Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is painfully naive if he believes Canada’s strength lies in diversity. Tolerance and inclusion are great buzzwords but, in my opinion, it’s reverse racism.

The campaign of Jagmeet Singh is an example. If Singh was a white Protestant and said he opposed the burqua and niquab bans in Quebec, or if he refused to condemn Iderjit Sikh Reyat for his terrorism, he’d have a snowball’s chance.

But he’s not.

In Tom Parkin’s recent column in the Toronto Sun, I wasn’t sure if Parkin wanted to support Singh or smooch him. Singh’s candidacy as leader of the NDP was seen as something akin to the Second Coming. Parkin wrote that it was “impossible to underestimate the significance of a young, brown-skinned, turban-wearing…” and on he went.

What I see in that comment is ageism and racism, although I’m sure Parkin sees himself as inclusive and open-minded.

Parkin went on to disrespect what he perceives to be the racism and white privilege of Americans and the president they elected almost a year ago. As with Canadians, Americans have a problem with immigrants coming into their borders – not to become part of the nation, but to live off its largesse. That’s not white privilege, that’s just common sense.

When Singh was heckled by Jennifer Bush, the incident was painted in terms of racism, and snickers were made that she didn’t know Sikhism from Islam. She said she knew that, but her problem was that Singh seems to be far too sympathetic with Islam. I think she’s right.

His retorts to her were meaningless and Singh didn’t hear her out. His comment about his not allowing a positive event be occluded by hate was a smoke screen. She was right and he knew it. And yet again, Singh played the victim race card by saying that as a brown-skinned, turbaned, bearded man, he was no stranger to prejudice.

Meanwhile, I read one MPP gush about Singh’s candidacy as being so much more important, more powerful than yet another “white-bread” candidate. That’s pure racism right there.

What are Canada’s strengths? I saw it in my parents’ generation. Toughness mixed with compassion. A multi-faceted culture. A drive to achieve with a willingness to share. A willingness to help out when others need it.

They went through the two world wars and the Great Depression, and kept their faith in their homeland. Whether Justin Trudeau wants to admit it or not, Canada was indeed settled by English, French, Scottish, Irish, and other Europeans, which means the very robust culture of Canada has roots that go back well beyond its founding.

So please understand that diversity for its own sake is racism. Multiculturalism and inclusiveness are indicators of the strength of a nation, but not the strength of a nation.

Greg Scharf was born in Sarnia and lives in Southern California