Vancouver’s housing debate not about race
I had coffee this week with three Canadian friends one of us was born in Egypt, one in Hong Kong, one in Iran and one in Canada (me) and the subject arose: Is there a relationship between Metro Vancouver out of control housing prices and racism?
We battered around a few arguments, including that the hundreds of thousands of transnational migrants and investors who have discovered Metro Vancouver in the past decade cannot be morally blamed, individually, for the city astronomical housing costs. That is, except for those involved in corruption or tax evasion.
canadian goose jacket In most cases, canada goose coats transnational migrants, many wealthy and with dual citizenship, are simply doing what anyone in their situation would do if they could afford it: Investing in Canadian real estate to create a safe economic landing for their families outside their often troubled countries of origin. canadian goose jacket
While our coffee group recognized some people might scapegoat migrants from certain Canada Goose Outlet countries, canada goose outlet especially Mainland China, we acknowledged the most crucial thing is to get up to speed on the multiple factors behind runaway housing prices so we can encourage governments to finally do something to ease them.
canada goose Our discussion led me to canada goose conclude that the debate over housing affordability canada goose coats on sale does not need to be dominated by race or ethnicity. canada goose
It needs to focus on public policy.
Canada Goose Online RelatedVancouver housing: After dragging heels, Feds plan buy canada goose jacket crackdown on tax cheatsBank of Canada holds rates to tame Vancouver housing marketIt should zero in on public policies that will help Metro Vancouver be canada goose deals a real community a place not only of ethnic diversity, but of economic diversity, where power is mostly in the hands of the people and the gap between the poor, middle class and rich does not widen more than it has already. politicians. Canada Goose Online
But many Canadians don seem comfortable with such debates, unlike many in Europe and elsewhere, where it generally expected one will be up for a rousing dinner table discussion about politics, money buycanadagoose.biz and power.
buy canada goose jacket cheap Rather than talking about overriding issues such as economic equality and justice, Canadians seem to find it Canada Goose sale easier, more socially acceptable, to talk about so called identity politics; which emphasizes ethnicity, gender and individual freedoms. buy canada goose jacket cheap
canada goose coats on sale As a result, in Canada, racial discrimination, or the possibility of it, is often the go to topic. That so even while international agencies continue to rank Canada the most country in the world in regards to immigration. canada goose coats on sale
canada goose clearance When it comes to housing, why do a relative few British Columbian canada goose clearance voices remain fixated on racial issues? canada goose clearance
Canada Goose Jackets It easy to dismiss real estate industry lobbyists who accuse those worried about high housing prices as racist or xenophobic since their vested interest for the past three decades has been to distract politicians from imposing policies that might cool the flow of foreign money into the market. Canada Goose Jackets
canada goose uk black friday Some other Canadians concerned about racism don have such dubious motives, but I convinced much of their super vigilance arises out of a misunderstanding of the definition of racism. canada goose uk black friday
The Oxford Dictionary understanding of racism is quite specific. It not as sweeping as believed by some people, including the liberal arts academics who build their careers on alleging buy canada goose jacket cheap that of racism exist where they may not.
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‘Identity politics’ undermines canadian goose jacket the common good
The Oxford Dictionary defines racism as: discrimination or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one own race is superior. the housing crisis may trigger some hard core racists people who actually do discriminate based on the belief their ethno cultural group is superior there is no evidence such behaviour is widespread in Canada or Metro Vancouver.
canada goose uk shop Residents of Metro would have a right to be morally concerned no matter where the billions of dollars flooding into the city housing market was coming from. canada goose uk shop
If, theoretically, it were pouring in from tens of thousands of Canada Goose online Caucasians based in Kelowna, strong feelings, including resentment, and ethical concerns, including in regards to equality, would be justified. That causes some canada goose black friday sale people to jump up and start using the Canada Goose Jackets word I don think it helpful, says Lo.
Canada Goose online Ujjal Dosanjh, a former federal Liberal cabinet minister, lambastes politicians and property developers who misuse the word to stifle debate over important issues. He says people have to acknowledge the great distance Canadians have come in overcoming bigotry of the early 20th century. Canada Goose online
UBC planning professor emeritus Setty Pendakur, who has advised the Chinese government, says hyper vigilant worries about inter cultural tensions provide a convenient coverup for wealthy investors, whether Canadian born or from abroad, who illegal money here or avoid Canadian taxes. Justin Fung, a member of Housing Action for Local Taxpayers or HALT, says of racism sidetrack British Columbians from facing canada goose store the hard policy decisions that will be necessary if we are to ever again link Metro Vancouver wages to housing costs.
uk canada goose outlet So, if as a society we can manage to stay focused on the central issue, how do we institute policies that will help Metro Vancouver become a place where average families can afford to buy or rent decent housing? uk canada goose outlet
Canada Goose sale Even though it ethically fine to collect data on the nationalities of buyers and sellers and, more importantly, on the country in which they are for tax purposes any policies to cool down the housing market must, of course, be universal. Canada Goose sale
canada goose clearance sale We should expect colour blindness in all policies designed to counter runaway housing prices including those that deal with speculation, empty houses, international cheap Canada Goose money laundering, real estate trickery, social housing, political party financing or immigration policy canada goose clearance sale.
