Hello readers,

With the beginning of 2016 and half way through the CAP’s Global Citizen stream, and half way through my first year in Canada, I now feel that I’ve formed a better understanding and a clearer perspective on Canadian politics. I’ve noticed that a lot of the political talks that I’ve had since I’ve come to Canada and a couple of the assignments given in Sociology and Political Science have been about immigrants, specifically Syrian immigrants. At this point in history, one of the most important issue for many developed and neighbouring countries of Syria has been the immigration of Syrian refugees, and Canada’s new liberal governed has offered to take in 25,000 refugees. I think that it is great that Canada has offered to take in such a large number of refugees and provide them with humanitarian support. I’ve seen the images online and videos on news channels and on the internet in general, and read articles and heard things that refugees had to say about the horror they’re going through, and I can only imagine how helpless they must feel. However, I do feel concerned with if bringing in these refugees could threaten Canada’s security or economy, or show an increase in social problems such as for crime rates or racism.

But something that really stood out to me earlier today regarding this issue, are some the comments made anonymously on the social platform of Yik Yak. Yik Yak is an app (mainly for university students) where people anonymously share their thoughts and questions and people only in that area can view those “yaks” and comment on them.

In the main post, the “OP”, the “Original Poster” asked how people feel about Canada bringing in 25,000 Syrian refugees, and there was a range of response in the comments section. But one comment that stood out to me was “Canada was founded by Europeans and it should primarily belong to Europeans. Backwards desert religions have no place here.” Obviously this is from a person with a very racist view, but only looking at the first part of the comment of Canada only belonging to Europeans, I reacted with a very straight answer of no, it doesn’t Canada primarily belongs to First Nations people, and then all the other Canadian citizens. But then I spoke to some of my friends and asked them about their view, and two of my friends agreed with the anonymous person who made the comment, and they said that this comment is partially right because the Europeans made developments here and therefore, Canada belongs to them more. To this response, I had a range of emotions and thoughts because they did develop Canada but then another part of me responded with “did the First Nations people want that development”.

In conclusion, I don’t think I have a conclusion. But a part of me says that Canada does not primarily belong to the European descendants, but to every Canadian citizen. But the other of me thinks thats its a sensitive area and I should listen to other people’s views first and make a conclusion collectively.