By Sally Barnes
Well, our new Canadian flag is up on the deck and I am about to celebrate the strangest Canada Day I can ever remember.
It used to be a happy event—parades, kids’ laughter, picnics, fireworks, flags, and red and white decorations proudly fluttering on public buildings, places of businesses and homes.
Not Canada Day 2021.
It’s bad enough that we remain under some pandemic clouds and many of us are in a stupor after 18 months of isolation, separation from family and friends, closed schools, job loss, bankruptcy, and a heap of other social issues.
There is also another kind of malaise that affects us this year.
We just woke up to find out that Canadians are not such nice people after all, eh?
How did we not know that for more than a century, generations of our Indigenous kids were herded like cattle, taken away from their families, starved and abused at the hands of successive governments and churches?
Perhaps it’s for the same reason that today many haven’t noticed a growing trend in this country toward intolerance and loss of respect for civil discourse, human rights, and democratic institutions.
Desecration and removal of statues like those of Sir John A. Macdonald and Egerton Ryerson are becoming common place as governing bodies either order such actions in response to public demand or stand back and acquiesce to avoid violence and injury.
First, they came for Macdonald. Who’s next? Churchill? The Queen?
The City of Kingston recently voted 12 to one to remove a 126-year-old statue of Macdonald in a downtown park after council was presented with a warning in a staff report that if the city didn’t act, demonstrators would take action into their own hands.
The one councillor who voted against the statue removal said he received five “veiled threats of violence” in days leading up to the vote—three of them said they were among demonstrators camped at the statue site.
The cancel culture movement has raised the major issue of law and order.
Who decides which laws are to be enforced? If you examine the recent history of attacks on public property by various groups you will find few if any charges laid.
I know individuals and business operators who are reluctant to celebrate this Canada Day for fear of offending someone—and even possible repercussions.
I find that more than disturbing.
Issues such as Canada Day and Macdonald’s place in history and in particular his involvement in the early years of the Indian Residential Schools system are part of what some call “presentism”. That’s the process of judging the past through lens of the present.
Call it what you will, it doesn’t strengthen democracy.
The current, long-overdue public interest in residential schools is welcome but hopefully will not lead to violence.
Anger and retribution appear to be moving from the political to the religious sphere with the Roman Catholic Church, which operated most of the 130 schools, replacing Sir John A. as the new target of choice. Some churches have been torched in recent days.
Victoria, BC was the first city to cancel its Canada Day celebrations and others have followed suit out of respect following recent disclosure of unmarked graves at former residential school sites. More such disclosures are expected in the days ahead, which will only add fuel to the flames of public angst.
The graves have become a eureka moment for Canadians all across the country who have been shocked and shamed to the core about our lack of knowledge about a residential school system that lasted for some 125 years, claimed the lives of possibly thousands and created intergenerational trauma that bedevils our Indigenous people to this day.
Well, I have no reluctance in saying that I intend to celebrate the birth of this nation, the values and ideals for which it stands, my lifelong love and pride of country, and my gratitude for being a Canadian.
Canada has taken a hit recently in international media in the wake of the unmarked graves disclosures but there remain countless millions who would give anything to be here.
Truth to tell, we remain a beacon of hope and inspiration around the world despite the self-flagellation that is in abundance at the moment.
This Canada Day, some of our politicians are finding safety in dwelling on our past mistakes like residential schools and obviously believe that the public is more in a mood for grief and remorse than celebration.
I think they’re wrong. I believe we can do both.
Our prime minister has declared that July 1 should be used “as a time of reflection.” I will reflect on our mistakes and shortcomings and I grieve for the Indigenous kids and their families who suffered under political and religious leaders who were so wrong and, in some cases, so evil.
But this has been a tough 18 months. If ever there was a time to celebrate our survival and successes, it is now.
If ever there was a time to learn from our mistakes and seriously resolve to make amends and finally fulfil so many broken promises, it is now. Enough rhetoric and assurances of thoughts and prayers. The unmarked graves of innocent kids have shaped public demand for real change.
