Don't get me wrong. I am proud to be Canadian. I love this country. As an immigrant I am glad to be able to live here. There are lots of other places in the world that are much worse.
At the moment there has been a lot of controversy over whether or not to celebrate Canada Day. It is felt that celebrations should be called of in a gesture of reconciliation and solidarity with indigenous communities. Native peoples have had to deal with a lot of grief. /It has been a hard time for them. I agree that it doesn't seem fair to celebrate when so many are hurting.
Yesterday 182 more unmarked graves were discovered at the site of a former residential school in Cranbrook, B.C. More are expected to be found. We have become a country divided each time another unmarked grave is found. People are reeling from this news. Not just indigenous people, but others as well. I know I am.
Indigenous people have a lot of healing to do. But we all have to share the blame and help them heal. That is if they trust us enough to let us help. And we have to heal ourselves. We have to acknowledge history, but we also have to move forward. History cannot repeat itself.
In order to support both Canada and Native people, I have decided to make some orange rail fence blocks today, to join the blocks I made earlier in red. Red for Canada. Orange to honour Indigenous People.
Well said, Hetty! As a country we're all in this together.... to remember, to learn, to acknowledge, and to always strive for a more inclusive, kind, respectful, and accepting society for all people. I've always loved the colours orange and red together. I often make that happen in my summer garden.
ReplyDeleteRed and orange can come together, but it will take time and respect on everyone's part. I love it in the garden.
DeleteHappy Canada Day.
ReplyDeleteWe have similar issues with Australia Day. In our case is because the day commemorates the very beginning of colonisation, the arrival of the first fleet of convicts, as if there were no people here already. I never feel comfortable celebrating that day.
I understand what you mean.
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