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
No comments:
Post a Comment