Crystal Clear in Quebec

But not to worry, the minister responsible, Bernard Drainville, assures us: "It will be done humanely."  But of course.  They will not be told to get out in a cruel way, but with care, compassion, or what the minister calls "good old common sense."  It will simply be made clear to these people, as kindly as the occasion permits, that, notwithstanding their years of blameless service, their continued employment is incompatible with Quebec's common values - that their insistence on wearing the yarmulke or the turban, in accordance with the deepest teachings of their faith, has become a source of "tension" and "division" and that for that reason they will have to find other work.

There's a shift happening here that goes far beyond just Quebec.  Intolerance is creeping back in to the mainstreet dialogue and even Parliamentary debate in places ranging from Hungary and Greece to our very own Quebec.

I have to admit - when I wrote "I hate to say it, but I would keep an eye out for a party further to the right of the CPC gaining some presence, too" I was particularly thinking about the inevitable rift forming between hard-right social conservatives and their more electoral-win focused brethren in places like Ontario and Alberta.  It still wouldn't surprise me if some of the muzzled or turfed MLAs take their grievances as a rallying cry, turning some of their supporters against the conservative Party's that were once their home.

The angrier your foundations, the more vindictive becomes your direction.  As perhaps opportunistic politicians add legitimacy to xenophobia for their own gain, the haters of our world gain that much more credibility, plus a broader platform to speak from.  That Party's moving in the right direction, they can say in validated fashion; they just need to go further.

How the rest of us and, in particular, our leaders respond to this trend is of critical importance.  You can't ignore it - like cancer, hatred left unchecked will inevitably spread.  At the same time, you don't want to fuel the fire by creating an "us vs. them" mentality that, as in North Korea, justifies increasingly alarming decisions and actions.

This is where neuropsychology comes in.

For ages we have known, in anecdotal fashion, that courage, altruistic acts, a positive spirit and creativity are great tonics against hatred and intolerance.  Thanks to advances in how we understand emotion, behaviour and the engine that drives them, we've gotten better at influencing mind and the social matrix.  Its up to those who would represent the Canadian Idea - above all, strength through diversity - to borrow from neuromarketing and wage a hearts and minds campaign to counter the dangerous direction Quebec's government is taking.

This isn't a Quebec/ROC thing any more than it's a religious people/ROQ thing - it's a human thing.  Politicians and their policies set the tone of the province in much the same way as different corporate leaders change the entire culture of their companies.  Our ultimate goals are twofold:

1) To inoculate people against hatred and intolerance, reducing their efficacy as a populist tool.  

2) To support those within Quebec who would stand against intolerance, ensuring them the safety needed to raise their voices in opposition without fear of undue reprisal.

The main tool for accomplishing this is the same it has been throughout history - education.  

It's time Canada's leaders take their hand off the fear button and stop oppressing information which challenges them; that merely fuels the problem.

It's time Canadians start holding them to that - not narrow mandates and limited focus, but sustainable leadership.

Get informed, folks; get engaged - because, when we do, we can make a difference.

The Folly of Pure Laine

"It's actually very sad that they're using people's sentiments and this kind of subject, which is very sensitive, as a political tool," said Malas, a born-and-raised Montrealer who wears a Muslim veil.

Politics, if you haven't noticed yet, isn't about policy. 

There was a time where leaders had the stones to put forward visions and seek to inspire people to follow them, but that time isn't now.  Fearing the consequences of risking big ideas or simply lacking the creativity to devise them, Political Parties are focused on turning people against each other rather than unifying them behind a dream.

When the message is "only we can protect you from those who would harm you," people stop being introspective and start getting antsy about The Other.  Responsibility, collaborative solutions and positive actions slowly give way to bitterness, blame, recrimination and punishment.

That's what Jobbik is doing in Hungary.  It's what Golden Dawn is doing in Greece.  It is beyond disappointing that any Canadian politician would opt to play that game; yes, it works, but there are consequences to fostering divides along religious or cultural reasons.

If Sikhs are banned from wearing turbans and Muslim women are banned from wearing veils in government institutions, you have essentially banned those individuals from government institutions.  That means people who wear symbols of their faith cannot be doctors, judges, bureaucrats, politicians in Quebec.  It also means they can't use government services, either.

Well, there are Sikhs, Muslims Canadians of faith that do work for the government of Quebec - many of them would leave the province instead of giving up who they are, becoming religious refugees within Canada's very own borders.

Do you think less trained professionals in Quebec is suddenly going to empower non-religious Quebecers to fill those gaps?  Keep dreaming.  Service will decline, waiting lists will expand and the same people who are looking to take out frustrations on someone else will only get angrier.  Meanwhile, those folk in society who change will increasingly be stigmatized just as their lack of access to government services starts to take a toll on their well-being. 

If the same populist political track is kept up (or left unchallenged by other governments), the temptation to go one step further and flame the fires a bit more will consume other Parties.  The urge to force conformity upon those who hold fast to their beliefs will become stronger.

All in the name of creating a safe, secure society where everyone gets along because everyone is the same. 

There is very little I fear - difference is never a threat, always an opportunity.  The thing that does put a chill in my bones, though, is watching people blindly repeat mistakes of the past.

I hope we never see a time in Canadian history where an Orthodox Jewish man is forced to cut off his payot to fit in.  That would go against everything Canada is supposed to stand for. 

Especially at this volatile point in history where governments are persecuting citizens based on who they are, we have to be better than that.

We're Canada; if we don't lead by example - who will?

UPDATE: 

Throughout the social, legal and political strife to come, the PQ will be able to claim that it is defending "real Quebecers" against Anglophones and Allophones, many of them newcomers whose choice of dress and belief in God make them a "threat" to the majority, and the encroaching, oppressive hand of the federal state.

It's all over the place these days - have our leaders completely forgotten that power isn't an end, but a means?