In this past year, 26,000 of us have died from COVID-19 and we have experienced Canadians at their best. Like the hundreds of thousands who marched off to save us and others from the Nazis and other tyrannies, these modern-day heroes came forward in the millions as frontline workers to heal the sick, comfort the elderly, keep us safe, and sustain our economy.
July 1 should be a day when generations of Indigenous people and descendants of immigrants from every corner of the globe come together to celebrate the greatness of this country and the safety and opportunities it provides—as well as its capacity to build a fairer, more just and equitable world for those who follow us.
Oh, Canada. Perfect? Far from it—from its early beginnings right up to today.
But we should ask those who would diminish our accomplishments and undermine our democratic institutions, where on Earth would you rather be?
Sally Barnes has enjoyed a distinguished career as a writer, journalist and author. Her work has been recognized in a number of ways, including receiving a Southam Fellowship in Journalism at Massey College at the University of Toronto. A self-confessed political junkie, she has worked in the back-rooms for several Ontario premiers. In addition to a number of other community contributions, Sally Barnes served a term as president of the Ontario Council on the Status of Women. She is a former business colleague of Doppler’s Hugh Mackenzie and lives in Kingston, Ontario. You can find her online at sallybarnesauthor.com
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Some thoughts and comments on the comments here:
When you say: “what some call “presentism”. That’s the process of judging the past through lens of the present”, I wonder what lens you suggest?
“Who decides which laws are to be enforced?” Good question. Maybe we should ask Mi’kmaq whose fishery Treaty Rights were recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada suffered not only vandalism but watched while “RCMP stand by while their lobster pound burns, and assaults occur”.
“The graves have become a eureka moment”. I think that is a misunderstanding of the word. Merriam Webster states: “Definition of eureka (Entry 1 of 4) — used to express triumph on a discovery”
When you say: “those who would … undermine our democratic institutions”, I presume you mean notwhithstanding Doug Ford?
Happy Canada Day to all. It wasn’t cancelled. It’s a fine day to ponder, which is a blessing of a possibility.
Thank you Sally for putting it so well into words, that even though we have made some horrendous mistakes we have also done some wonderful loving and caring things for others here in Canada and countries around the world. We are indeed blessed to live in this wonderful country called Canada.
Let’s learn from our mistakes and never repeat them. Let’s look to the future proudly and strive to make Canada even better.
Happy Canada day.
Thank you, Sally Barnes for your thoughtful written piece.
It is an interesting phenomenon to observe – processing the past with the sensibilities and understanding of the present (one which will occur time and time again in future generations). This includes more comprehensive meanings attached to symbols (art, statues, icons). Symbols evoke feelings, memories, sometimes trauma, sometimes deep joy. Our Canadian flag (symbol) will elicit many thoughts and feelings. One perspective does Not remove/replace another (parties who play on this politically reflect a divisive shallowness we do not need). There is room for both.
Yes, we can do both. However, “to move on” too quickly without pausing to listen, taking in the moment does not weaken democracy, it acknowledges reality. Instead, this is a way that leadership can check to see where Canadian citizens are in making progress on this issue.
Survivors want to be believed, listened to, some wonder “does it matter to anyone else”?, “does anyone really care about [my] experience”? How we/governments respond sets the patient example of trying to demonstrate “care”.
No, I do not condone violence. I am not for defacing statues, but their relocation or storage is acceptable to me. Like you, this Canada Day is one of deeply mixed feelings for me. I’m Canadian and I’m free to do just that.
Very well said. Thank you Sally.
A great commentary Sally! Happy Canada Day & God bless you for writing this piece!
Indeed! Happy Canada Day!
Such a beautifully written reflection that I identify with on this Canada Day. I too have been heartbroken by the revelations of pain and suffering endured by the Indigenous people of our land, but today I also am thankful that Canada is my homeland and there is hope that, the same resilience and fortitude that has been shown over the past 18 months will persist as we find ways to bring new hope for a brighter future for all Canadians, regardless of their culture, ethnicity or colour. Let’s make this Canada Day the beginning of change!