listed as a terrorist entity in Canada. When asked whether they would put Samidoun on the list, the Liberals' response was a word salad that could only be interpreted as "maybe."That's just weak leadership. And it's that weak leadership that has allowed countless ideologically-motivated people to come to Canada, including a suspected ISIS terrorist. Diversity is our strength, but it cannot be co-opted to come at the expense of our values. Thankfully the backlash from those who champion Canadian values has led more principled politicians to step up and vow to do what should have been done long ago. We must ensure that Canada does not become fertile ground for hate and terrorist-support to sprout and fester.
