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I am a Canadian but I have lost my identity. I have been living in Malaysia now for the past twenty seven years and if truth be told I am more Malaysian Chinese in thinking then I am Canadian. Is it sad, somewhat. Do I have regrets, most of the time. Am I proud to be a Canadian? I can answer that question with a resounding YES! So this is why I refuse to give up my citizenship.

Last month I received word from my sisters that our mother has a cancerous brain tumour and lung cancer as well. Next month I will be making the long flight home to see her probably for the last time. I informed my sisters that I would rather see her alive rather then at her funeral and since I cannot afford to make two trips I will go home before her decline. My in laws here were worried about me making the trip alone. A few have offered to follow me. My eldest daughter wanted to go and see her grandmother but is unable to because she is pregnant with my first grandchild. My eldest son will be following me to see his grandmother whom he last saw ten years ago when she came to Malaysia after my husband died. My son has not set foot on Canadian soil since he was eighteen months old. He wants to see the country of his birth and Canadian immigration is giving him a hard time about it. Even though he has dual citizenship he must apply for a visa and the whole process is trying his patience. We never used to have to apply for one so maybe we do now because the States blamed us for letting the terrorists cross over to the States through our borders, which is stupid really because they too let them through on their side.

My in laws have asked who is taking care of my mother while she is in hospital having radiation and chemo. The nurses I reply, unlike in Malaysia where people think they must have a family member at the hospital to take care of the sick at all times. I had to explain it's not allowed in Canada. You get to see your loved ones during visiting hours. Then the other day my sister in law was worried about the expense of her hospital stay. I informed her that Canada has one of the best Hospitalization plans in the world, everything will be covered by OHIP, unlike my father in law who had been in hospital for three months before he died and the bill came to a whopping three hundred thousand dollars. My sisters and I do not have to worry about it. Canada you see takes care of her own and that is why we have become known as a welfare state.

Canada is a country which

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