I agree with you Octavio...

Submitted by J.S. (Canada), Nov 21, 2006 at 21:04

There are some principles that will be shared (the principles may transcend right/left distinctions) -- certain truthful precepts which cannot be put into a category of "left" or "right". But, then, you get "reality" (or, at least, the politics of "reality").

I've noticed, for example, that the Conservative Party of Canada wants to -- at all costs --distance itself from any hint of being Ultra Right (there is, btw, no Ultra Right Party in Canada -- all political parties in Canada are trying to claim the center.) The death knell for the Conservatives would be any allegation that the Conservatives are (even slightly) xenophobic -- they would be immediately branded as Ultra Right wing facsists by the Liberals. So Conservatives cannot even hint about talking about "immigration" (it's too hot a topic -- no one dares touch it).

So the Conservatives talk about INCREASES to immigration (even though this may be very BAD for the country). And, yes, I do think it's true (not "racist") to acknowledge that some Muslim immigrants from some countries do have a problem with integrating into Canadian society. (Canada has really relaxed its language requirements, it use to be that immigrants were required to speak either English or French -- but this language requirement has been dropped -- now we have immigrants who may not speak a word of English or French...to function some of these immigrants hire translators..

Some of the worst cases involve Muslim women -- they can't speak English, they may be abused by their husbands, their only outlet may be the local mosque -- for all it's worth, they may as well be living back in Pakistan. These ones are pretty much written off -- average non-Muslim Canadians don't really care what goes on in the Muslim areas -- so long as no one "makes waves" or "causes trouble," everything's OK) Anyway, this is a problem just waiting to explode...

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