“Purity of the Country”? That Spa Survey is a Canary in the Coal Mine for Canadian Values

What year is it? Have we not learned anything from history? The concept of “purity” applied to a nation is inherently exclusionary, often steeped in racist and xenophobic ideologies. It implies that some people are inherently more “Canadian” than others, based on their origins, their culture, or the colour of their skin. And who gets to decide what constitutes “purity,” anyway? The answer, historically, is always the same: those who already hold power, using it to protect their privilege and exclude those they deem “other.”

While Thermea’s parent company is pulling the survey and issuing apologies, the fact that such a question was even considered, let alone distributed, speaks volumes. It suggests a disturbing undercurrent of anti-immigrant sentiment lurking beneath the surface of our supposedly tolerant society.

This isn’t just about a poorly worded survey. It’s about the normalization of language and ideas that feed into a broader, more sinister narrative. We’ve seen it brewing for years: the subtle (and not-so-subtle) suggestions that immigrants are a drain on resources, that they don’t share “our” values, that they are somehow diluting the “Canadian” identity. This insidious rhetoric, often cloaked in the guise of “legitimate concerns” about immigration levels or cultural integration, creates an environment where openly hateful views can flourish.

And let’s be honest, we’ve seen an alarming uptick in this type of rhetoric in the Canadian political landscape. While I would never accuse anyone of anything directly, the coded language, the fear-mongering about “cultural decay,” the constant emphasis on “protecting our way of life” – it all contributes to a climate of suspicion and division. We must be vigilant against the creeping rise of these dangerous ideas in our society.

This is not the Canada I know and love. This is not the Canada that welcomed my grandparents, the Canada that prides itself on its multiculturalism, the Canada that I want to leave to future generations.

So, what can we do? We need to actively challenge these insidious narratives whenever and wherever they appear. We need to call out the dog whistles, expose the thinly veiled prejudice, and refuse to let these ideas take root in our society. We need to support organizations that are working to promote diversity and inclusion, and we need to hold our political leaders accountable for their words and actions.

This spa survey may seem like a minor incident, but it’s a stark reminder that the fight for a truly inclusive Canada is far from over. It’s a call to action, a reminder that we cannot take our values for granted, and that we must be ever vigilant against the forces of division and hate. The “purity of the country” lies not in homogeneity, but in the richness and diversity of its people, united by a shared commitment to justice, equality, and respect. Let’s make sure that’s the Canada we continue to build.