Best antidote to terrorism is immigrants' economic success: Don Pittis

Superficially,the fearful reactionof Canadian, U.S, and European politicians to a new wave of Syrian immigrants mayseemrational.

In the wake of horrific attacks in Paris, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has asked that Canada's Syrianimmigrationplan be suspended. In Poland and some U.S. states, leaders have said they no longer want Syrian immigrants at all.

A more careful examination of what happened in Paris will tell us our worries should lie elsewhere.

The best antidote to the kind of domesticIslamicradicalism that we have seen in Europe is not fear of immigration, butsuccessful economic and social integration of new immigrants into the Canadian mainstream.

• Sask. Premier Brad Wall asks Ottawa to suspend Syrian refugee plan
• Germany warns against crackdown as Poland pulls out of EU agreement
• Republicans strengthen resolve against admittng Syrian refugees
• In Paris, the 'us'vs 'them'that divides a city won't heal it

A backlash against the new arrivals is no surprise to Shakil Choudhury,senior partner at Anima Leadership, a company that helps employers adapt to a more diverse workforce.

Choudhury, author ofDeep Diversity:Overcoming Us vs Them.says it is part of human nature for us each toharbour what he calls aninner terroristthat can switch on, especially when we identify a group asacting against our interests.

Registering objects, not people

"Whatour brain tends to do is register those individuals and groups more as objects than as people," says Choudhury, speaking on CBC's Metro Morning.

Right-wing politicians in the U.S. may be cynically playing to that Paris-generatedxenophobia. Some have called it fear-mongering.

But Europeans must be looking at the disenchantment in the suburbs of Paris and in Brusselswhere the architect of the attack wasborn and raised and must be fearful of creating the same kind of Islamist breedingground in their own cities.

But the expected wave of 25,000 immigrants soon coming to Canada is not the problem.

The peoplecurrently escaping from the Syrian no-man's-land are unlikely to want to createa new warzonein their adopted countries. In theCanadian case, experts say screeningto weed out potential radicals hypothetically disguising themselves amongthe immigrants will be more thorough and thereforemore reliable following the Paris outrage.

• 'Thorough'refugee screening puts Canada at low security risk
• Syrian refugee screening paramount,says health minister

What we have seen in Paris and Brussels is not the radicalism of a first-generation of immigrants. Instead, it arose domestically from theirdisillusioned offspring.

Kryptonite for terrorism

And whilethe Paris attacks may have made Europeans andCanadians less empathetic, quicker to judge and quicker to punish,Choudhurysays the human tendency to separate into"we" and "they" when we feel threatened or rejectedgoes both ways.

In his experience, there is a way to overcome that kind of division."Compassion and openness is the kryptonitefor terrorism and fundamentalism," says Choudhury. "What draws youngpeople into that process is thefeeling of not belonging."

In the case of France and Belgium, the feeling of not belonging may indeed be part of the problem, but in many ways the origins of that feeling are economic. As was widely reported during the Charlie Hebdoattack in January, manyMuslim youths in the Paris suburbs areunemployed, disenfranchised and disenchanted.

In Canada, especially inthe bigger cities,we have the advantage of our existing diversity. When we literally rub shoulders every day on public transitwith people of all races and religions, when we hear diverse groups ofyoung people chatting in Canadian accents, it is slightlyharder to identify the "they."

Confused bigots?

Perhaps that was one of theproblems for thepoor confused bigots whosmashed the windows of a Hindu templein Kitchener, Ont.,on Sunday, seemingly in retaliation for the Paris attacks.

For immigrants, coming to a Europe or North America they may have only seen in magazinesor on the internetcould well be a disappointment.

As we've seen before, even qualified professionals won't be able to walk into jobs in their chosen profession. Entry level jobs, especially in big cities, won't buy the sitcom lifestyle as seen on TV.

Nonetheless,the first generationwelcomed to Canada from a war-shattered countrywill be willing to make allowances.For most, a safe home, a job and good schools for their children will be enough. But that gratitude is unlikely to last another generation.

Even in Canada, without offering jobs and opportunity, without thechances at good collegesand promotions expected by other Canadians,the danger of creating a disillusioned second generation remains. And that, more than keeping out a group of homeless people escaping war, whatever their religion, may bethe biggest risk to Canadian security.

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