Assimilation, Selective Morality, and the Canadian Value of Freedom

 

In Canada, conversations around assimilation and integration often focus on visible minorities or immigrant groups. We question whether they are truly adapting to Canadian values. But perhaps the question should be turned inward: *are we, ourselves, living fully by the values we claim to uphold?*

Assimilation is not simply about language, food, or the celebration of national holidays. At the core of Canadian identity lies a fundamental principle—**freedom of choice.** This freedom allows individuals to live according to their values and preferences, provided they do not harm others. It is the bedrock upon which multiculturalism, equality, and democratic governance rest.

Yet, within our society, we practice a form of *selective morality*. We embrace certain aspects of freedom but quietly impose restrictions on others, often shaped by cultural trends or personal biases. Tattoos, once considered taboo, are now widely accepted—even celebrated. LGBTQ identities, long stigmatized, are increasingly recognized and protected. Open marriages, polyamory, and even polyandry or polygamy are becoming subjects of open discussion. These shifts are paraded as signs of progress and enlightenment.

But here lies the contradiction: while many adopt these evolving norms with pride, they sometimes deny the same principle of freedom to others whose choices fall outside what is currently fashionable or acceptable. A heterosexual couple who chooses traditional marriage may be dismissed as old-fashioned. A faith-based community that clings to conservative values may be labeled intolerant. A minority group that resists mainstream cultural shifts is often accused of being “unassimilated.”

So the question arises: *Are we truly integrated into Canadian values if we respect freedom only when it aligns with our preferences?*

Canadian values do not mean conformity to one moral standard, whether progressive or traditional. Rather, they mean **respecting the right of adults to make their own choices**—whether those choices look like yours or not. True assimilation into Canadian society requires more than adopting what is trending; it demands a commitment to pluralism, even when the diversity of choices unsettles us.

If we believe that adults should be free to love whom they want, marry whom they want, or live however they choose, then consistency requires us to defend that same freedom for those who choose differently. Anything less is not freedom but selective morality masquerading as progress.

Integration into Canadian society is not about erasing differences or adopting one cultural script. It is about standing on a firm foundation of freedom, where every individual’s dignity is protected, and every adult’s choice is respected—even when those choices diverge from our own.

Until we embrace that, perhaps it is not the newcomers who need the lecture on assimilation, but ourselves.