Boy, is Obamacare getting hot or what? Have you seen footage of some of these Townhall meetings springing up across the country? The government is asserting this is all a conspiracy driven by the insurance companies who have too much of a vested interest in letting health care reform take place. Personally, I think the White House has lost its mind. When a government speaks openly about conspiracies and actively asks people to spy and snitch on one another well…

“The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.” Thomas Jefferson, 1788.

Obviously, Canada is in the middle of the debate. Yay! Attention! Despite some inaccuracies, I like this video because these guys actually secretly filmed their experiences within the system here. Be forewarned, it’s from Pjamas Media - a conservative media outlet. Ooooo, so scared, mommy!

Both sides are presenting their side of the story, and while each make valid points, I still feel the left paints waaayyyy to nice a picture and under estimates just how difficult it is to run such a massive operation while the right paints waaayyy to scary a picture.

All I know is, A) good luck in trying to control costs and B) the Canadian system IS under severe strain. These facts are well-documented and can be seen in plain view when you visit a hospital.

The video is valuable for one reason: It takes a secret camera inside clinics in Quebec. The picture is stark inside a semi-private clinic imagine public! See, I told you Mike we should have done this years ago when I suggested it.

Like most videos of this sort, it suffers from some factual errors. But still far less egregious and outrageous than anything Michael Moore puts out about the subject relating to Canada.

For example, they interview someone about his experiences with dermatology. Who cares? Like dentistry, dermatologists have private practices therefore they’re irrelevant to the discussion.

An important distinction is not made: As someone (Paul say hello) keenly point out to me, these are semi-private clinics. Not public hospitals. Public hospitals never close. Just as importantly, the Quebec system is not indicative of what goes on in other provinces since health care falls under provincial jurisdiction. For instance, Quebec allows private clinics to operate while Ontario doesn’t.This leads to different results.

These are just a couple I spotted. I feel the video was at its best while they were inside the clinics. Nonetheless, it still makes some valid points.

Generally speaking, despite provincial control, nationally we all experience, long wait times, rising expenditures, drops in overall quality of care, lack of accessibility to GPs and advanced equipment, experiencing doctor and nursing shortages and fiscal mismanagement. Canada’s performance in the OECD isn’t exactly something to write home about either.

None of this can and should be disputed. If we do, then all we do is defer to another time to make meaningful changes in enhancing and improving our frustrating Canadian public system.

What kind of changes? Man, that’s the million dollar question. So far, the best we’ve come up with is to expand private services to help alleviate strain on the public side.

Rather than sit back and take glee that the Americans want to have some type of universal care - has anyone read the bill? - maybe we should take this opportunity and assess our system properly and with conviction.

Which begs these questions: Is government responsible for providing care to all its citizens? Are there other ways to get care to the most vulnerable (children and elderly)? Is it feasible to run a universal system over time?

Following his two goal performance in a 3-1 victory for Italy over the United States at the Confederations Cup soccer tournament, Giuseppe Rossi finds himself a topic of discussion among American sports writers and commentators.

You see, Rossi is originally from Joisey (also referred to New Jersey) who happens to have dual American and Italian citizenship who decide to play soccer for Italy.

The 22 year-old Rossi is such a special talent several European teams have expressed interest in him. After starting his professional career at FC Parma in Italy, Manchester United acquired his services until they sold him to Spanish club Villareal where he currently plays. Count ‘em, that’s three major soccer nations who saw something in him.

It wasn’t long before he caught the eyes of the Azzurri - Italy’s national side - and he’s been representing them at every level since 2003.

For its part, USA soccer has come under some criticism for not trying harder to keep him within the American system. In fairness, Rossi and his family were committed to Italy, so I’m not sure how much then-coach Bruce Arena could have done. Still, he could, should have tried, no?

Does anyone have a problem with Rossi’s decision for choosing Italy over the United States? I don’t and in the case of Rossi, the American media doesn’t either. Put it you this way, who would you choose if you had the choice between a soccer powerhouse like Italy or USA? Not to disparage the U.S. program. The United States have steadily remained a top 15 soccer nation in recent years.

By this point this example should remind Canadians sports fans of a similar situation with Owen Hargreaves. Hargreaves was somehow overlooked by Team Canada but was good enough to be signed by Germany’s Bayern Munich - one of the world’s biggest and successful clubs. His development there eventually earned him a spot on England’s national side and represented them at the 2006 World Cup.  I didn’t see Hargreaves’ decision as anything but a wise move.

Jonathan de Guzman is another stand out talent born in Canada who decided to play for another country. This time, the nation in question is yet another great soccer nation: The Netherlands. His club stint was with Feyenoord and he made his international debut for the Under-21 Dutch national team in 2008.

The history of soccer has been filled with similar cases. Great players have often played for nations other than their place of birth albeit each for their own reasons. Alfredo di Stefano, one of the greatest players in history, was born in Argentina and ended up playing for Spain. Omar Sivori, also Argentinean, played for Italy. Brazilian player Alessandro dos Santos (Alex) represented Japan. Even the great Juste Fontaine wasn’t born in France proper but rather in Morocco. But that brings into question former colonies of imperial powers. My point is that Rossi and Hargreaves are hardly alone as these precious few selected examples show.

