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After my third Canada day spent in the nation's capital, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to figure out the dilemmas of celebrating patriotism in a multicultural society.
Case in point: I saw far too many groups walking around downtown yesterday decked out with soccer jerseys, colours, and flags screaming cheers for their home countries in the midst of of a sea of Canadian flags. Maybe that's innocent enough, but a good friend of mine was almost beat up after accidentally bumping into a group of foreign national students at a crowded restaurant who kept yelling at her that Canada Day was bullshit and it just made 'Canadians' act like they owned the place.
As proud Canadians should we accept that as a celebration of the acceptance and vibrance of our multicultural society? Or should Canada day in particular be a day where everyone enjoying freedom and a quality life in this country celebrate and be proud of the country for offering them that right? Would you consider immigrants using July 1st to celebrate their national indentities as an insult to what Canada has offered them?
Personally, I have to admit that these experiences mark the first time I have ever felt specifically hostile towards immigration, and I'm wondering what other people think.
Case in point: I saw far too many groups walking around downtown yesterday decked out with soccer jerseys, colours, and flags screaming cheers for their home countries in the midst of of a sea of Canadian flags. Maybe that's innocent enough, but a good friend of mine was almost beat up after accidentally bumping into a group of foreign national students at a crowded restaurant who kept yelling at her that Canada Day was bullshit and it just made 'Canadians' act like they owned the place.
As proud Canadians should we accept that as a celebration of the acceptance and vibrance of our multicultural society? Or should Canada day in particular be a day where everyone enjoying freedom and a quality life in this country celebrate and be proud of the country for offering them that right? Would you consider immigrants using July 1st to celebrate their national indentities as an insult to what Canada has offered them?
Personally, I have to admit that these experiences mark the first time I have ever felt specifically hostile towards immigration, and I'm wondering what other people think.