When I first arrived in Canada as a young boy, those I most wanted to meet were the country's indigenous people.
For even in the misty heart of the Scottish highlands, I was always an Indian never a cowboy.
I thought they were the coolest people I had ever seen, and wished I could live like them.
But then nobody told me about this.
Or about this child concentration camp...
And this horror will haunt me forever.
As it should haunt all of us.
So I'm glad we now have a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
So we can honour all those who died such lonely deaths, hopefully begin a new and more hopeful chapter in this country's history.
And finally deal with the twin scourges that afflict our beautiful native people, racism and poverty.
For you can't solve one problem without solving the other.
As for me, I'm just glad we have a prime minister who can lead us down the road to reconciliation better than any bigot Con.
And I will use this day to renew my vow to do better, and also honour one of my great Canadian heroes, Chanie Wenjack
Who died trying to escape one of those child prisons...
His death sparked the first inquest into the treatment of native children in residential schools.
It took far too long for all those little voices to be heard, but now I feel we're on our way at last.
Honour his memory, honour them all...
Congrats. At least you didn’t spend the day in Tofino.
ReplyDeleteTofino is an indigenous community too, numbnuts. He dropped the kids off and then went to participate in a ceremony. But you don't want to report or acknowledge that, do you?
ReplyDeleteCanadian "scandals" are so stupid. They're all Obama suit scandals. Tofinogate registers somewhere on the scale between Elbowgate and Donutgate in terms of validity/importance. The problem yet again is with the petty, childish, white colonizer media that can't quit their ratings cash cow, and prefers to behave like TMZ tabloid hounds stalking a public figure to sell papers and generate clicks. Remember when they chased down poor Gerry's wife? Shame on them, why don't they chase Justin's car into a tunnel like their nasty British counterparts did to Diana?
They'd be slamming him if he made himself the centrepiece, and yet that's exactly what they're doing. White media nonsense. This is on them for not wanting to confront their own racism, their own complicity in colonialism. They should have had an entire Trudeau blackout for the day and just focused on Indigenous people themselves. He's the one who signed this day into law to begin with. Does anyone seriously think the guy who dismissed Residential Schools as just fancy boarding schools to "provide education" really deserves the benefit of the doubt?
If this is the kind of coverage this parliamentary session is going to generate, I honestly wouldn't blame him if he hung up the gloves sooner rather than later and told you all to fuck off. Which I'm sure is exactly what you all want, isn't it. You want Tool Man in office so that reconciliation gets completely ignored. He of the party of "not high on our radar." Eat shit. All of you. This was an important day and you turned it into another "Trudeau bad" tantrum rather than take time to reflect. Please do yourselves a favor and go bury your empty heads at Wounded Knee.
He lied. The PMO lied about where he was. They knew there would be a negative reaction and tried to hide it.
DeleteTo bad Trudeau’s short bus crew don’t know about aircraft transponders are: CF01.
He’s a fraud, always have been and always will be.
Nice post, Simon. At long last we have a national holiday(except for a few Con provinces of course) to honor and remember our indigenous peoples struggles from the day the white man came and changed their way of life forever. Horrific doesn't begin to describe what they went through. Generations of the white man's rule ensured they would be treated as second class citizens in what is, without question, their lands, their country. Growing up I was fortunate in that my parents were not racist whatsoever and never made fun of, abused or dismissed indigenous peoples. However, the same cannot be said for the many people I have encountered through the years. I'm not going to describe what they said or did but suffice it to say it was deplorable. Given everything that's happened since my early days I would hope the majority of those people now realize how wrong they were and have somehow made amends. We can't change history but we sure as hell can make sure that this shameful chapter is never repeated again.
ReplyDeleteJD
BTW, gonna say anything about Legault rejecting the TRC stat holiday because he says it eats into "productivity"? How about Kenney's Bill 1 that was passed to punish Indigenous land defenders, now being expanded to arrest nurses on strike against his abuse (under the guise of cracking down on antivaxers)? What about Tool wanting to take Kenney's draconian legislation national or his comments on residential schools? Or are we again only doing "Trudeau bad"? Can we talk about policies please instead of this National Enquirer bullshit?
