It's cold as hell in Toronto tonight, wind is howling, feels like the middle of winter, all too soon.
Which is probably a good thing, I am guessing that winter coming in so hard and fast, it will burn itself out early. Hoping so anyway... I guess that it is only about -5 celcius, but with the wind feels colder, someone explain windchill, if the air temperature is -5 what possible difference does it make that this air is being moved around? It is still -5 degree air, how does it feel colder?
Tasers, okay they're bad. How do you give someone a toy like this and expect them not to use them? Not excusing the police, but really, who wouldn't use one? Apparently, they practice on each other during taser training, this certainly does not make them seem like dangerous weapons. I mean if someone handed me one, I'd look for someone to shock. Again, who wouldn't? One other thing, are they not intended as replacements for lethal weaponry, in other words if the police didn't have tasers, wouldn't their alternative be to pull out their guns? That would surely result in many more deaths, wouldn't it? If we really want to stop our police from killing people, lets just give them bigger sticks. Never thought that I would be defending police actions, but there you go.
Hooray Riders!!!! Okay not a great game, but Saskatchewan won, and that's good. But really the big question is what's with Lenny Kravitz? Number one, there are all sorts of Canadian acts that one would suppose would love to play on this sort of National stage. Then Lenny plays
'American Woman', I mean he sings it, he must hear the lyrics. Yet he plays it as some sort of anthem to America, sure it's anthemic but in almost exactly the opposite way that he thinks.
Sure Randy and Burton are cashing the royalty cheques, but don't they have some responsibilty to give Lenny a clue?
Didn't see the guy with flames coming out of his head at the game, bummer. the Grey Cup is amazing.
2007-11-25
ramblings for a Grey Cup Sunday
Who knew? The only act that could make me wish for a Rene Simard comeback, Celine and Rene Angelil, have cancelled a Halifax concert for next year based on negative public reaction.
Had we all only known that all it would take is saying how we felt, Celine would have been silenced years ago I'm sure. Can anyone really believe that the concert was cancelled because of this? Far more likely that Rene found out that a) Halifax is casino-less (I don't know) or b) The maximum bet limit is too low(again I don't know).
Okay so I am watching Sunday Morning today, and I realilze that Anne Murray is amazing, and way cooler at 62 than 35.
The rest of Canada is correct, Toronto might actually suck. At least when it comes to celebrating, partying and generally acting like dumb asses. It seems if you are from Toronto you need to be too cool to notice that it is Grey Cup week, guys are driving around painted GREEN!
There's one guy with flames shooting out of his head! How cool do you need to be to ignore that? The usual line is that there is lots going on in Toronto all the time so no one really is enthralled by any one event...come on, the guys got flames coming out of his head!!!!!!
Nothing at the Opera house is going to compete with that, what's happening at the docks? sure but does anyone have flames...you get the picture.
Three down football is best. Incursion into the opponents territory needs to be rewarded (by one point), giving a point after a missed field goal is not rewarding failure, rather it is rewarding making the ball unplayable by your opponents. Twelve men are better than eleven, and a football field should be bigger than the guys playing on it. So everyone who prefers the brand of football played in the Nearly Football League (NFL) really ought to get a clue.
Every where else Canadian Football is a unifying force, c'mon Toronto let your bloody cool facade down and get into it. and all of us living in Toronto know its strictly a cool act. Toronto is a great place in most ways, not this one.
Go Riders GO!!!!!!
Had we all only known that all it would take is saying how we felt, Celine would have been silenced years ago I'm sure. Can anyone really believe that the concert was cancelled because of this? Far more likely that Rene found out that a) Halifax is casino-less (I don't know) or b) The maximum bet limit is too low(again I don't know).
Okay so I am watching Sunday Morning today, and I realilze that Anne Murray is amazing, and way cooler at 62 than 35.
The rest of Canada is correct, Toronto might actually suck. At least when it comes to celebrating, partying and generally acting like dumb asses. It seems if you are from Toronto you need to be too cool to notice that it is Grey Cup week, guys are driving around painted GREEN!
There's one guy with flames shooting out of his head! How cool do you need to be to ignore that? The usual line is that there is lots going on in Toronto all the time so no one really is enthralled by any one event...come on, the guys got flames coming out of his head!!!!!!
Nothing at the Opera house is going to compete with that, what's happening at the docks? sure but does anyone have flames...you get the picture.