And it doesn’t stop at soccer.

In hockey, Brett Hull, like de Guzman, was ludicrously called a “traitor” for choosing to play for the Team USA back in the 1980s. His situation was a little different. A marginal player early in his career, he knew he would never crack a Canadian line-up knee-deep in talent. Team USA offered him a spot in 1986 and he took it. By 1989, Hull was on his way to becoming one of the most prolific scorers in the history of the NHL.

Pro heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis decided to box under the British flag even after winning a gold medal for Canada at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. Tennis player Greg Rusedski also bolted for the UK.

When it comes to sports, is it right to hold back an athlete in the name of nationality especially if that nation simply can’t offer anything?

In the case of soccer in particular, North America is simply not the best place to be. If Europe comes knocking, they have players at “buon giorno, bonjour, guten tag, and hello”.

“In our modern eagerness to be tolerant, we have come to tolerate things which no society can tolerate and remain healthy.” Brian Cleeve, 1938.

Did you hear about the ethics and religious cultural course (well, debate is a strong word. Did you expect being consulted?) and its aim to make us all tolerant and transcendent souls?

I have nothing against the course itself (you’re reading a post by a guy who feels “Humanities” courses have great merit) but I don’t see the point in paternalistically forcing private schools to comply - even if taught alongside religious courses. Furthermore, if parents don’t want it taught to their kids that’s their decision.

Which gets to the heart of my point: what happened to free choice?

Whenever the government (with the aid of intellectual masters) acts as a “progressive” agent I always treat it with a healthy scepticism. After all, is this not a society and government that held “reasonable accommodations” hearings and still wages its own private and petty war against the English language? Never mind about the poor state of the French language and the difficulties with “integration” in our classes.

I wasn’t sure what to make of the course itself until UQAM Professor Micahel Schleiffer recently offered his defense of the course in the Montreal Gazette. Here are some excerpts and my middling thoughts:

“A battle is raging around the world, between the vast majority of people who strive for moderation and universal values that transcend culture and religion, against fanatics and extremists of all sorts. Attacks on Quebec’s new Ethics and Religious Cultures course are helping the cause of the extremists.”

Really? I didn’t realize having a differing opinion makes you an attacking extremist. My interpretation of this passage is the world is concretely divided between “open-minded free thinkers” and “close minded enslaved sloths”.

However, is it possible, some “open minded” individuals are against not the course itself but the fact it A) trumps the parents authority (an all-too disturbing trend in Canada) and B) removes free choice from the equation?

Wasn’t President Bush derided for his “us against them” depiction of global politics in 2001?

“This course, obligatory in all Quebec schools, introduces students to the major religions and is designed to help them to deal with ethical issues independently of specific religious instruction.”

There it is. That word. Obligatory. Why must everything be “compulsory” and “obligatory”. We’re like a bunch of psychopaths. Incidentally, I once dated a girl who was Zoastroarian. It didn’t work out since my rigid Catholicism kept getting in the way. Gee, I wish I had the ethics course to make me “tolerant”!

He goes on to assure us “relativism” will not pollute our students but then he says two conflicting things,”

“…As professors, we often have to confront the university student’s view that “it’s all a matter of opinion” or “it’s all relative…”

Fair enough. Although, one can argue it is vulnerable to relativism. Can you really teach this course from a neutral bias?

But then:

“That student or child might be looking, mistakenly, for the one “right” or “correct” answer, a quest inappropriate in the context of a discussion about moral values, choices, or dilemmas.”

I’m sure I’m missing something here. “Inappropriate”? Mistakenly”? Doesn’t this sound a lot like relativism in that there are “no absolutes”?

I don’t know but from what I’ve observed some people do have moral clarity (whether you like them or not) and stick by them.

Then he gets all rhetorically goofy:

“We want children to understand about honesty, respect, responsibility and co-operation, and to see the importance of personal virtues including consideration, generosity and kindness.”

Is he insinuating religious classes (who by the way are more universal than given credit for) or parents are incapable of imparting these values? Heck, even Sesame Street covered all these bases.

If, with this piece, Professor Schleiffer (and there were other parts of the article that are up for debate) was hoping to enlighten little extremists like me, I remain in the dark.

He shouldn’t feel bad. Tolerance is a tricky thing. It’s called a FREE SOCIETY.

The problem I have with multiculturalism is the strict and steadfast adherence of preserving cultural identities (through taxpayer funding) at the expense of forging a unified, albeit elusive and confusing,  national Canadian identity.

I much rather prefer a pluralist society free of state intervention where citizens are the driving force. And yes, there’s a difference between pluralism and multiculturalism. Creating a “community of communities” organically from a grass roots level is far more meaningful than legislating culture through a bureaucratic hand. But that’s just me. I’m a sucker for power residing in the sovereign individual. Lost concepts of a time…aw forget it.

