They also let in the remnants of the Confederacy, including Jefferson Davis into Canada after the civil war. That’s why we have Confederate flag waving hicks in Ontario.
Canada has a problem with trying to play neutral by aiding the bad people in a conflict.
Spoilers: It was because of anti-communist sentiments and policies.
Canada’s Immigration Department after the war determinedly and successfully prevented communists and other leftists from immigrating to Canada or even visiting the country.
…
My interpretation of the immigration files, along with cabinet discussions, is that the same anti-communist obsession that dominated immigration policies before the war and resulted in indifference, if not actual support, regarding fascists and Nazis who might be entering Canada, quickly re-established itself after the war.
Right-wing extremists, rather than being viewed as a security threat, were viewed as potential docile workers who would be on the “right side” as Canada made the fight against communism internally and worldwide the centre of its foreign policy. They would be bulwarks against Marxism and Marxists in Canada.
The government actively chose Nazis over communists, Jews, and people of colour, because Nazis would oppose communists, Jews, and people of colour.
Several leaders of the RCMP unit in charge of security screening protested unsuccessfully that the Department of Citizenship and Immigration was knowingly allowing war criminals into Canada.
Too right wing for even the RCMP. /s
Joking aside:
Canadian bureaucracies are so good at this. Our leaders say the right things in public, then fail to carry through, and bureaucrats keep the machine running.
When people who actually adhere to the ideals we profess to follow speak up, bureaucrats quietly squelch them down. And keep the machine running.
Might explain in part why this sleepy ideology has been popping up and taking hold so strongly lately. Hopefully they all meet the same end as their ancestors and our society can rid itself of the hateful thought. Looks like we’re in for a hell of a fight, though it seems only 10-20% are so hard lined they’ll die on that hill.
Really? Can you point me to something I can read about this? I always assumed it’s because American politics seeps across the border, even when it doesn’t make sense, and they agree with the confederate flag guys about other things like hating the gays.
After a quick skim, do any of these talk about the flag connection? We absolutely sheltered every kind of fleeing American through history, but AFAIK the whole phenomenon about that flag was much more recent, and it wasn’t even the one the confederacy usually used.
I’ve driven around the borders of Ontario Quebec, and you see a lot of old southern plantation style properties. I’ve looked up some of the history and these are places built by some of the wealthier Confederates who settled in Canada, I’m sure there’s a small history there. But it seems that the most recent trend of seeing Confederate flags, is nothing more than a bunch of conservative edge lords, using the flag as a way to brag about their racism and political leanings.
I used to have a neighbor that would put up his Confederate flag on his window, this was in Scarborough Ontario, a suburb of Toronto. I always wondered how miserable one must be, being an openly loud racist in such a multi cultural city.
Add comment