Equal Opportunities

Although statistics gathered in an annual exercise in determining international rankings of education systems in 70 countries of the world, rank Canada tenth from the top, representing a rank slippage from its previous seventh place standing, the country's record remains one to be proud of. The top performing countries were, with one exception (Finland), Asian countries where a culture of great respect for learning has resulted in Shanghai-China taking top place, South Korea, Hong Kong-China and Singapore right behind.

"We are living in a knowledge society, and a knowledge society means the best production factor is human capital, and human capital means education and education means you have to check what your competitors are doing." Bernard Hugonnier, deputy-director of education with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. "The 2009 performance of Canada is a little bit disappointing. At the same time, you are still much above the OECD average."

Thinking not in terms of economic advantage resulting from a better grade of education and higher numbers of literate and numerate and technological human skill sets, but in terms of the entire social contract of each country, its investment in the democratic ideal with everything that flows from that, including the freedoms we all hold so dear, the question should also be asked, while acknowledging Canada's academic performance, "how're we doing in instilling respect for Canadian values"?

Given that Canada is given top marks in one particular area, that of narrowing the education gap between native-born students and those who have migrated to Canada as immigrants or refugees, this alone represents a significant undertaking, a socially valuable investment in the future of the country and its introduced landed immigrants and citizens. As compared with the OECD average indicating an 18-point difference, Canada's mitigation efforts resulted in a 7-point difference.

"You are facing a difficult situation because you are a vast country with scattered settlements and you have a lot of migrants - one of the highest percentages in your population - and yet you are doing very well. You have a lot of migrants not speaking English, and yet the difference in performance of natives and immigrants is quite small, so you are doing extremely well in terms of equity." Bernard Hugonnier, OECD deputy director of education.

Well and good, an accolade quite acceptable, but one that stands out in marked contrast to another think-tank study prepared by Britain-based Demos. Which found what has been generally accepted, that Western Muslims appear to be attracted to jihadist violence. So the smoothing out of the educational differential between this demographic and native-born youth belies the average immigrant experience.

Because, it seems, on the evidence ascertained by a cursory read of any daily newspaper, that Muslim youth appear disproportionally attracted also to illegal and criminal activities. There is a noted disconnect here between what the general public discerns as Muslim parents determined to maintain a separation between mainstream society and their own beliefs, and that their children be sheltered from the degraded values of the West, at odds with those of Islam.

And this British study recommends volunteer-abroad programs to be developed as an assist to turning impressionable, adventure-seeking young Muslims away from violent jihad. Might this not be a phenomenon that has inextricable links to their families' attitudes toward their adopted countries? And the installation of community centres and mosques with clerics espousing ideals incompatible with those of Canada's history, culture and social mores?

And with those community leaders, for example, like the respected Imam Delic of the Canadian Islamic Congress who supports the imposition of an international blasphemy law, and who has added his name to the CIC condemnation of Canada as "Islamophobic", and who has been involved in encouraging the belief of the Muslim persecution narrative that helps to radicalize Muslim youth, even while for public consumption he insists he is battling that radicalization.

The link between active Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and Islamic groups in Canada, and their youth counterparts in Canadian universities supporting radical Islamism abroad, and the ongoing slander of Israel, introducing its vitriolic effects here and targeting the Canadian Jewish population and university students does no credit to the fiction of multiculturalism as a civilizing asset for Canadian cohesiveness.