Of course, thinkers, politicians and people alike have been divided about multiculturalism since it was made a policy in 1971 (and inserted into the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Section 27) by the Liberal party.

Read the remainder of this post ››

Immigration is a long, costly and sometimes painful process. The most important key for a successful immigration request is to be organized and to have an acute knowledge of its process. For instance, failing to submit a document could further delay your request as well as cost you a lot of money.

We at WhoWeAre would like to help you get prepared for this life-changing adventure by giving you some useful resources! This site is for you, and if you know of any other good websites that would be relevant to this community, please do not hesitate to share in the comment section!

1 – CIC | Citizenship and Immigration Canada

This is an obvious one and should be your primary source of information for all official procedures concerning immigration to Canada. Make sure you read everything on this site, and understand under which category you should apply for immigration. Some categories of immigrants are more “favourable” to the Canadian Government than others, which means your application process could be sped up greatly. Also, all forms and necessary documents to be submitted are listed on this site (though not in the most ergonomic way). Do not count on Canadian High Commissions to provide you with information, we’ve heard countless times that they are not being really useful to immigrants. Basically, this site is a fantastic source of official information.

2- Immigration.ca | A forum for immigrants just like you

Along the years, this forum has grown to become a great source of unofficial information regarding immigration to Canada, and in a way completes nicely the CIC website. Powered by people looking to or in the process of immigrating, it covers everything from Processing times for people in the Philippines to How much money has to be shown to Canadian officials upon arrival. It’s also a great place to build up a sense of community and to share with people who are going through the same process as you are.

3- Not Canada

This website has sprung up to give a voice to immigrants who are disillusioned by their arrival to Canada. We know this is an odd reference for a post that actually is pro-immigration. Even though this site tends to be over dramatic, the stories of these people are real. NotCanada might shine some light about some realities of Canada that are unknown to immigrants before their arrival. For instance, it’s important to know that your diplomas and work experience might not be recognized upon arrival in this country. To avoid any disillusion and to get prepared properly for what’s really awaiting you in Canada, we strongly suggest you take a look at this website. Again, we want to stress that preparation is key for success. Get to know what you’re getting into, and this way you won’t end up on NotCanada!

4- Settlement | A source of information for those who want to immigrate to Toronto and Ontario

Of all the provinces in Canada, Ontario is the primary destination for immigrants, especially Toronto. Here, you will find information and help to find a job, learn English, organize daycare services for your kids, learn about your community and get your legal documents such as your driver’s license sorted out. Don’t wait till you’ve arrived in Canada to get accustomed with all those elements. The more you know about Canada before you get here, the easier your integration to this nation will be.

5- Nabeez’s blog

Nabeez immigrated to Canada some time ago and he is sharing on his blog some very useful information on how to get settled in this country. His experience is especially relevant to those who want to immigrate to Ontario, but it is still informative for most of you.

This completes our first post in this 25 Articles serie on How to Immigrate to Canada. We want to hear what you have to say and your inputs on immigrate. Start sharing now in the comments section!

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This post takes part in a 25 Articles serie on How to Immigrate to Canada. Stay tuned for what’s to come next!

A month later, there is still euphoria. November 4 2008 was the first day of Generation O. Only 13% of the U.S. population is Black thus clearly, this election wasn’t all about race.

It was about the good guy finishing first. It was about allowing the previously voiceless to speak. Obamamania wasn’t just about conspicuous marketing but was also about a global thirst for equality, dialogue and opportunity.

Despite all the exhilaration the American election generated, it’s impossible to not take a closer look at Canada’s elected leaders and wonder when they are going to really represent who we are. There are 34 different groups in Canada; 10 have at least I million members each and 16% of the population is non-white. It would be only fair that Parliament boast the same percentages. With a lackluster recent federal election and the upcoming December 8th snorefest also known as Québec’s elections, it’s time to step forward and carve our own new generation of leaders that will represent what’s now and what’s next. Generation O is about change-seeking underdogs giving the finger to odds, which we have forgotten, is what politicians should really be.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nahpQEy-mc8

Canada is a hot destination for immigrants.

We now greet more than 250 000 newcomers every year in this country, and those numbers keep increasing more and more. Immigration is changing the face of Canada and giving this beautiful destination new colours and flavours. But who are those individuals, what is their take on this country? We want to know!

Our WhoWeAre project is aiming to give a voice to all those immigrants (as you can see on the immigrants’ video page), but we also want to share with you our advices on the immigration process and how to get settled in Canada. There’s a lot of ground to cover, so we at WhoWeAre have decided to prepare for you 25 articles on How to Immigrate and Get Settled in Canada! Over the following weeks we will unravel those articles for you. Of course, we would love to hear about you and your needs. If there is something you would like to discuss or hear about, or if you simply want to add your input to the debate, we highly encourage you to do so. Leave us a comment or get in touch with us through email! Our first article will be up soon, so stay tuned.