Wednesday 30 June 2021

Canada Day 2021🍁

As a Canadian, I've never felt compelled to celebrate Canada Day in a particular way, especially since it's ALWAYS on the 1st of July and, unlike the US, most people don't take extra days to make a long weekend. Then there's the fireworks show - on the night of the 1st. It can be problematic to attend then go to work the next day. So for most Canadians, it's a day off with the hope for weather good enough to hit the beach or backyard and maybe a local event. For New Canadians, it's a way to celebrate beginnings in a new country.

Our community usually has a family-focused celebration with lots of activities. It's a great way to see how diverse our community has become. Recently we'd started going to the fireworks because we could walk to the event. It was amazing to sit close enough the ash falls on you and be part of the collective oohing and ahhing. Last year they were canceled and this year it's a drive-in event with Facebook activities. 

Also, this year is the driving home of how horribly our indigenous people were betrayed by the government treaties and how Residential Schools inform current indigenous communities. I can only credit the BLM movement with getting us past a collective shrug. One thing about Canada under the current government; dirty laundry is washed in public and apologies, with recognition of wrongdoing, are readily given.

But where do we go from here? Some places have canceled their Canada Day events - probably easy since this planning was in flux due to possible pandemic restrictions. Unless the celebrations were being held on a residential school site, this is performative. We should really be doing something and luckily we have input from indigenous communities through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action

In my (immigrant) eyes, the first step in stopping dehumanizing is admitting your system is biased against indigenous people so it can be stopped legislatively then the slow consistent education of people begins. To me, the minimum is
  • children's remains being returned to their families. 
  • complicit organizations must apologize for their roles in the attempt at cultural genocide. 
  • projects going through treaty land must get band approval. Sure this might affect commercial viability but NIMBY should not be reserved for colonists and their descendants. 
We should elevate National Indigenous Day (or Pre-Canada Day) as a day of accountability and promote Canada's history up to the arrival of Europeans. A good bookend to the school year that starts with Labour Day.