Canadian values -- only in Québec?

Canadian reaction to British Prime Minister Cameron's "multiculturalism has failed" speech has been strangely muted. The Land of the Maple Leafs [Is this right? Ed.] seems to be the last bastion of political correctness. No politician of any stripe has recognized the vote-gathering potential of standing up for Canadian values. Either that, or they're waiting for someone to define "Canadian values" for them.

Step forward Michael Den Tandt. Writing in the Sun newspapers today, Mr. Den Tandt arguess that the Oath of Citizenship should be amended "to include a vow to uphold values of tolerance, liberty and gender equality."

While I can think of some additions to or subtractions from Mr. DT's list, I agree with the concept. Surely there must be some values which are shared by the majority. Why is it that none of Canada's "leaders" wants to stand up for the things that Canucks hold dear?

Den Tandt accuses the Conservatives of being afraid of alienating communities they're "working hard to woo". He means (amongst others) the Sikhs whose bloc vote controls half a dozen ridings in the western Greater Toronto Area and another three or four in British Columbia's Lower Mainland.

Sikhism requires male believers to wear, along with turbans and special underpants, ceremonial daggers called kirpans. This makes some non-Sikhs nervous, especially when the Sikhs want to wear their kirpans into government chambers in which their rights are being discussed.

You can't bring a weapon into Canada's Parliament Buildings, or the Ontario or British Columbia legislatures. Unless, of course, you're a Sikh. Then it's OK because... errr... no-one wants any vizmins to be offended, lest they fail to vote in the desired way.

Except in Québec. To the chagrin of The Rest of Canada -- especially PM Steve Harpoon -- Québec's Assemblée Nationale voted this week to ban the wearing of kirpans in their building. Voted nem con.* Unanimously too.

Only in Québec, it seems, are people unafraid to stand up and be counted for values shared by the majority, even when they conflict with the "rights" of a minority. Strange, eh!

* nemine contradicente