Dear Mr. Harper,
I write this at the request of my mother, who, along with myself represent a branch of the "old stock Canadians" to which you have been referring to during this election.
To give you an idea of our family history: my mother's family literally fled the fires of religious persecution in Switzerland, due to their refusal to conform to the state church, as per their religious beliefs (for more details, look up Anabaptist history). They first fled to the Netherlands, and subsequently, around the year 1700, sailed to Pennsylvania where they became farmers. At the time, the area was ruled by the British, who also controlled what is now our beloved country of Canada.
Following the American revolution one of my ancestors moved to what was than Upper Canada (now southern Ontario) in 1799. The other moved in 1801. Both were in search of two things: good farmland, and the assurance of religious freedom promised by the British crown (it was unknown if the Americans would honour those rights, since for my ancestors, those religious rights included being able not to fight in wars). But it was mostly for the farmland (or so my mother says).
Except for Native peoples, and a handful of people who arrived before us, we're about as "old stock Canadian" as they come.
And let me be clear: we have not forgotten where we came from.
We have not forgotten that we were once labelled as heretics for refusing to fight against so-called barbarians (aka the Ottoman Empire) because our Bibles taught us that love is stronger than hate and compassion is stronger than fear.
We remember our ancestors who risked their lives for those beliefs, who fled their homes for sake of their beliefs, rather than conform to tyrannical state.
We remember.
We "old stock Canadians" remember.
And we see what's happening in places like Syria. We see people (Christian and Muslim) whose lives are in danger because of fanatics who refuse to accept beliefs other than their own (tyrants who, for the record, came into being because of wars started by Western countries-but we won't get into that here).
We see people desperate for the chance my family had: the chance to start over. The chance to live in a place where we could be free from persecution and fear.
Three hundred years ago, that was my family. And we haven't forgotten. And let me tell you something: not only are we grateful to live in this country, we think those people around the world who are currently living in situations similar to what our family experienced three hundred years ago deserve the chance to live here too.
Christian, Muslim, Syrian, Iraqi, etc. Wherever they're from, or whatever religion they have, they deserve the same chance my family had.
Now, if you don't want to support refugees, fine. Canada is a free country and you may believe what you want.
But please, don't use my family history, and the histories of other "old stock Canadians" like us to support your beliefs.
It's insulting.
Sincerely,
A descendant of Reverend Jacob Moyer (arrived 1799) and Dilman Moyer (arrived 1801)
