"Welcome!" With open arms, German Chancellor Angela Merkel ushered in one million Syrian refugees in 2015. A country notorious for its Holocaust horrors became a beacon to the world's dispossessed. She embodied, with no small irony, the words that adorn the Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
It was all so refreshing. But it was not to last.
Fast-forward two years, and our compassionate hero of the free world is fighting for her political life. Her primary rival: a right-wing insurgency birthed by her act of compassion.
A similar backlash is playing out across the Western world. Xenophobic forces are growing in France, Denmark, the UK and U.S.
Everywhere (so it seems) except in Canada. With one of the highest percentages of foreign-born residents in the Western world (approaching 22%), Canada is an island when it comes to our positive views of newcomers.
This makes it difficult for us to relate. We're dumbfounded by the situation in the U.S. where so-called Dreamers, many of whom don't speak the language of their home country, will soon be at risk of deportation.
As a Canadian, I would like to smugly say, "You xenophobic infidels! Why can't you be more welcoming like us?"
That would be smug. Too smug. There's more than one reason for our difference in views, of course, and racism may play a role. But in light of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, can we claim we're less racist? The truth is that Canada has a different starting point when it comes to immigration. Partly due to our system, and partly due to geography.
While the American system focuses more on family reunification, Canada has targeted economic migrants since 1967. Half of new immigrants to Canada have a bachelor's degree and most require a job offer to immigrate.
On a personal level, I detest this system. We've been on an immigration journey with our nephew from Ukraine for the last four years. The process is lengthy, costly, and full of bureaucratic red tape.
But it certainly weeds out the less motivated. This grueling system could be why we, as Canadians, have such a positive view of immigrants. They don't take away jobs, they fill job vacancies. They are our doctors, our tradespeople and our scientists. They add to our diversity, but most of all, they spur economic growth.
There isn't the same socio-economic divide that exists in many countries. Most immigrants I know live in better neighbourhoods than I do! (Full disclosure: I'm married to an immigrant, so I guess we're a half-immigrant family.)
Our geography helps, too. We share a border with only one country and it's a world superpower. Rarely do we speak of border security - we're more prone to complain about too much than too little.
Only recently have we begun to experience a challenge similar to that of the U.S. and Europe: an inflow of refugees through a porous border. Although they're still relatively small, these numbers will likely increase.
How will we react? With compassion and open arms?
Every nation has their limits. While we may think we stand on higher moral ground, Canada is equally susceptible to intolerance.