ReplyDeleteHe got read the riot act when he was at Cowessess leaving a bear on a grave. Moe did the same thing and no one batted an eye. So instead Trudeau opted to cede the spotlight to Indigenous people entirely, and spend the day having downtime with family. Gets chased down nevertheless for not doing a photo-op that he would have been excoriated for anyway. They even hunted down his daughter. Absolute and utter disgrace. Sick.
You're all pathetic. You really are. There's a special place in hell for the bloodthirsty beasts of the money-grubbing lügenpresse. Why don't you just admit it: You don't really GAF about Indigenous people. You just want to use anything and everything to throw shit at Trudeau. The press wants him turfed, it's quite obvious. Never have I seen hatred of one man so badly outweigh the love of one's country.
Further to my previous comment, earlier today I was admiring the fall colors and what struck me was how beautiful the maple leaves looked. Their red and orange colors blending together were particularly beautiful and I thought, wouldn't it be a deeply profound gesture to revamp our flag with such a maple leaf before it is lifted back up to full mast.
ReplyDeleteJD
I cannot believe the utter stupidity of the Tofino story - its like the Ottawa press are convinced that Trudeau is trying to hide something from them and they think their job is to "get" him if they can. Its like everyone is still in high school, jealous of the guy who is the Big Man On Campus, and trying to cut him down to size.
ReplyDeleteI do not need a special day to reflect on what white Europeans have done to the indigenous people in this country. I have been doing that for quite some time already. For me it was just a day off and I did some much needed Fall yard work, to prepare for winter, which is fast approaching.
ReplyDeleteAs for the PM and his vacation. It was his government that made the new holiday law. It was his government that put a ton of money aside to take care of water quality issues in many indigenous communities. His government's approach to indigenous issues has been to talk to their leaders instead of the age old approach of deciding what to do for them. In short, the Ottawa MSM is just being its usual self and as usual they do not seem to be able to come up with stories that resonate south of Laurier Avenue.
His advisors would have known that the media would react this way. They would have to be blind not to foresee this but he went and started his vacation anyway. If he would have made himself front and centre the media would have complained. If he would have disappeared for the day they would have complained. He decides to fly to BC and they complain. Since they would have complained regardless of what he would have done he decided to do what was best for him and his family. Start a family vacation. Good on him. This was his way of giving the media a middle finger and to remind them that despite their best efforts he is still PM.
If I were the PM I would be looking for ways to fuck over the media within the current regulatory framework. Begin changing regulations that negatively impacts their bottom line. Some things can probably be done without going through Parliament. It can be sold as a way to introduce more competition into our system to bring down prices and improve services. That message would resonate well outside of the Ottawa bubble.
Yup, let’s attack the media. I guess some people really are trying to import Trump style politics.
DeleteHi anon@10:32PM...The attempt by you and your Cons to whip up another fake scandal only tells me how desperate you are. I realize that that Justin Trudeau humbled and humiliated you, and that you are sobbing like big babies, but you deserve it. And Trudeau has the right to have a vacation whenever and wherever he wants. So stuff that in your pipe and smoke it...
ReplyDeleteHi Jackie...Justin Trudeau took part in a sombre ceremony to mark the day that he created, before leaving for Tofino. So he doesn't have to apologize for anything. The grubby Cons at Global News on the other hand have a lot to apologize for, principally for revealing the location where the Trudeau family is vacationing, and tipping of the violent kooks who want to hurt him or kill him. The Con media is out of control, and needs to be taught a lesson they will never forget...
ReplyDeleteHi JD....Thank you for your kind words. I wanted to express my love and admiration for our beautiful native people, who have contributed so much to this country even though they have been treated so badly. That bigotry endures, for I can't forget that just a few years ago the CBC was forced to shut down its comment pages on any story about our indigenous people. The comments being so brutish and violent.
ReplyDeleteIt's depressing that so many Cons get a kick out of bullying some of Canada's poorest and most vulnerable people. But like you I am optimistic about the future, and that's what counts. I believe that most Canadians are basically good, and that they can and will work with our native people to help build a better Canada...
Hi Jackie...The Cons don't give a damn about our native people, they are just trying to discredit Justin Trudeau for having defeated and humiliated them. The bigotry aims at indigenous people on some Con sites is simply disgusting and threatens the fabric of this nation. So they should just shut up, and understand that Trudeau is the prime minister and can vacation anywhere and everywhere he wants...
