To the editor,
Like most Canadiana I’m happily swept up in the nearing Canada 150 cheer. It’s been a really fun six months of cool commercials, neat videos on my Facebook feed, and learning new things about my personal favourite country. It’s a strong nationalistic experience that is unusual for Canada’s laid-back pride style and it has been a really endearing time for me. So when confronted with the indigenous voices, on what Canada 150 means to them, which are getting louder and louder each day, I could be completely oblivious to that subtle and pervasive societally ingrained racism that Canada is wrought with and be that white anglo-saxon chick that says “Can you please not rain on my parade?”
It, in fact, would be amazingly awesome if all this Canada 150 stuff we’ve been seeing all year was just exactly how Canada is and always was; and I think many of us are tempted to want to pretend it’s true for just one day.
Or I could be honest, and just take some time on Canada Day and think about all the rains Canadian indigenous have had on all their parades. Years of rains, sometimes daily rains and lifetimes of it. If we can honestly share each other’s griefs the rains can get just a little lighter and we will all be stronger for it.
That would be something I think truly all Canadians could celebrate. I will be celebrating Canada 150 on Canada Day but I will also be thinking of the indigenous community of Canada and am thankful for their voices this year and every other year.
Christina Findlay, Nanaimo