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| Great White North | |
| Canada: New citizenship guide says no to 'barbaric' practices | |
| 2009-11-13 | |
| Canada's revamped citizenship guide warns newcomers that "barbaric cultural practices" such as honour killings will not be tolerated, marking a stronger tone against importing beliefs that clash with Canadian values. "In Canada, men and women are equal under the law," the document says. "Canada's openness and generosity do not extend to barbaric cultural practices that tolerate spousal abuse, 'honour killings,' female genital mutilation or other gender-based violence. Those guilty of these crimes are severely punished under Canada's criminal laws."
While honour killings remain relatively rare in Canada, several high-profile cases have drawn attention to the issue. Even the use of the term "honour killings" has stirred debate, as critics of the wording say it implies the practice is accepted by certain religions when, in fact, it is not. "The government had long been cautious about offending people," said Amin Muhammad, a psychiatry professor at Memorial University and author of a recent paper on the subject, which was submitted to the federal Department of Justice. "But now, the government is bravely -- but politely -- warning that this is something that is not to be tolerated." The inclusion of honour killings and spousal abuse in the guide reminded some onlookers of the tension over reasonable accommodation, a concept that came to a boiling point in Hérouxville, Que., in 2007 when the town council passed a motion governing the behaviour of immigrants, including provisions against stoning women and genital mutilation. But Farzana Hassan, spokeswoman for the Muslim Canadian Congress, said there is nothing controversial about the statement in the new guide, adding that it is a long-overdue step toward tackling a cultural practice that does not jibe with Canadian values. "We cannot ignore this in the name of multiculturalism," she said. "But it's not enough to make statements about what people should or shouldn't do, because that approach doesn't register with people who are influenced by this very irrational religious zeal." Phyllis Chesler, an American feminist author who will soon publish a study of 230 honour killings across five continents, said honour killings are most often committed by Muslims, but added that Canada and the United States have also seen many cases involving Sikhs and Hindus. "The punishment is for becoming western after having moved to the west," Ms. Chesler said. "Wanting to leave a husband, going to college - these sorts of things that we take for granted - are seen as capital crimes among those who practice honour killings." Ms. Chesler said honour killings are culturally acceptable in some parts of the world, adding that the killers are often glorified and the victim's family is usually complicit. "These people are coming from countries where these behaviours are never punished," she said. "There are people who bring this mindset when they come to the west." Although Liberal immigration critic Maurizio Bevilacqua said he welcomes the firm language regarding the equality of men and women, he said the document should be assessed not only for what it includes, but also for what it excludes. "Why wasn't white-collar crime mentioned, for example?" Mr. Bevilacqua said. "This must be what the current government wanted to highlight and prioritize." For Mr. Muhammad, the new guide is a stepping stone that should be bolstered by stricter immigration processes. "Canada needs to be more thorough in checking people's background because right now, as it stands, lots of people who support honour killings can slip into the system," he said. "Let people take offence. People who come to Canada must be law-abiding citizens." | |
| Posted by:Beavis |
| #8 "Why wasn't white-collar crime mentioned, for example?" Mr. Bevilacqua said. "This must be what the current government wanted to highlight and prioritize." Which possibly explains why Liberals in Canada continue to remain irrelevant to voters. placing third in all four federal by-elections this week, while the Conservative government picked up two additional seats. |
| Posted by: Skunky Glins**** 2009-11-13 21:49 |
| #7 This is going to be terribly hard to enforce, case in point, what about "male genital mutilation", aka circumcision? Oddly enough, circumcision creates some serious rantings on the Internet, both pro and con, the issue is never resolved, and neither side cares. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2009-11-13 13:17 |
| #6 lots of talk, lets see them actually enforce the law to its full extent . |
| Posted by: 746 2009-11-13 12:41 |
| #5 You MUST remember Barbarism, is in the eyes of the beholder, not the Government. This is simply the cleaning of your gun before any engagement. Or the warning you get when you her that hammer "Click", NOT the fight, but the prep work beforehand. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2009-11-13 12:16 |
| #4 But immigrants who became citizens will be grandchilded in, right? |
| Posted by: Perfesser 2009-11-13 11:16 |
| #3 Bravo Canada! Note: Use of the words 'barbaric' and 'barbarian' in association with islam should be encouraged at all times. |
| Posted by: Parabellum 2009-11-13 10:22 |
| #2 What did it say about Ice Hockey? |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2009-11-13 10:04 |
| #1 The Canucks might man up before the Yanks on the issue of immigrants with medieval habits? Say it ain't so... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2009-11-13 10:00 |