Excerpt:
Pareja says he acknowledges Macdonald's foundational role in the country's Confederation, but having public schools bearing his name leaves out his role in the starvation of Indigenous people along the railway to facilitate its construction, along with Macdonald's - "central role as architect, really, of what was genocide of Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island."
"At no point, when it came to learning about the Confederation of Canada, the Fathers of Confederation, was any of that part of our history," he said, recalling his own time in the elementary school system.
This being the heart of the matter, while
Former foreign affairs minister John Baird called it "political correctness on steroids."
"It's one of the most crazy and ridiculous things I've ever heard - just simply trying to erase Canadian history in the guise of an extreme and radical political correctness."
He's considered Canada's founding father, but many Ontario teachers want his name stripped from public schools.
CBC, Aug 23, 2017
Aside from reaching production goals through them by any means - literally, not mentioned are the Chinese either, without whom - despite the horrific conditions they worked in and abusive treatment they were habitually subjected to, frequently resulting in (officially uncounted) at-work deaths (which until 1897 did not have to be reported) - the BC segment of the transcontinental railway most definitely would not have been completed by when it had to be completed: Macdonald's stipulation for BC becoming part of the Confederation.
While he clearly was aware of the absolutely necessary Chinese part in the process: he was not inclined to allow them to stay on in Canada - after he had got his little steam engine that could.
It is not advantageous to the country that the Chinese should come and settle in Canada, producing a mongrel race and interfering very much with white labour in Canada.
I do not think it would be to the advantage of Canada or any other country occupied by Aryans, for members of the Mongolian race to become permanent inhabitants of the country.
Sir John A. Macdonald
1887
Forsooth - (pre-Hitler) Aryans? Scarily same message - and here we are!
Whether-or-not (any longer) having public schools in Ontario named after Macdonald has nothing to do with "trying to erase Canadian history" - but everything with a possible step towards the country's maturity. And we for sure could do ourselves with some of that, Mr. Baird-With-Recently-Acquired-Vocabulary!
... a pair of surveys reveal some of us have the national awareness of a fruit fly.
A basic contextual knowledge of Canadian history and geography is essential for us to understand the nature of this country, its differences from its neighbour, its ties and connections to the citizens' ancestral homelands, and even the fundamental choices we collectively make and collectively face.
Lack of national awareness - and ignorance of Canada's history, dimensions, texture, origins and peoples - is a disgrace, it's also a handicap as we build for the future.
Our ignorance is no excuse
Editorial, Hamilton Spectator
July 2, 2009
Could have been written now!
A people whose main selling-point today is that they're "nice" - either are a very limited people, or they're just not up to facing their reflection in the mirror.
Credit:
wet-rebrand/dezeen
What keeps getting so many upset about Charlottesville?
Was it the cosplay creeps with their predictable mantra; was it the predictable death of one white person; was it American-democracy elected Donald Trump being his predictable self?
Was it politicians predictably getting on the predictable media-train as an opportunity to self-promote - while not actually having to do something constructive?
Nothing new in any of it!
Racism is the foundation of Canada and the US: the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) ethos of superiority in all and everything has shaped them both from the beginning - with God on their side - to become part of their (supremely) white social fabric.
So - it's hard to believe that all sudden demonstrators in Vancouver - before hitting the streets - actually went through a catharsis overnight and came out cleansed of their habitual complicity-at-least-by-silence: regarding from-the-top-down punishing disregard for Canada's indigenous nations. And others of color. Ongoing since the Colonials' arrival.
If they didn't - they've hardly had time since Charlottesville - they are and remain white supremacists (with better haircuts): if only by background, environment, association, voting - and dithering.
Does not having had large-scale demonstrations all along specifically in support of aboriginals mean: they have not been victims of racism?
"Supremacism is the worldview that a particular age, race, species, ethnicity, religion, ideology, nation, or culture is superior to other variations of that trait, and it advocates that those who identify with it dominate, control and subjugate those who do not."
Wikipedia
The Germans attempted to export their particular brand of white supremacy all over the world; the British actually did; and the Americans are still at it with what Obama openly bragged about as American exceptionalism - another word for white supremacism.
The man in Charlottesville - driving his car into a crowd and killing one - a small number by today's terrorism "standards" - was not using a specifically southern-white-supremacist game-plan: he copied that from run-of-the-mill terrorists, who originally objected enough-is-enough to white supremacism in the Middle East.
So - wouldn't it be more clear-headed to call those pathetic southern whack-jobs what the are - racist nationalists - instead of empowering them uniquely with a label way too large for them to carry.
In Vancouver - taking selfies in the crowd and sending them to Friends as proof of having been there - having done the righteous thing - may provide a momentary rush - but then what? When these things are over - they're usually over, and everybody heads for Starbuck's.
Wouldn't those professing concerns in front of city hall have been more on point by taking these concerns to the Eastside?
There doing something small and quiet and personal about neighborhood racism.
If you can't love the present locals - you can't love the arriving Syrians.
We're all guilty!
While the extreme white-supremacist state of mind and how it expresses itself is abhorrent - at least it is clearly visible, thus could at least be contained, if there were a (politically advantageous) will to do so.
If.
And if the general public - there and here - took steps beyond conveniently short twitterings and righteous Likes to show their support for (politically expedient) media-posturing.
If.
After all, down there - habitual neighborhood racism - usually not as visually/audibly dramatic as the in-your-face of white supremacists - still is a form of slavery, over time spread from the few to the many. Including those against slavery - like: everybody is involved!
Up here - systemic/systematic state-sponsored racism has been in force against the real Canadians - and not only! - since day one.
In the process surely having spawned our very own - and while Canadians are ever so nice - thus-far-media-ignored white supremacists.
Sudden - within days after Charlottesville - mass-removals of statues and plaques - down there/up here - are a quickie guilt-born attempt at out-of-sight/out-of-mind.
Sudden ideological removal is another matter entirely.
Donald Trump is not the issue - but just one pimple that burst!
Jonathan Lemire/AP
atlantico-yahoo
