Alternative Titles: Tempest in a Teacup, Mountain out of a Molehill, Idiots on Rampage.
For a supposedly worldly and tolerant country we all claim to be here in the Great White North (especially when compared to our neighbours to the south) we certainly get our snowpants in a twist when confronted with one simple fact: dual citizenship.
Hide your daughters! Lock the doors! Stephane Dion has French Citizenship! How un-Canadian! Dual Citizenship, divided loyalties!
"He can't lead our country!"
"Um, why not?" I ask.
"Why, he might just turn our country over to the French!"
*Stunned silence*
It boggles my mind that people can be so simplistic in their views in a world we know has many shades of grey. Telling someone with dual citizenship that their Canadian citizenship is not as good because they are sharing it with another nation is so close-minded and petty that I'm disgraced this has been a news item in Canada at all.
The fact of the matter is he is a Canadian Citizen. He is allowed by our law like millions of other Canadians to hold dual citizenship. End of story. This does not nor should it reflect on his ability to lead us, in fact it should be in his favour as it may give him a wider view on the world and our place in it. We should judge him on his worthiness to lead the nation by his policies and leadership abilities.
To do otherwise is practically un-Canadian. ;)
2 comments:
"Why, he might just turn our country over to the French!"
Psssst.... that's what we call a "straw man" arguement. Find me ONE person who has made this claim...just one - and please do constrain your search to the provabley sane.
....and yes, I know you're trying to be a bit tongue-in-cheeck, but all you provide to back up your view point (e.g. people [like me] who believe that the Prime Minister of Canada must be a Canadian citizen, and nothing else are indulging in "close-minded and petty" opinions) is that little anecdote & the "un-Canadian" quip.
Your other strawman is found here:
"This does not nor should it reflect on his ability to lead us, in fact it should be in his favour as it may give him a wider view on the world and our place in it. We should judge him on his worthiness to lead the nation by his policies and leadership abilities."
I haven't read anyone saying that Dion's citizenship impacts his ability to lead.... you, and most others on your side of this issue, keep asserting that we are - but that fact is that you're fabricating that line of argument; it simply does not exist, and is not on the table.
IMO the symbol is very important - the PM of Canada must be beyond reproach, and part of that is that the PM must hold Canadian citizenship, and must not hold any other citizenship. They are representing CANADA, not Canada and France, or Canada and Zimbabwe, or whatever. If you feel that view is "close-minded and petty".... well, that's awfully close-minded and petty of you ;)
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