Stella Leventoyannis Harvey

Honour and Good Sense Speak Louder than Political Rhetoric

Never give in-never, never, never, never in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.” Winston Churchill   

Some time ago our prime minister tweeted about our welcoming society.  I had never been prouder to be Canadian. That feeling has not changed despite the questioning of Mr. Trudeau’s statement from Conservative Michelle Rempel. I suppose she feels she is speaking to her base, hoping to rile them up to the horrors of the few hundred asylum seekers who have crossed our borders. Please.

She doesn’t speak for this immigrant Canadian. Nor does the Toronto Sun.

I want to tell them both to get over themselves, focus on the big issues that make a difference to all of us as Canadians and stop dickering around. No one of good sense is listening.

I am proud that Canada is a welcoming, diverse and accepting society. There is no implication in this statement that gives anyone a free pass from following the rules and laws of the country. But politicians and media outlets that want to make too much out of nothing are compelled to hide behind the law and order agenda.

There will forever be desperate people in the world (witness some of the one million refugees who sought asylum by crossing the Mediterranean into Europe in 2015), who will do anything to flee death, persecution and economic disaster. As long as there is war, famine, poverty and those like Donald Trump, there will be people on the move. This is something we have to accept as part of life and build in the systems to help these people in any way we can.

Stop blaming the influx of those seeking asylum on Mr. Trudeau’s words. What he has said and done for Syrians and others comes from a place of honour and good sense, which is more than I can say for those in our previous federal government. The Harper government of which Ms. Rempel was a member promised much and delivered zero, particularly on this issue of refugees. In fact, their actions were shameful. And there is nothing honourable or Canadian about that.

© All Rights Reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all blog content copyright Stella L Harvey