When I go somewhere for a business trip or just a trip in general I try and understand what makes that place unique. What makes it special. I will even adopt whatever the uniqueness is as much as possible when I’m there. I don’t mean that I change myself, or affect airs, but I do try and accommodate the people there. It helps me to learn. Both learn what makes their way better, and what makes my way better. Only by embracing this change can you better yourself. You have to be open to a better way. You also have to know enough about where you come from to decide if that way is really better.
Now, consider the average individual coming over to Canada from any other country. There has to be a reason why they are moving from their home country to Canada, otherwise why would you move? People don’t move to another country just for the good of their own health. The #1 reason why people move to Canada is because the standard of living is far better. There are jobs for anyone that wants to work, and one of the highest standards of living in the world. The only other major reason why people move to Canada is because someone else they know or family moved to Canada, and they of course moved because of the standard of living.
So some advice when moving to Canada: When you get here, ask yourself the question “Why is Canada’s standard of living better than mine?” The answer will be a combination of any of these fundamentals and in most case all of them: Freedom, religious and otherwise, higher work ethic, a belief in equality, not only of men, but of women as well, freedom, democracy, freedom, separation of church and state. You get the picture.
Now if you ask yourself this question, the next logical question is “Do you want to reap the benefits of where you’re moving to, or do you want to make it like home?” You can’t have it both ways. If you make it like home, then all of the reasons you moved to Canada will go away because if you make it like home, the standard of living will be just like home. If on the other hand you want to benefit from a high standard of living then you have to adopt what makes the nation you’re immigrating to better than where you came.
For the Muslims in the room: Yes, Christianity is barbaric, so is Judaism. However, they’re LESS barbaric than Islam (yes, I have read the Koran.) It is less barbaric for only one reason: Christianity was infected with a fight from the very beginning that eventually caused the split of the protestants and the Catholics. The reason for this is grounded in the very first days of Christianity when Germanicous won and only priests and the pope could speak to God. But the seeds of protest, the seeds of freedom had already been sown. Mostly in Britain where Christianity was sold as an augment to the Pagan religions of the region. In the end, Britain split because of a man that liked to get rid of his wives got pissed off when the Pope wouldn’t allow it. But regardless of the reason, Britain was the most influential country in the world while the world was expanding, when the ideas of freedom and what later to become the Bill of Rights in the US was forming. As a result Christianity ended up, Catholic or otherwise, having to accept the concept of freedom that has its roots in early Britain. So make no mistake, I’m not asking you to change your religion. In fact I’m asking you to accept a very secular position and put freedom as your highest value. Only by doing so will you ever reap the rewards of your new country. If you do not, then you might as well stay where you’re coming from because you’re just going to make your small area (since you’ll want to congregate with people that feel the same as is just natural) of Canada just like your home country and if enough of people that believe like you come here, then what makes Canada great will not matter any longer.
Embrace what makes Canada great. Religion does not, religious freedom does. Belief that women are possessions does not, belief in equality does. Belief that you’re moving to a country of infidels does not, a belief in the individual and judging everyone you meet by their individual abilities and accomplishments does.
I realize that you identify yourself by your religion and judge everyone else around you by your religious values. However, religion is a personal thing that has nothing to do with the rest of society. This is not a Muslim state, or even a Catholic state for that matter. This is a religion free state (except for the funding of the catholic school board embedded in our Charter of Rights which boggles my mind). And it is that specific distinction that makes Canada and nations like it great and better than wherever you’re coming from.
Oh and another thing. You cannot reap the rewards of what Canada has to offer if you don’t learn the language. And to be clear the language of Canada is English. Not French. A very small percentage of English people speak French. Almost ALL of the French speaking population speak English. You must learn the language of the country you’re going to. And do yourself a favour. Learn English anyhow, because chances are, wherever you go, there will be English speaking people… and yes, any language will be easy to learn (with possibly the exception of Hungarian) compared to English when the time comes.
I think it’s fantastic that you want to come to Canada. But please make sure you understand the reason you want to come to Canada. It is specifically because religion does not rule our government or our courts. It is specifically because nothing is sacred and everything can be questioned. It is because of freedom, absolute freedom, that we are a great nation. And yes, we have a hypocrisies in the name of socialism, but you ARE free so long as you pay your tax. (Yes, it’s a FREEDOM TAX!)
Feast on Canada and become a productive member of Canada. We are a very embracing nation, more so than most others. I’m not asking you to forget your religion. I’m asking you to sample what Canada has to offer, in earnest, with commitment and adopt what makes us better than where you came from. If you decide that you don’t like Canada for Canada, then perhaps it would be best if you went back to where you do like what the nation has to offer. If you cannot get over your religion and embrace freedom and equality, then please, go back to where that is acceptable and accept the lower standard of living in the process. They go hand in hand. Anything else is not acceptable in Canada.
(And I’m not just picking on Muslims, there are lots of European, Asian, and African immigrants that fail to do the same thing.)