Three down football is best. Incursion into the opponents territory needs to be rewarded (by one point), giving a point after a missed field goal is not rewarding failure, rather it is rewarding making the ball unplayable by your opponents. Twelve men are better than eleven, and a football field should be bigger than the guys playing on it. So everyone who prefers the brand of football played in the Nearly Football League (NFL) really ought to get a clue.
Every where else Canadian Football is a unifying force, c'mon Toronto let your bloody cool facade down and get into it. and all of us living in Toronto know its strictly a cool act. Toronto is a great place in most ways, not this one.
Go Riders GO!!!!!!
2007-11-20
B. Mulroney and other ramblings.
So the ex-Honourable Brian Mulroney is under investigation once again. Aside from the obvious question, who doesn't believe that this man is dirty? This self proclaimed greatest Prime Minister, is in hot water again, I intensely disliked him when he was in power, and felt that he was toadying up to Ronnie Reagan and the Americans far too cozily. But at this point, I must admit that I feel some sympathy for him, not only did he follow perhaps the most charismatic
and most recognizable Prime Minister this country ever had, but he also was nearly invisible for the past twenty years. His party seemed to want to distance themselves from him and it wan't until the inaugural leadership race of the Conservative party, after the joining of the Reform and Progressive Conservative parties, that his legacy was even mentioned.
The enormity of ego required to even consider rising to the leadership of this country can not be overstated, I can only imagine the personal hurt and indignation of being relegated to some shadowland that dare not be mentioned.
After clawing his way back to some repectabilty, now this, and his party again turns their collective backs on him. This must hurt as much as facing the inquiry.
I always felt that he didn't truly understand this country, his allegiance with the U.S., the gutting of the CBC, his dismantling of the national energy policy (popular in Alberta, but no
where else), the GST, NAFTA, the throwing of the dice over Constitutional reform. I can explain why in each of these policy decisions he exhibited either no understanding of or respect for the sensiblities of Canadians. I will no doubt speak to these issues in the coming days. But this is about a man, not about his place in history. Do I too readily accept corruption? Is my willingness to put that aside for the moment a show of weak-kneed sentiment? Perhaps.
But I am of the mind that no one enters the political sphere pre-corrupted. I truly believe that everyone who enters this field believes that they can and will make a difference, and that act is an honourable pursuit. The dishonour follows, when what becomes most important is the power, the next election, and the inevitable (or so it seems) clinging to the status quo, so long as you are part of that staus quo.
In a field where the hale glad hander is the norm, I sympathize with the poor fool who has no hands to shake, who's friends abandon him so readily. It's sad. Even if understandable, it's sad.
Speaking of shamed ex P.M.s Jean Chretien is on the book tour......Okay so here's my bias, I was never much of a fan, but I remain convinced that one day he will be considered the greatest P.M. in our history. A wild claim, he was only a Trudeau foot soldier! But listen...before his election, If we can all try to remember, there were a number of things going on in the country.
We were being told that the deficit was crippling, and was forever going to be an impediment to true economic growth. The seperatist movement in Quebec was at an all time placement in the polls. We were hearing that Medicare in this country might not be sustainable, and that some assumptions we made about the kind of society we could afford to be were being questioned.
Canadian culture, Canadian identity were at an all time low, we seemed to be on the verge of becoming the 51st state. NAFTA was grinding our souls into dust.
Now please listen, with an open mind, In the hands of Jean Chretien, the deficit crisis was averted, when's the last time anyone even mentioned national debt as a problem?
When he left office, there was a Liberal government sitting in the National Assembly in Quebec Cite, when is the last time anyone heard the sovereignty word?
He ran a campaign based on having a values based society, that included inclusiveness for it's citizens, a commitment to universal health care, and a commitment to allowing our charter to protect the rights of minorities.
Culture? He made us feel good about ourselves, who doesn't read Canadian? From Yann Martel to Margaret Atwood? Who doesn't own a large selection of Canadian Music, From Celine to Broken Social Scene,? Who among us doesn't know when someone on an American television program is Canadian? Who is not aware that the Grey Cup is this Sunday? How did he do this.
A very short sweet statement. We will not be sending troops to Iraq? How sweet!!!
He defined us at that moment as a multi-cultural , multi-nationed country that believes at it's core in the concept of Multi-lateral thinking.
My view of two very different, disgraced ex-leaders of this country. One sadly, relegated to live in shame, the other, the little guy from Shawinigan rising to posture again.
and most recognizable Prime Minister this country ever had, but he also was nearly invisible for the past twenty years. His party seemed to want to distance themselves from him and it wan't until the inaugural leadership race of the Conservative party, after the joining of the Reform and Progressive Conservative parties, that his legacy was even mentioned.