ReplyDeleteHi JD...The leaves on the trees where I live have only started to change colour, but as I am every year I am already struck by the incredible beauty of this country. How lucky we are...
ReplyDeleteBeing inTrudeau's family is rough. His kids are yelled at, they have to live with all the threats to from reformatory bullies and they have to see a fight wing idiot throw stones at their father and they know their father has had to wear a bulletproff west . Their mother is vilely insulted and physically threatened to to point she was advised by security to limit public appearances.
ReplyDeleteA private vacation for the family is earned and deserved .
Hi anon@1:43AM….As I told your Con friend, your pathetic attempt to create a fake scandal only betrays the depth of your desperation. You lost the election and now you are trying to find some way any way to go after Justin Trudeau. Even though that only makes you look even more like losers, if that’s possible. Don’t you understand that most Canadians look at you and feel nothing but contempt for your attempt to keep the election campaign going long after it is over. It’s going to be a long four years….
ReplyDeleteHi Cathie….I feel exactly like you do, and I couldn’t have said it better. The Cons are trying to bring down the Big Man On Campus after he crushed them like cockroaches. And although that’s pathetic and won’t go anywhere, this toxic Trudeau hate is poisoning our democracy and needs to be stopped. I hope to be able to write a post later today, and explain where I believe this toxic kookiness is coming from. But first I’m going to have to cool down, because right now I’m too angry to write. 🤨
ReplyDeleteHi Ottlib…Good comment. I should have made it clear in my post that every day is a day to celebrate our beautiful indigenous people. And the Cons have a nerve attacking the man who has done more to advance the native cause than any other prime minister. I am confident that most decent will see it that way, and will be disgusted by their dirty games as much as I am. And would support any initiatives designed to bring the Con media under control, or at the very least make them act more like Canadians…
ReplyDeleteAny government and leader that dares to support rewriting our national identity to make it more inclusive and truthful can expect to be ruthlessly targeted by those with a vested interest in embellishing upon the old story. Perhaps some day in the distant future we will have a Reconcilliation day for all the yellow vests, proud boys and other nationalists whose heads exploded over the horror of it all! Then again perhaps we will need more than one day as most still have not recovered from Trudeau senior taking the church sponsored government out of the bed rooms of our nation.
ReplyDeleteRT
Great post, Simon. Too bad there are some anon a_holes appearing with nothing constructive to say.
ReplyDeleteI think such a day of reflection is important. It actually brings the issues to the forefront.
UU
Hi anon@11:10 AM….You Con clowns are really funny, the more desperate you become, the more hilarious you are. So even though the Cons are the closest thing to being the Trump party north, and even though our media is so biased it’s threatening our democracy, you would claim that progressives are the real Trumpists for defending our country and its values from the AmeriCons who would destroy it. Try standing on you head when you write, it might give you a more balanced perspective….🥸
ReplyDeleteHi Rumleyfips….Justin Trudeau has led his country through a brutal pandemic, and defeated the Cons and the NDP in an election campaign where he was targeted by the Opposition parties, and the Con media,. And you point out the Con beasts not only attacked him, they attacked his family. But our filthy Con media still won’t recognize that he won the election, or that he deserves a few days off. They aren’t looking to correct his course, they are looking to destroy him…
ReplyDeletehi UU….Thank you I enjoyed writing it, and I also regret that the ugly Cons completely ruined that special day, by making it all about Justin Trudeau, and whether he had the right to take a short holiday. It’s absolutely disgusting, and the damage they are doing to Canada and its values, cannot be calculated. But let Cons be Cons, they are digging themselves an ever deeper hole, and then they’ll wonder why Canadians don’t want them to govern this country..
ReplyDeleteLook it is not JT's first Rodeo. He did this on purpose, what the purpose was we will find out in time.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that surprise me is that the Tool and the SInge have not demanded he resign.
I think he should have done something, but its not a fireable offence.
He dud enough. He did ceremony the previous day, he called Indigenous on the day of the incident and then he will meet leaders again.
ReplyDeleteThe issue is not JT, it is the media. They want it to be about them and they are a dying breed.
Another Trudeau minority or majority will likely be the end of many careers, and I hope David Akin's is one of them.
I read the principles and history, again. And I will continue to do so.
Peace be to our First Nations.