Is Canada really a beacon of inclusivity?

Re Time for Canada to export inclusivity, Opin

ion July 19 Richard Gwyn is right in surmising that the recent tragedy in Nice was due to the alienation of the perpetrator. But let’s not get too self-satisfied, because we live in a glass house regarding our own marginalized folks, like black and indigenous people, the homeless, and those with mental-health issues.

And abroad, we are culpable in the oppression of developing countries, partly by engaging in questionable military endeavours merely to stay in the good books of Uncle Sam. This does not bode well for us.

Soft power is all we can really offer, and for that we need clean hands, sound judgment, and a bit of humility. Tobi Baumhard, King City, Ont. How can Gwyn explain a column celebrating Canada as an inclusive society without the m-word: multiculturalism?

Gwyn is aware of Canada’s multiculturalism fact. His March 1 column unenthusiastically acknowledges it (“How Canada became an international ‘good guy’ ”) and one last Oct. 20 casually dismisses it.

We can cite failures of Canadian multiculturalism — including the egregious one Gwyn points to: its failure to do as much or as well by indigenous Canadians as it has by immigrants and refugees — without diminishing the contribution that multiculturalism policy made to the inclusivity Gywn extols.

Gwyn is left to explain our success by pointing to isolation between two oceans, while acknowledging we are not unique in that. He also seems to imply — awkwardly and inexplicably — that our record as an international peacekeeper might have contributed. You can do better, Mr. Gwyn. So can we all. Allan Sheppard, Edmonton While things are not perfect in Canada, we are doing a lot better than many other countries, especially when it comes to promoting diversity and combating Islamophobia. We should be proud of our efforts and support initiatives to create a Canadian model for the rest of the world to follow. Nafisah Chowdhury, Toronto