The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1946, Blaðsíða 16

14
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Winter 1946
Canadian, GitiyendJufi and OuA, lOideSi JlayaUieA
The above is the title of a book by the
chairman of our Editorial Board, which
will be off the press about the same
time as this number of the Icelandic
Canadian. As he prefers not to have
any comments made by a fellow mem-
ber of the board, I am quoting the
following excerpts from the Foreword
to the book by Dr. Solomon Frank.
“Judge W. J. Lindal has made, in the
pages which follow, a significant con-
tribution to the study of Canada’s pos-
ition in a rapidly shifting international
scene. Where do our loyalties and re-
sponsibilities lie? What is Canada’s
position in the British Commonwealth
of Nations? What of Canada and its
place in a new world outlook which
is even now in the process of evolu-
tion? What, if any, ideological stand
must Canada permanently adopt? A
careful consideration of these basic
issues precede the study proper, a well
documented exposition of the impli-
cations of the Canadian Citizenship
Act sponsored by the Secretary of
State, The Hon. Paul Martin and enacted
by Parliament. The Act comes into force
on January 1, 1947.
“As one views the history of the im-
mediate past, it becomes increasingly
apparent that the major obstacle to
clarity of international thinking has
consisted in the failure to comprehend
the basic meaning of loyalty. To some,
loyalty is still thought to consist of love
for a particular land to the exclusion of
every other portion of the earth’s sur-
face. While sectional patriotism may
have at one period in human history
served a worthwhile purpose, this out-
look has failed with the world’s factual
shrinkage.
“We now find ourselves in a unitary
world. No nation dwells in splendid
isolation. Every adverse impact to
society anywhere on the earth’s surface
is immediately felt everywhere. In this
sense, no man’s home is his castle. No
longer can he enter his private citadel,
draw up his bridge behind him and feel
safe in the knowledge that he can hold
off all assailants. This outlook dis-
appeared with advancing mechanical
progress. We are safe only as long as
our neighbors are safe. Our land is sec-
ure only to the extent that other lands
are secure in their independence. Our
democracy will guarantee our liberties
to the extent that democracy becomes
universal. Our love for Canada in no
way interferes with our loyalty to the
British Commonwealth of Nations and
to the Crown. This loyalty in turn does
not detract from our loyalty to the un-
iversal concept of freedom and to world
citizenship. Loyalty properly under
stood, is not one. It is manifold. Judge
Lindal vividly points out that this lesson
is being slowly and painfully learned,
and at a great cost..........
“All this is introductory to Judge
Lindal’s major concern with the new
Canadian Citizenship Act, a statute of
vital meaning to every thoughtful Can-
adian..........
“Judge Lindal’s preoccupation with
the broader aspects of Canadian citizen-
ship is not a matter of recent interest.
This issue has always been paramount
in his thinking. It has been evident in
his various public utterances. During the
war, because of his concern with Can-
ada’s increasing importance, he found
himself in a position to make a major
contribution towards the growing uni-
fication of Canadian thought.........
“We can well agree with the conclud-
ing words of his study: ‘If the peoples
of Canada succeed in properly correlat-
ing their diverse loyalties they have
reason to feel that Canada is providing
a pattern which other nations may well
follow.’ ”
The book is published by the Canada
Press Club. It is about 170 pages, cloth
bound and printed on good quality
paper. As the author’s work is entirely