text: "It takes effort to address this issue, which requires our assiduous attention if all people are to have the opportunity to assume their rightful place in Canadian society as contributing and productive citizens capable of contributing to nation building."
  
    Stereotyping, racism, xenophobia, and scapegoating (along with sexism, homophobia and ageism) are always worse in hard economic times, used by politicians to distract from increasing gaps between rich, middle class, working folks and the poor.
  
    If "democracy" is about choice, despite the illusion of "inclusiveness", struggling, angry, and manipulative folks are free to dislike any of a variety of scapegoats.
  
     It's very sad that in 2017, as the economy grows more unequal, scapegoating is quietly more prevalent than ever.
  
     Genuine Scandinavian social democracies have none of these issues. Individual happiness and community harmony prevail. Unemployment, crime, discrimination are minimal. There's our role models.