Sponsoring Syrians a great experience
Re Let’s not make tolerance a dirty word, Oct. 15 Martin Regg Cohn wrote regarding new Syrian immigrants that “recent polls show a majority of Canadians are skeptical of the new arrivals.” I am part of a group formed last year to sponsor a Syrian family. It consists of committed members of a cross-section of our society. Despite my apprehension, I offered to share my house with the family.
We ended up with a Syrian family of four — a husband, wife and two young daughters. They moved in with us about seven months back. It has been one of the most fulfilling experiences for my wife and me. The family is most disciplined, trustworthy, respectful, friendly and pleasant. They are all hardworking and eager to learn. They adapted to their new country with surprising speed.
Within five weeks of moving to my place, the husband got a full-time job and bought a car after passing his G2 driving test on his first attempt. The wife, who had never worked outside the home in Syria, also got a job. The daughters are well settled in their school. They are productive and law-abiding taxpayers.
This is a great achievement for a family that could not even read English signs when they landed at the Pearson International Airport not long ago. They are now fully integrated and responsible members of our society.
I am sharing this personal experience with fellow Canadians who are “skeptical of the new arrivals.” Like Vietnam’s boat people, Syrians will prove to be an asset and not a burden on us. Anis Zuberi, Mississauga Recommending that people show tolerance and good will toward others is morally commendable. However, acting nice and tolerant toward others is not a requirement of Canadian citizenship and it shouldn’t be.
Canadian society is governed by the rule of law, not cultural attitudes, which means that citizens are free to be tolerant or intolerant about cultural practices. The outcome is not always pleasant but this democratic right to choose establishes the strength of our diversity from our differences of opinion. Canadians can think differently but must act similarly when it comes to the law.
That’s why Kellie Leitch’s screening test is unCanadian and illegitimate. If existing Canadians don’t have to answer questions about their attitude toward our values in order to maintain their citizenship, newcomers shouldn’t either.
Welcome to Canada ,one and all — where you don’t have to act tolerantly but you have to act lawfully. Tony D’Andrea, Toronto