Article content

It’s rather troubling to know that after merely reading the headline of this article, there are some who have already condemned me as a racist bigot and an intolerant xenophobe, regardless of what else I am about to say, and regardless of what I embody and live. At least, this is what I am led to believe by the overreactions to Conservative MP Maxime Bernier’s recent tweets.

Bernier dared question the sanctity of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s adoration and mystical use of the D-word, as though its mere utterance carries transcendent power. In boringly predictable fashion, and in a fine display of the cultish element Bernier was referring to, backlash was harsh and swift, and featured the usual list of labels that have lost much of their meaning as a result of overuse.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Opinion: Questioning the promotion of diversity shouldn't be off-limits Back to video

For those who actually want to take the time to discuss and think things through, however, the role of diversity in our national identity should not be off-limits for discussion. Diversity, on its own, is a rather vague term. In relation to our national identity, it seems to be only partial in description. We are a nation of people who can trace their ethnic and cultural origins to a great many places, but what is it about this fact that binds us together under a banner of national unity?