Home  Viewpoint Responsibilities of Citizenship
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Responsibilities of Citizenship |
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While ignoring important issues like crime and terrorism, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney cautioned immigrants and new Canadians of the their responsibilities. At the same time, he reiterated that barbaric cultural practices such as genital mutilation and honour killings will not be allowed in Canada.
Canadians have responsibilities. Who knew?
Jason Kenney, the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, is not afraid to be honest. Introducing the new citizenship guide last November, Kenney flatly declared that new Canadians should not engage in “barbaric” cultural practices such as genital mutilation and “honour killings.”
The new citizenship guide, called Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship, puts greater emphasis on the obligations of citizenship, such as getting a job, and learning Canadian history (as well as military history), than the old guide which limited itself to extolling the benefits of living in Canada.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/discover/index.asp
The new citizenship guide is a significant improvement from the old Liberal version, which hadn't been updated since 1977. In Kenney's words, “When you become a citizen, you're not just getting a travel document into Hotel Canada. You are inheriting a set of responsibilities, of obligations, as a citizen. And we will expect you to fulfill certain responsibilities, as a citizen. And I think to a certain extent that wasn't sufficiently emphasized in the old guide.”
“Multiculturalism doesn't mean that anything goes. Multiculturalism means that we celebrate what's best about our backgrounds, but we do so on the basis of common Canadian values and respect for our laws,” said Kenney. “It's no secret that we've seen instances of culturally rooted abuse of women, so-called 'honour killings,' forced marriages, and spousal abuse, and even female genital mutilation. We want to make sure that people understand that multiculturalism doesn't create an excuse to engage in those barbaric cultural practices.”
At the time the new guide was introduced, the media acted shocked that the Minister would label any cultural practice "barbaric," no matter how unacceptable. To me however, the important point that appeared to be overlooked was the emphasis on responsibility. Wow! A government that treats immigrants as if we were adults: what a change.
One of the dubious advantages of a "naturalized" Canadian is that for us it is an adult choice. Those who are born here have no decisions to make about their nationality. All too often, this means being basically unaware of the costs and benefits of being Canadian. It is easy to take for granted benefits you didn’t earn. This complacency is fertile ground for complaints about petty annoyances. On the other hand, as immigrants, we know how Canada compares with where we lived before coming here. (In some ways better, but in other ways worse!) Whatever. We decided to live in this country. Therefore, we chose to accept both the rights and responsibilities of being Canadian.
According to the new "Study Guide" the responsibilities that come with Canadian citizenship include:
• Obeying the law - One of Canada's founding principles is the rule of law. Individuals and governments are regulated by laws and not by arbitrary actions. No person or group is above the law.
• Taking responsibility for oneself and one's family - Getting a job, taking care of one's family, and working hard in keeping with one's abilities, are important Canadian values. Work contributes to personal dignity and self-respect, and to Canada's prosperity.
• Serving on a jury - When called to do so, you are legally required to serve. Serving on a jury is a privilege that makes the justice system work, as it depends on impartial juries made up of citizens.
• Voting in elections - The right to vote comes with a responsibility to vote in federal, provincial or territorial and local elections.
• Helping others in the community - Millions of volunteers freely donate their time to help others without pay-helping people in need, assisting at your child's school, volunteering at a food bank or other charity, or encouraging newcomers to integrate. Volunteering is an excellent way to gain useful skills and develop friends and contacts.
• Protecting and enjoying our heritage and environment - Every citizen has a role to play in avoiding waste and pollution while protecting Canada's natural, cultural, and architectural heritage for future generations.
• Defending Canada -- There is no compulsory military service in Canada. However, serving in the regular Canadian Forces (navy, army and air force) is a noble way to contribute to Canada and an excellent career choice (www.forces.ca).
You can serve in your local part-time navy, militia, and air reserves and gain valuable experience, skills, and contacts. Young people can learn discipline, responsibility, and skills by getting involved in the cadets (www.cadets.ca). You may also serve in the Coast Guard or emergency services in your community such as a police force or fire department. By helping to protect your community, you follow in the footsteps of Canadians before you who made sacrifices in the service of our country.
What about crime and terrorism? The Study Guide does not mention these responsibilities explicitly, but I cannot help but wonder what are our responsibilities as Canadian citizens to help stop criminals or terrorists? I would think such responsibilities would be implied by “taking responsibility for oneself and one's family” or “defending Canada”.
Perhaps you remember the news about a recent attempt to bring down an airplane over Detroit? The guy with a bomb in his pants? Homeland Security didn’t stop it. No government official was any help at all. This wannabe suicide bomber was thwarted by a passenger who smothered the explosive device. Just another fellow passenger. This Good Samaritan wasn’t an American or a Canadian; he was a Dutch tourist. This got me thinking: Are we similarly responsible for the safety of our fellow Canadians? I don’t think Canadian government officials are any better than American ones. (Or European or Indian officials for that matter).
Could you act equally bravely? I wonder if I could? I don’t know.
To conclude, an alternative way to think about the duties and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship would be the one I found on the web, which includes actually enjoying hockey games.
Personally, it took me awhile to learn to enjoy hockey. My wife, a native-born Canadian, enjoys (sometimes) teaching me the subtleties of hockey. Now I can say, "Go, Canucks, Go," with the appropriate sarcasm.
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