Matters Canadian

Immigration and National Identity Issues

Federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney insists more immigrants to the country should impel themselves to learn to integrate into Canadian society. Among other issues, those who plan to emigrate to Canada and who successfully apply and are approved should be prepared to learn one of the two official languages; both if possible, English at the very least. There are government-funded language courses, although a mere one-quarter of landed immigrants take advantage of them.

"Newcomers have a right to be different, but a duty to integrate. They also have to take the initiative. We want people to be Canadians first and foremost, to be proud of and maintain their own traditions and heritage,but not at the price of developing Canadian identity."

Personal Cupidity

A Montreal doctor has sued Air Canada for payment as compensation for having agreed to assist a passenger in medical distress. Dr. Henry Coopersmith, flying executive class to Paris in 2006 was asked by a flight attendant if he might lend his professional expertise to assist with an ill passenger. He attempted to broker two free executive-class tickets from the airline in exchange for his services. When the airline declined he sued, the result being that they have been ordered to pay Dr. Coopersmith compensation of $1,000. Judge David Cameron was not dreadfully impressed with Dr. Coopersmith's 'exaggerated' claim, but agreed to compensate him regardless. So much for good citizenship.

Happenstance Incredulity

Three Americans, residents of Oklahoma, one of the U.S. states accustomed to being on the receiving end of nature's violent wind-and-rain assaults on a regular basis, were vacationing in northern Ontario at a resort south of Ear Falls, northwest of Thunder Bay. To be sure that is a wonderful and breathtakingly beautiful wilderness area in Canada. An area not particularly noted as being the recipient of viciously violent weather systems. Yet for these three Oklahomans, the decision to holiday there and take their leisure at Fisherman's Cove resort off the shore of Lac Seul, was fateful indeed. A weather system posing as a 'possible' tornado passed through the resort. Two bodies have been retrieved, while police continue to search for the third man.