The enormity of ego required to even consider rising to the leadership of this country can not be overstated, I can only imagine the personal hurt and indignation of being relegated to some shadowland that dare not be mentioned.
After clawing his way back to some repectabilty, now this, and his party again turns their collective backs on him. This must hurt as much as facing the inquiry.
I always felt that he didn't truly understand this country, his allegiance with the U.S., the gutting of the CBC, his dismantling of the national energy policy (popular in Alberta, but no
where else), the GST, NAFTA, the throwing of the dice over Constitutional reform. I can explain why in each of these policy decisions he exhibited either no understanding of or respect for the sensiblities of Canadians. I will no doubt speak to these issues in the coming days. But this is about a man, not about his place in history. Do I too readily accept corruption? Is my willingness to put that aside for the moment a show of weak-kneed sentiment? Perhaps.
But I am of the mind that no one enters the political sphere pre-corrupted. I truly believe that everyone who enters this field believes that they can and will make a difference, and that act is an honourable pursuit. The dishonour follows, when what becomes most important is the power, the next election, and the inevitable (or so it seems) clinging to the status quo, so long as you are part of that staus quo.
In a field where the hale glad hander is the norm, I sympathize with the poor fool who has no hands to shake, who's friends abandon him so readily. It's sad. Even if understandable, it's sad.
Speaking of shamed ex P.M.s Jean Chretien is on the book tour......Okay so here's my bias, I was never much of a fan, but I remain convinced that one day he will be considered the greatest P.M. in our history. A wild claim, he was only a Trudeau foot soldier! But listen...before his election, If we can all try to remember, there were a number of things going on in the country.
We were being told that the deficit was crippling, and was forever going to be an impediment to true economic growth. The seperatist movement in Quebec was at an all time placement in the polls. We were hearing that Medicare in this country might not be sustainable, and that some assumptions we made about the kind of society we could afford to be were being questioned.
Canadian culture, Canadian identity were at an all time low, we seemed to be on the verge of becoming the 51st state. NAFTA was grinding our souls into dust.
Now please listen, with an open mind, In the hands of Jean Chretien, the deficit crisis was averted, when's the last time anyone even mentioned national debt as a problem?
When he left office, there was a Liberal government sitting in the National Assembly in Quebec Cite, when is the last time anyone heard the sovereignty word?
He ran a campaign based on having a values based society, that included inclusiveness for it's citizens, a commitment to universal health care, and a commitment to allowing our charter to protect the rights of minorities.
Culture? He made us feel good about ourselves, who doesn't read Canadian? From Yann Martel to Margaret Atwood? Who doesn't own a large selection of Canadian Music, From Celine to Broken Social Scene,? Who among us doesn't know when someone on an American television program is Canadian? Who is not aware that the Grey Cup is this Sunday? How did he do this.
A very short sweet statement. We will not be sending troops to Iraq? How sweet!!!
He defined us at that moment as a multi-cultural , multi-nationed country that believes at it's core in the concept of Multi-lateral thinking.
My view of two very different, disgraced ex-leaders of this country. One sadly, relegated to live in shame, the other, the little guy from Shawinigan rising to posture again.
2007-11-18
war resisters and no comic relief in sight
So the Supreme Court of Canada rejects the appeal of two American soldiers deportation ruling,
no reason given, speculation is because in returning to face the charges of desertion, they would face neither the death penalty nor cruel and unusual punishment.
Isn't everyone aware that U.S. policy approves of torture as a reasonable weapon in it's war on terror? And if we don't KNOW this do we not have great suspicions?
Were Canada to show some guts, we would have sought action in the World Court over the kidnappping of Mr. Harar, and his transport to Syria (by the Americans) to undergo torture in order to extract information about terrorism he wasn't privy to. This would not only show that this country will act in the interest of it's citizens, but would also leave room for the Courts to rule in favour of granting refugee status to American soldiers and others who seek asylum from
political or ethnic persecution.
Our Government's silence in all of this is shameful, our collective silence is damning. At least 68% of Canadians are in favour of ending our mission in Afghanistan, few believe that we are safer now than before we began a war against Islam. Yet we continue, and we are not marching on the streets, we are not screaming our voices hoarse, we placidly sit back and allow ourselves to be engaged in a destructive imperialist U.S initiative.
One could almost competely ignore all of this save for the hardy, tenacious, and ever so timorous souls who perch themselves in Kensington Market, and I am sure in equal numbers in other well-travelled yet off the beaten path spots throughout this country. These optimistically jaundiced souls have my deep respect, they may not have the answers, but at least they are asking the right questions.
The rest of us are too preoccupied with the fate of the loonie for much else. With our dollar out performing the American dollar at record levels, why these are heady days indeed. We need to keep in mind that a Jim Morrison-less Doors reunion is out performing the U.S. dollar. Pia Zadora, could make a triumphal return from obsurity and out perform that act. But we are too busy waiting for WalMart Canada to sell us our junk at American pricing, to let anything as mundane as justice creep into our heads.
We get the government we deserve, and what we deserve is a good kick in the ass, and if this government isn't good it is at least a kick in the ass.
When I first started to blog, I felt that I would write a humourous, wry look at the world, I haven't been too funny as yet, (don't let your expectations rise too high), once I get some things that I obviously didn't realize that I felt so strongly about off my chest, I'm sure that I will be hilarious. Okay amusing, maybe smile inducing, okay, okay less strident. Or I could tell you about my bunk-chair idea.....
no reason given, speculation is because in returning to face the charges of desertion, they would face neither the death penalty nor cruel and unusual punishment.
Isn't everyone aware that U.S. policy approves of torture as a reasonable weapon in it's war on terror? And if we don't KNOW this do we not have great suspicions?
Were Canada to show some guts, we would have sought action in the World Court over the kidnappping of Mr. Harar, and his transport to Syria (by the Americans) to undergo torture in order to extract information about terrorism he wasn't privy to. This would not only show that this country will act in the interest of it's citizens, but would also leave room for the Courts to rule in favour of granting refugee status to American soldiers and others who seek asylum from
political or ethnic persecution.
Our Government's silence in all of this is shameful, our collective silence is damning. At least 68% of Canadians are in favour of ending our mission in Afghanistan, few believe that we are safer now than before we began a war against Islam. Yet we continue, and we are not marching on the streets, we are not screaming our voices hoarse, we placidly sit back and allow ourselves to be engaged in a destructive imperialist U.S initiative.
One could almost competely ignore all of this save for the hardy, tenacious, and ever so timorous souls who perch themselves in Kensington Market, and I am sure in equal numbers in other well-travelled yet off the beaten path spots throughout this country. These optimistically jaundiced souls have my deep respect, they may not have the answers, but at least they are asking the right questions.
The rest of us are too preoccupied with the fate of the loonie for much else. With our dollar out performing the American dollar at record levels, why these are heady days indeed. We need to keep in mind that a Jim Morrison-less Doors reunion is out performing the U.S. dollar. Pia Zadora, could make a triumphal return from obsurity and out perform that act. But we are too busy waiting for WalMart Canada to sell us our junk at American pricing, to let anything as mundane as justice creep into our heads.
We get the government we deserve, and what we deserve is a good kick in the ass, and if this government isn't good it is at least a kick in the ass.
When I first started to blog, I felt that I would write a humourous, wry look at the world, I haven't been too funny as yet, (don't let your expectations rise too high), once I get some things that I obviously didn't realize that I felt so strongly about off my chest, I'm sure that I will be hilarious. Okay amusing, maybe smile inducing, okay, okay less strident. Or I could tell you about my bunk-chair idea.....
2007-11-11
Remembrance Day 07
As I watched the Remembrance Day ceremony from Ottawa this morning, and Governor General Jean arrives and the veterans have front row seats, and the Prime Minister greets her and she smiles and I think that how wonderful is it that she is from Haiti, and yet here she is representing Queen Elizabeth to us? Then the band and choir play O Canada, and I am moved and feel pride in the comfort of my living room, the choir is little kids, the camera pans the crowd, many veterans, many young children, the veterans are all older than me, wearing medals, military caps, trench coats, looking very much like men whom I would disagree with on almost every issue. Yet they are there and for today and maybe for always, they are heroes, and then I am struck, all of my life at these ceremonies the veterans have always been older than me, this will no longer be the case.
For them, and for the young children, and for us all Prime Minister Harper, honour our military by allowing them to act honourably, support our troops by assigning them supportable tasks.
Please let our new heroes engage in acts of heroism, let's export understanding, peace and right,
not division, war and a fanatical Christian right.
A prayer for this Remembrance Day, Lest we forget.
I remember, I will not forget.
For them, and for the young children, and for us all Prime Minister Harper, honour our military by allowing them to act honourably, support our troops by assigning them supportable tasks.
