Canadians are generally bemused and mystified by the reality show that U.S. Presidential politics has become. (I guess so are a lot of Americans - ed.). After all, in Canada, Trump supporters insulting Mexicans and Chinese are arrested. So cheer the heck up - the prospect of a Trump presidency has activated in Canadians the same “How can I help” instincts that mobilized over one million men and women into the military out of a population of 16 million in World War II. The same country that liberated the Netherlands, and has sent over 120,000 troops on peacekeeping missions since 1956, stands ready to accept Americans fleeing the horror of the heart of darkness in the swamps of DC. How, you may ask? By making it easier for Americans to immigrate! Yes, as of Nov 19th, 2016, the “Express Entry” immigration program rules have been broadened so that education and short-term employment in Canada are shorter routes to landed immigrant status. And here’s an ironic twist - under NAFTA, Americans with professional training and credentials can enter freely if they have a job waiting for them in Canada. Who knew that NAFTA was good when both Trump and Bernie had nothing good to say about it?

But, full disclosure, even Canada has issues. In the Montreal borough of Outremont, a very visible community of Hasidim has now reached twenty-five percent of the borough’s population. And a contentious referendum has just restricted the number of religious buildings on the main commercial streets to five - no more may be built. The Hasidim feel, rightly so, that the new bylaw is targeting them. There are no riots, or shootings, but It is certainly not all sweetness and light- just read the comments in the linked article - there is resentment of a community that is visible, proudly different, will not integrate into the broader society, will not speak French, and seems to be taking over a traditional, mostly bourgeois francophone lapsed Catholic, neighborhood. Plus the Hasids have never been known to play hockey or eat poutine, making them doubly suspicious.

All joking aside, it’s perhaps good to be reminded from time to time that no society is without conflict, you have to live and work and share space with people you really do not like in order to get along. Isn’t that better than hating and demonizing them?

Finally, I couldn’t resist linking to the video attached. It’s devastating.