Why I'm not fond of #WelcomeRefugees

I've spent a lot of time thinking about this, so please bear with me.

Canada welcomes countless New Canadians every year.  They are mothers and fathers, entrepreneurs and tradepeople, Muslims, Hindus, people of different sexual orientations and heights and political orientations and all the rest of it.

But they are never just one of these things.  No one ever is.

It's convenient for us to think about people this way - you're either of us, or not of us - but it's not accurate.

When we use simple phrasing like this, we unconsciously tend to view people through one lens, rather than seeing them as complex human beings with multiple facets.

If a person is something we are not - a Muslim, a Refugee, a Missing/Murdered Aboriginal Woman, a Mentally Ill Person - it becomes very easy to see them as a caricature of a person and romanticize who and what they actually are, as human beings.

This concept of viewing people as more than a label has really been driven home to me of late through Stories of Ours, a one-of-a-kind story telling series founded and run by the amazing Erin Kang.

Every story teller can be labelled as one "thing" - an immigrant, a refugee, a black man, a Korean-Canadian woman - but each story paints a picture of a complex human being that experiences life through every aspect of who they are and not just through what we opt to see them as.

Many of the stories are heartbreaking.  Some of them are inspiring.  Each of them uncovers the facets of an individual and, in doing so, reveals a new thread in the human tapestry.

I love the idea of welcoming Syrian refugees to Canada, and refugees from everywhere.  To me, Canada is a global Rivendell, a place where everyone can belong, thrive and contribute.  We don't evade problems - we turn them into opportunities.

Rest assured, many of the refugees who will soon be calling Canada home have incredible gifts to share, ideas to nurture and innovations to hustle.  They may open your next favourite restaurant, or develop your next favourite digital platform, or be your next Minister of Democratic Institutions.

I believe it's important to dig deep into the hardships these individuals have experienced, but also to not look at them as pity cases.  

Those who have come to Canada as refugees in the past - not to mention their descendants - have ended up making tremendous contributions to our society, our cultural life, and our economy.

They are refugees now, but what they will be moving forward is neighbours, partners, friends, family.

Which is why I picked the name #WelcomeHomeTO for my community support aggregation project. 

This isn't just about them coming here - it's about us welcoming them, as well.  Like a new family member.  Some day, they will be doing the same thing for other new Canadians.  It's what we've always done.

There's what we offer, there's what they offer, then there's what we build together - like a potluck, with Canada being the common ground for making the soup that's more than the sum of its ingredients.

I understand the intent behind #WelcomeRefugees but really, it's about more than refugees, and it's about more than the government's plan.

It's about people.  It's about stories.

That's what Canada has always had the potential to be, and only embraces when we recognize the individual and build the country collaboratively - not the toughest or wealthiest nation, but one that demonstrates what humanity can be at its best.

they are important to building a stronger and better Canada, and that their successful resettlement and integration has been a key part of our country’s history.

#countrywewant ((#MyCanadaIs A Place to Belong)) UPDATED

The Canada that I know is a refuge for those that have had to escape, and a place for all kinds of people, from wherever they may come, to find a home free of terror and fear.

This is the Canada that welcomed me.  This is the Canada where my grandmother can wake up, every morning, never again having to worry about the threat of losing her son to political unrest.

Diversity is strength.

It's true of genetics and it's true of society; the more variety you have, the more opportunity you have. Diversity of tools, ideas, voices and perspectives brings more options to bear in problem-solving and increases capacity to adapt and resiliency in the face of change.

The Canada I know is not one that fears troubles at our shores, but embraces our ability to make a positive difference in the world.  Whether it's fighting for the rights of people to be different against Nazi Germany or in the Bosinan War, or providing medical and political solutions through groups like CISEPO, we're always ready to dive in and help as we can.

The Canada I know never shies away from a fight, but excels at crafting alternatives.  Whether we're nudging for the end of land mines or crafting new ways to keep the peace so that dialogue can occur with Peacekeeping, Canadians are a creative lot that prioritizes solving problems over ending people.

Why are we so ready to make sacrifices and share our resources and ideas with people who live across the world?

Canada is an idea, a vision of what the world can be.  

We are a nation of communities based not on an ancestral lineage or a culture carved in stone but on the idea that diversity is strength.  And when dream and share and build together, even the sky doesn't limit us.

What makes Canadians different is that their differences are celebrated as opportunities for understanding, not rejected as threats to a mythic stereotype.

Canadians recognize with pride and humility that ours is truly one of the best places to live in a world where far too many of our fellow human beings live in poverty, bereft of opportunity, bereft of security, bereft of hope.  We choose to help others out of a sense of human responsibility to help others achieve what we can too easily take for granted.

Canada is a country that is proud of its role as a safe-haven, whether to refugees from war-torn countries or to planes thrust into the chaos of 9/11.  I'll say this again - Canada is proud to open its doors and provide shelter, even a home to those in need.

Why?  Why are we not afraid of the wily schemes of Machiavellian foreigners?

Because we are so confident in what Canada stands for and how we, as Canadians, embody that belief in our daily lives that fear is unnecessary.  Canada was made by people of different cultures, languages, customs and world-views, and that diversity is what makes Canada great.  Canada is a celebration of the possible.

How can you be every day in a place like this and keep maliciousness in your heart?

Canada is a place of refuge.  It's a celebration of humanity at its best.

Canada is more than a place to live - it's a place to belong.

UPDATED 9/10/15

Based on our growing concern, and spurred by my experience with Islamophobia on Tuesday, Women in Toronto Politics released this statement today, and launched a #countrywewant campaign. http://witopoli.com/2015/10/09/countrywewant/ 

Please read and share our statement and graphics (one included below), and join our discussion on Twitter and Facebook to share YOUR vision for our country!

Farah is a friend from the Centre for Social Innovation and someone that works actively for the betterment of our country and all people in it.

Her #countrywewant campaign with @WiTOpoli has taken off, and for good reason - Canadians are tired of division and a focus on the past and want to work together right now to ensure a brighter future for all.

Please support her campaign and share your thoughts on what the #countrywewant looks like now and down the road.

Fear is not the answer

Quite simply, the Conservatives have decided that she is a useful weapon in their re-election campaign. By scapegoating her while introducing their much-criticized new anti-terrorism bill, they hope to convince frightened voters that the Conservatives are their best hope against dangers of all kinds. But in doing so, they are instead actually jeopardizing the country's security. Stephen Harper and his minions are actually subverting the work of our security forces by alienating much of the Muslim community.

When it becomes about winning, not accomplishing - or uniting - everyone loses.  

Altruism is selfishness that plans ahead.

When you refuse to recognize this - when you see yourself as "history's actors" - you aren't exercising power, you're neglecting the birthright of all humanity.

Muzzling Canadian Scientists, Public Servants and Everyone Else: