Another year and another case of me
violating the no necroing old threads rule.
But today is CANADA DAY.
And normally I'd say something celebratory but this year I want to take the occasion to address another issue that many of my fellow Canadians are no doubt aware of. While many will choose to celebrate this day to the best and safest of circumstances as is their custom, others will choose not to for a very justified reason, and that is okay.
That reason is the recent string of discoveries of unmarked graves of First Nation peoples who suffered grievously under this country's residential school programs. These are very tragic reminders that the history of this nation is very nuanced and not always pretty, that the treatment of First Nations peoples has been cruel, unfair, and borderline genocide, if not exactly such. This country's dark past cannot be forgiven or swept aside and we all must recognize there is still a very long walk towards truth and reconciliation for the First Nations peoples. Therefore, today let us take this opportunity to spread awareness and solidarity with those peoples, to do all in our power to educate one another, and ensure such a tragedy never occurs again on our soil.
There are still many descendant and survivors of these schools. We should do everything in our power to acknowledge their struggle and help them in any way we can.
It is totally acceptable therefore to feel ashamed and saddened by these revelations of injustices done towards our First Nation communities, but also acceptable to be glad that our nation is finally addressing and confronting this dark legacy of racism and colonialism, that our multicultural society is mature enough to face the skeletons in the closest. Today, I will reflect that Canada can, and should, do better. And we will. There will be justice.
I hope every Canadian has a pleasant CANADA DAY, however they see fit.
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