Do Immigrants Need Rules?

The March 5, 2007 issue of Maclean's discusses the Quebec town of Hérouxville that made international headlines by creating a list of "community standards" for newcomers to the community. Some of the rules included the prohibition of covering your face except on Halloween, or that children were prohibited from carrying weapons to school--"real or fake, symbolic or not." The rules also stipulate that beheading and stoning are illegal.

Are these rules a way of avoiding potential future problems or do they indicate hidden xenophobia? In the article, journalist Ben Aubin and Jonathon Gatehouse ask: " Have we reached the point where we need hard and fast rules for immigrants? A code that spells out just what is expected of newcomers, and how far society is willing to go to help them feel comfortable in their new home...Has a country that ranks multiculturalism alongside free health care and hockey in the pantheon of its greatest achievements finally reached the limits of tolerance?" What do you think?

Also in this issue: Reinventing your wheels: The non-polluting hydrogen car has finally arrived...almost. Pages 40-46. Read the articles and post your opinion of the new eco-friendly (but not budget-friendly) cars.