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Do Canadians more readily see a foreign-born citizen as "still one of us" than many other countries?

wild goose chase

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The discussion of Syrian refugees being welcomed made me think about whether or not Canada deserves its reputation of being one of the countries that is quick to integrate immigrants as "one of us".

I feel like obviously, we're not the only New World country with recent immigration (US, Australia, New Zealand etc.) but I feel both native-born Canadians and new Canadians are more quick to see each other as "both Canadian" than many other countries.

Whereas, I feel like, even in the US, while also a country of immigrants, the gap between an American citizen born in the US and an American citizen that is foreign-born is kind of bigger in the mind's eye in terms of who is seen as "more American" than who is seen as Canadian. I'm not saying that first-generation immigrants don't get xenophobic treatments like being told "go back to your country" in Canada too of course, but I feel like the "a Canadian is Canadian, even if foreign born" is stronger here. Even the discourse regarding immigrants down south sometimes still emphasizes being born and bred as highly important for Americans including ability to run for President. "Birtherism" is something that is kind of foreign in mindset to many Canadians. However, there was that Bill C-24 that proposed that dual-citizen Canadians can have their citizenship revoked for convicted criminal activities, while I don't think that even in the US, they'd strip citizenship for criminal activities but rather try someone as an American citizen who committed a crime.

I may be biased of course thinking that Canadians are more tolerant than most countries towards immigrants, but what do you think? Are we more willing to accept that a Canadian can be foreign born and still call themselves "Canadian" than most other countries would?
 
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I think we may be more tolerant than other countries, but at the same time we aren't perfect either.

This is totally anecdotal, but one thing I've noticed is more people who I previously found to be apolitical having a negative view of bringing Syrian refugees here.
 
I used to work with a bunch of recent immigrants and one day at lunch the topic turned to "at what point did you turn Canadian". Even though the times ranged from 9 months to 2 1/2 years, they all shared a similar experience when something 'clicked' and they considered themselves 'Canadian'. Since then, I've come to know many foreign-born people from all over the world who just feel like they 'fit' here.
 
The discussion of Syrian refugees being welcomed made me think about whether or not Canada deserves its reputation of being one of the countries that is quick to integrate immigrants as "one of us".

I feel like obviously, we're not the only New World country with recent immigration (US, Australia, New Zealand etc.) but I feel both native-born Canadians and new Canadians are more quick to see each other as "both Canadian" than many other countries.

Whereas, I feel like, even in the US, while also a country of immigrants, the gap between an American citizen born in the US and an American citizen that is foreign-born is kind of bigger in the mind's eye in terms of who is seen as "more American" than who is seen as Canadian. I'm not saying that first-generation immigrants don't get xenophobic treatments like being told "go back to your country" in Canada too of course, but I feel like the "a Canadian is Canadian, even if foreign born" is stronger here. Even the discourse regarding immigrants down south sometimes still emphasizes being born and bred as highly important for Americans including ability to run for President. "Birtherism" is something that is kind of foreign in mindset to many Canadians. However, there was that Bill C-24 that proposed that dual-citizen Canadians can have their citizenship revoked for convicted criminal activities, while I don't think that even in the US, they'd strip citizenship for criminal activities but rather try someone as an American citizen who committed a crime.

I may be biased of course thinking that Canadians are more tolerant than most countries towards immigrants, but what do you think? Are we more willing to accept that a Canadian can be foreign born and still call themselves "Canadian" than most other countries would?

I think generally, yes. On the other hand, a lot of Canadians are kind of deluded about their supposed lack of prejudice and engage in a kind of small-minded identity policing, even towards other Canadians. Like you can't be a real Canadian if you don't follow hockey, dislike Tim Horton's coffee, think the Hip are kind of boring, etc.
 
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This is neither here nor there, but noticed this article in the NYT in the past week, which shows that NZ has the largest share of its population born outside its borders (28.2%), followed by Australia (27.6%) and Canada at 20%. The number for the U.S. is 13.1%. Corresponding numbers for Europe (share of the population born outside the EU) are much lower (Sweden seems like it is tops at 10.6%).
 
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Didn't realize Ford got elected on a platform of restricting immigration and Islamophobia.

No, but he thought he had the authority to do something about immigration as it related to crime. He also pretended to be the friend of every minority he could think of while mocking and disparaging them by turns.
 
Hey, I was born here (that was my point).:rolleyes:

Prove it. Who was the last goalie in the NHL to play without a mask? Are you drinking a double double at this very moment? Where were you when you first heard Bobcaygeon? Three retired players have scored 50 or more career short-handed goals. One was Wayne Gretzky. Name the other two. How many timbits can you fit in your mouth at one time? Sing the lyrics to Nautical Disaster. Explain in 300 words or less why Rita MacNeil or Anne Murray is Nova Scotia greatest songstress. How many times were you at Tim Hortons today?
 
Prove it. Who was the last goalie in the NHL to play without a mask? Are you drinking a double double at this very moment? Where were you when you first heard Bobcaygeon? Three retired players have scored 50 or more career short-handed goals. One was Wayne Gretzky. Name the other two. How many timbits can you fit in your mouth at one time? Sing the lyrics to Nautical Disaster. Explain in 300 words or less why Rita MacNeil or Anne Murray is Nova Scotia greatest songstress. How many times were you at Tim Hortons today?

Andy Brown. No, an instant espresso. Don't remember but definitely not in Bobcaygeon itself (Why doesn't that song have the words ragin' and Cajun in it? Seems natural. Also why does the guy keep saying it's a little after nine, still a little after nine? Is his watch broken?). Messier and Yzerman. Four or five. 'Some rocky sockeeeet ... off the coast of France!' Will that do? Because Rita (or Anne) is the only one I or anyone else can think of. Zero (although I will probably walk past one later and spare a thought for the suckers standing in line for coffee-scented burnt cardboard dishwater).

Are we done now? :p
 
Didn't he say that Toronto shouldn't accept any more immigrants?

Yeah, that's what it was.

We can't even deal with the 2.5 million people in this city. It's more important that we take care of the people now before we start bringing in more.
As if he had any say in who gets in or where they get to live.
 

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