We are proud Canadians, but I (Rima) am originally from Lebanon. And it was the worst of politics—in the form of a violent civil war, rooted in identity politics—that my family and I fled, to find a new home in Canada, along with hundreds of thousands of others.
The stereotype that Lebanese immigrants are hard-working with entrepreneurship in their blood is, well, true. In a land of endless opportunities like Canada, they have made massive contributions in the world of business, science, engineering, medicine, arts, music, law, policing, and politics. Let’s flesh out a far-from-comprehensive list of examples.
The Lebanese diaspora has enriched—and is well equipped to keep enriching—their beloved Canada. But their contributions have exemplified more than human agency in a free country—and the creativity and entrepreneurship that flows. It is also a stark contrast of two societies: one free and flourishing, while the other is consumed with the horrors of tribalism and sectarianism.
And this may be their greatest contribution: A warning to Canada, to turn back from our rapid descent into identity politics—a perilous road that eventually tears countries apart.
To grasp the danger of identity politics, consider that it not only defines us by our visible identity, but also traps others into it. But dividing people into groups of colour, gender, ethnicity, religion, and so forth—and then judging them based on that group identity—is nothing new. It’s called tribalism. And history teaches us just how dangerous this is—even very recent history, not to mention the present-day Middle East.
To become Canadian is to reject tribalism and accept my neighbour as an individual, not a faceless member of a group. Under the law, we are equal, and we are judged in Canadian society by our character and merit—not ancestry or surface-level “identifiers” beyond our control. At least, this is the Canada that welcomed me (Rima)—and so many others—decades ago.
Those who describe us as a “post-national state,” without a “core identity” or “mainstream,” could not be more mistaken. Such a rootless vision of multiculturalism lends itself to radical identity-based movements like cancel culture and self-righteous obsession with diversity, to the point of cult-like closed-mindedness.
Identity politics is the opposite of the unity that is so needed in our beloved country. Contrary to the cancel-Canada-Day accusations of “systemic racism,” Canada is in fact “systematically” welcoming to newcomers—the very opposite of racism.
Let’s not lose the true north—strong and free. This July 1, celebrate Canada!