Please let our new heroes engage in acts of heroism, let's export understanding, peace and right,
not division, war and a fanatical Christian right.
A prayer for this Remembrance Day, Lest we forget.
I remember, I will not forget.
2007-11-10
I'VE BEEN HIT!!!!
Ive just been the victim of a heinous crime. I feel so violated.
So I'm down at the local laundromat, it's really close to my place so I leave between cycles, my stuff is in the dryer, when I come back my laundry bag is gone!!! Okay it's not like it's a designer laundry bag, but it is mine and it's handy, it's is cotton, a good size, with a draw string top. Paid $1.15 at the local dollar store for it, had it for about two years, getting a little tattered,
probably need another in a few months, but still.
My problem is that whoever took it knew that it wasn't their's, they knew that whoever it did belong to would need it to transport their clean clothes back home. What a shitty thing to do for a bag worth $1.15, if they asked me for some money I would probably given them some, well unless it was that guy I see almost daily, who never recognizes me, and always approaches with the some line, even him, it is a very recent thing that I am refusing him! And I feel guilty about refusing him his 'something to eat'.
Anyway, then I had to buy a plastic bag from a vending machine, $.75!!!! It's not nearly as nice as my cotton laundry bag, maybe even single use, it's big, it's white, but somehow just seem like it belongs to me, you know what I mean?
The problem is not the $1.90, the problem is what people see as their entitlement, "there is something that I can use, I think I will make it mine" with no concern for the person left behind.
When did we become so indifferent to respecting other peoples lives, other peoples stuff. The primacy of I want, therefore I will take. When did this happen? Gradually or all at once, I didn't notice?
Okay, Okay, it's really about the $1.90.
So I'm down at the local laundromat, it's really close to my place so I leave between cycles, my stuff is in the dryer, when I come back my laundry bag is gone!!! Okay it's not like it's a designer laundry bag, but it is mine and it's handy, it's is cotton, a good size, with a draw string top. Paid $1.15 at the local dollar store for it, had it for about two years, getting a little tattered,
probably need another in a few months, but still.
My problem is that whoever took it knew that it wasn't their's, they knew that whoever it did belong to would need it to transport their clean clothes back home. What a shitty thing to do for a bag worth $1.15, if they asked me for some money I would probably given them some, well unless it was that guy I see almost daily, who never recognizes me, and always approaches with the some line, even him, it is a very recent thing that I am refusing him! And I feel guilty about refusing him his 'something to eat'.
Anyway, then I had to buy a plastic bag from a vending machine, $.75!!!! It's not nearly as nice as my cotton laundry bag, maybe even single use, it's big, it's white, but somehow just seem like it belongs to me, you know what I mean?
The problem is not the $1.90, the problem is what people see as their entitlement, "there is something that I can use, I think I will make it mine" with no concern for the person left behind.
When did we become so indifferent to respecting other peoples lives, other peoples stuff. The primacy of I want, therefore I will take. When did this happen? Gradually or all at once, I didn't notice?
Okay, Okay, it's really about the $1.90.
2007-11-06
'black schools'
So the Toronto Board of Education has identified a problem with the success rate of Afro- Canadian students. As with most institutions, it has arrived at a solution without fully understanding the problem, this could well become a recurring theme here.
The solution 'black schools".
Now I am neither expert nor African-Canadian, I am however quite sure that the problem
is not that black kids are not graduating from high school. The problem is surely what this
fact represents, that a large number of our population is not finding a reason or will to engage in this countries mosaic. That they feel in some way excluded from the mainstream, unable to
fit in to the path that most use to improve their lot in life. (self improvement through education)
Within a country which prides itself on it's muti-cultural inclusiveness, where diversity is a point of honour, this is surely shaming.
Yet facing this our educators advocate a policy of segregation, if memory serves, this didn't work in the southern United States in the sixties, it didn't work in South Africa, it sure as heck doesn't
work for Aboriginals today. But see a problem, move to solution, seems to be some vestige of a
"common sense revolution" here. The problem with common sense solutions is exactly that, they are rife with 'common' sense.
We need ask ourselves will a higher percentage of black kids graduating high school by itself create in them a sense of belonging. Surely what is primary to enticing membership in any group is making the club an attractive one. The priviledges, actual priviledges, the cost easily borne, the rewards bountiful.
As a Native Canadian I have witnessed, if not experienced, the horrible negative effects that targeted education can have on it's students. I am not suggesting that these educators are hoping to recreate the abomination that Residential Schools represent. But at the same time
I don't believe that educators of the time were intent on being evil. It just happened.
