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Toronto
Star, Ontario
ed.
OPINION,
Monday, February 28, 1994
Two issues have left me standing at the crossroads wondering
whether my loyalties are divided: Jag Bhaduria and the
immigration quotas.
As a Canadian and an Asian, this is a tough time of
introspection and reflection for me. Either way I lean, I find
myself in the line of fire.
If I stress "Canadian" values and encourage my kids
to sing the national anthem, I am accused of being a rootless
immigrant.
If I show partiality toward my ethnic roots without reason, I
feel I am being unfair to myself and to the future of my
children, who are not hyphenated Canadians.
I have tried to avoid the Bhaduria issue because it already
has received too much media coverage without me adding my two
bits. However, when I read that Bhaduria's supporters are taking
the much-travelled road of alleging discrimination and crying
"racism," I have to speak out.
As an Asian, I felt very proud when Bhaduria was elected as
an MP. It was a great step for Asian representation in the
country we now call home. I feel more Asians need to be elected
to prominent positions so that we can participate fully in the
Canadian dream. However, I cannot support Bhaduria after his
misdeeds. I feel I owe it to myself to judge people fairly, even
if their skin color is the same as mine.
I sympathize with Bhaduria for the stress his family is
suffering. But he has brought this on himself. When applying for
public office, he should have realized that the media can make
or break you if you are not squeaky clean. It does not matter
what color you are - the media are hungry for news, and when
they find something which carries weight, they go for the
jugular.
The honorable thing for Bhaduria would have been to step down
gracefully and lie low until this mess blows over. But he is
doing just the opposite by trying to justify his actions. Does
he think that checking the credentials of other MPs will make
his fraud and his actions acceptable to the public?
I say this without any political motivation, but I do not
believe that Bhaduria is being discriminated against. Crying
"racism" is the last resort for those of us who have
the advantage of possessing a skin color other than white.
If Bhaduria had been racially discriminated against, he would
not have been elected to Parliament. I am sick and tried of skin
color being used as a weapon. Why is it that no mention was made
of his skin color when he was elected? Has it just been
discovered that he is brown? Surely all those who voted for him
were not brown-skinned people.
It is true that some persons may be using this incident to
vent their personal frustrations against a particular party. But
that is the nature of the game.
The dilemma for me is to make a responsible decision and not
let Bhaduria's ethnic identity cover up for his unethical
actions. It is the same way I feel about Immigration Minister
Sergio Marchi's decision to allow 250,000 immigrants into Canada
this year. I am not a Reformer, but I do feel that figure is too
high. Yes, I am an immigrant, and I do not feel like a traitor
when I say this!
The fact is that Canada needs time to sort out its problems,
such as the recession and the resulting unemployment, before
bringing in more people. It's not that I believe Canada's
problems are caused by immigrants - it is irrelevant whom they
are caused by - the fact is that the problems are here and have
to be dealt with.
While saying this, I am faced with the reality that I am
closing the door on many of my own people, possibly my extended
family, but that is what the dilemma of divided loyalties is all
about.
Copyright
© 1994 Toronto Star, All Rights Reserved.
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