Canada: What are your 'fringe' political ideas?

[Harold Schiffman]

What are your 'fringe' political ideas?


With all the discussions going on in these forums lately about
'mainstream' and 'fringe' ideas, I was wondering what 'fringe' ideas
might be lurking in our minds. I'd like to read about some of your
'fringe' political ideas and why you think they could be considered
'fringe'.

First I'll go with some of mine, mainly in the field of language policy:

1. Giving each public school the freedom to teach the second-language
of its choice, based on the British model, whereby if a course plan is
not available for the second-language the school wishes to teach, it
can create its own course-plan to then be approved by the Local
Education Authority if it meets the required educational standards.

In BC and Alberta, this would likely not be viewed as too fringe of an
idea, as schools in those provinces can in fact choose from a number
of second-languages already and French is not compulsory (in fact, in
Alberta both Cree and Blackfoot are on the list of options available).
In Quebec, English is compulsory as a second-language, but many
Quebecers would support more freedom in that respect too; though a
minority view there, it would certainly not be concidered as fringe
there either as that minority is still quite large.

In Ontario, however, where French is a compulsory second language, I
get the impression that to propose giving schools more freedom in this
regard is not only a minority view, but a fringe one challenging the
perceived sacredness of Canada's bilingual identity.

2. Proposing that the UN either adopt, create, or revise an
international auxiliary language to be taught in schools around the
world.

I'm sure many would view this as just plain irrational idealism, even
if plenty of research suggests that the world could likely save not
billions, but trillions of dollars a year from this. Another idea
likely to be considered a fringe one just because it challenges the
common-sensical idea that English is the world language already, even
if it tends tobe limited to the elites of society and is proving
highly inefficient and expensive.

3. Dismantling Canada's Official Bilingualism policy.

This would likely be viewed by some as an attack on the heart of what
Canada stands for, and thus could be viewed as fringe. It would likely
be interpreted by some as francophobic, racist, bigotted and the
likes. My main oppositin to it stems simply from its inefficiency.

Among other 'fringe' ideas of mine include support for a decentralized
world federation, world citizenship, a world currency, and a world
military.

So what might be some 'fringe' ideas lurking in your minds?

-http://forums.canadiancontent.net/canadian-politics/83699-what-your-fringe-political-ideas.html-
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