Oh Canada, We Came to the Hockey Game for Thee
News item : March 18, 2017:The federal government and the Edmonton Oilers partnered to welcome 12 new Canadian citizens at Rogers Place Saturday afternoon as part of Canada 150 celebrations. Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Amarjeet Sohi and Mayor Don Iveson attended the swearing-in ceremony at Rogers Place.
As an introduction to Saturday night’s NHL hockey game in Edmonton on March 18th, a dozen “New Canadians” were honoured after their swearing-in ceremony by being called out on to the ice wearing bright orange Edmonton Oilers’ jerseys. They waved to the applause of the crowd, and then joined in on the singing of our national anthem. How stirring.
Message: We are a land of immigrants, and no matter where immigrants come from, they will become good ordinary Canadians like you and me, eager to share their ‘diversity’ by partaking in ours. I mean, what could be more Canadian than wearing the home town’s hockey jersey at a hockey game?
“This is a special one because Rogers Place is a hallowed ground for hockey,” Edmonton Mayor Iveson said. “It’s such an important part of Edmonton’s story and history, so to know that these Edmontonians and new Canadians will always associate their citizenship with this place and the heart of our city is just an exciting memory for us to all carry.”
Thus the myth of Canada as a welcoming country that needs more and more and more immigrants is firmly cemented into the mentality of all those in attendance, and the viewing audience at home as well. The fact that people from India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Afghanistan or Somalia are so happy to settle here in this largely cold wasteland flatters us. It is as if we were the owners of a restaurant who regard the line-up of patient customers outside as a compliment to our fine cuisine.
But there is a difference. Restaurant owners know that their restaurant has a limited seating capacity, just like Rogers Place. Neither Canadians nor their political representatives understand that there are limits to growth. Contrary to conventional wisdom, we have limited resources. Even drinkable water is in short supply, never mind arable farmland. And as far as affordable urban land goes, well, as Mark Twain would have said, “they’ve stopped making it.” http://womenmakenews.com/content/story/myth-canadas-underpopulation-lay-it-rest)
Now don’t get me wrong. I think we are right to honour the immigrants who helped to build this country. Just as I am right to be grateful to the carpenters who built my house. But guess what. My house is built. Done. With little room or need to grow. And while it needs ongoing maintenance, it doesn’t require that I bring in an army of carpenters every year, especially if they are going to wake me up in the wee hours by praying in the direction of Mecca.
The Cult of the Immigrant is an absurd anachronism for a mature nation that may well see robots doing half the work by mid century. The smokestack era and family farms are gone. We have no need for 300,000-450,000 extra bodies each and every year. Unless of course it is to fill the seats of our hockey arenas. Still, I don’t recall getting a dividend cheque from NHL hockey team owners for having to put up with rising house prices, unconscionable rents, appalling traffic congestion, deteriorating infrastructure, lower wages and sprawl that comes with growing the population and increasing their fan base.
Above: Potential Edmonton Oilers hockey fans, just one swearing-in ceremony away from becoming full-fledged Canadian citizens. Complimentary Liberal Party membership cards to be part of the Welcoming Package.
Tim Murray
March 19, 2017
PS We can always outfit our androids with Toronto Maple Leaf hockey sweaters and program them to watch mediocre hockey at atrocious ticket prices for 50 years without a championship in sight.
— “There’s nothing more dangerous than a shallow-thinking compassionate person.” Garrett Hardin