Pragmatic, not exceptional

Re: Canadian Exceptionalism, Fr. Raymond de Souza, Sept. 27.

There is no such thing as “Canadian exceptionalism” on immigration, assimilation or integration, just a vital national interest in building a country that is geographically huge, isolated and alluring to migrants the world over. Affluent societies are by nature indifferent to newcomers as long as prosperity and growth are present. That has been the trend since the end of the Second World War. By necessity and design, Canadians of all political stripes had no choice but to encourage immigration to keep the economic engines going and face demographic trends. The point system that was introduced in 1962 was, indeed, a decisive and courageous decision.

The Conservative government of Stephen Harper did well on the immigration front till the last elect i on campaign in 2015, when desperation drove it in the wrong and ugly direction when it used the niqab issue, citizenship cases and the hotline idiotic scheme to stir the pot. That was a truly black mark on an otherwise positive tradition.

Canada’s history, civic values and democratic liberal heritage, plus the imperatives of new workers and blood, all worked together to create a welcoming space for human co- existence. Nothing special or exceptional, alas. Elie Mikhael Nasrallah, immigration consultant, Ottawa.