It seems to me that we don't need to create new schools, rather we need to make sure that
what we teach resonates with the type of society we choose to live in. This does not even require that we erase history, nor rewrite it, merely that we teach it in ways that reflect this country's willingness to accept and be changed by the shifting demographic.
How many people in Canada are aware that John Graves Simcoe (remember our long weekend in August) made Upper Canada the very first place on the planet to outlaw the trading in human flesh (slavery). How good are we in teaching that the destination of the Underground Railway
was here. What Afro-Canadian student would not be moved when faced with the implications of these facts. What teacher could not expand on these to make Canada seem a wonderful place in which to make a home, and a difference.
Our history is bursting with examples of this great land opening itself to people of various ethnicities and histories, the French and English, being only the earliest from Europe, and
expanding itself to accept them and their various traditions. Seldom have these waves of
immigration gone off without a hitch, and I think we need to be honest and admit that everyone
from the Irish, to the Italians, from the Scotch to the East Indians have faced racism
on arriving. Everything is not perfect, ask the Aboriginals, but we are a wonderful experiment
in a global village. We to a great extent have come to see ourselves in this light, we take pride in it, we need to live it and share it, our Fathers of Confederation were well ahead of their time.
Darcy McGee lost his life because he dared to speak of Canada's great potential for accommodating divergence of backgrounds and beliefs.
Let's not let public educators turn their back on their duty to educate. Let's not let them take the easy way out. Let's not let them convince us that going backwards is somehow the same as teaching history. Let's have a little less 'common' and a lot more sense.
The solution 'black schools".
Now I am neither expert nor African-Canadian, I am however quite sure that the problem
is not that black kids are not graduating from high school. The problem is surely what this
fact represents, that a large number of our population is not finding a reason or will to engage in this countries mosaic. That they feel in some way excluded from the mainstream, unable to
fit in to the path that most use to improve their lot in life. (self improvement through education)
Within a country which prides itself on it's muti-cultural inclusiveness, where diversity is a point of honour, this is surely shaming.
Yet facing this our educators advocate a policy of segregation, if memory serves, this didn't work in the southern United States in the sixties, it didn't work in South Africa, it sure as heck doesn't
work for Aboriginals today. But see a problem, move to solution, seems to be some vestige of a
"common sense revolution" here. The problem with common sense solutions is exactly that, they are rife with 'common' sense.
We need ask ourselves will a higher percentage of black kids graduating high school by itself create in them a sense of belonging. Surely what is primary to enticing membership in any group is making the club an attractive one. The priviledges, actual priviledges, the cost easily borne, the rewards bountiful.
As a Native Canadian I have witnessed, if not experienced, the horrible negative effects that targeted education can have on it's students. I am not suggesting that these educators are hoping to recreate the abomination that Residential Schools represent. But at the same time
I don't believe that educators of the time were intent on being evil. It just happened.
It seems to me that we don't need to create new schools, rather we need to make sure that
what we teach resonates with the type of society we choose to live in. This does not even require that we erase history, nor rewrite it, merely that we teach it in ways that reflect this country's willingness to accept and be changed by the shifting demographic.
How many people in Canada are aware that John Graves Simcoe (remember our long weekend in August) made Upper Canada the very first place on the planet to outlaw the trading in human flesh (slavery). How good are we in teaching that the destination of the Underground Railway
was here. What Afro-Canadian student would not be moved when faced with the implications of these facts. What teacher could not expand on these to make Canada seem a wonderful place in which to make a home, and a difference.
Our history is bursting with examples of this great land opening itself to people of various ethnicities and histories, the French and English, being only the earliest from Europe, and
expanding itself to accept them and their various traditions. Seldom have these waves of
immigration gone off without a hitch, and I think we need to be honest and admit that everyone
from the Irish, to the Italians, from the Scotch to the East Indians have faced racism
on arriving. Everything is not perfect, ask the Aboriginals, but we are a wonderful experiment
in a global village. We to a great extent have come to see ourselves in this light, we take pride in it, we need to live it and share it, our Fathers of Confederation were well ahead of their time.
Darcy McGee lost his life because he dared to speak of Canada's great potential for accommodating divergence of backgrounds and beliefs.
Let's not let public educators turn their back on their duty to educate. Let's not let them take the easy way out. Let's not let them convince us that going backwards is somehow the same as teaching history. Let's have a little less 'common' and a lot more sense.
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