I forgive you, my big, beautiful, wonderful Canada

Those who are unhappy about this birthday party forget that a country isn’t defined by individuals or a single generation. It’s about the spirit, the intent, the total record of a people, not one person or a few; it’s about values and commitment in the long-term, not a day or a year out of a lifetime.

I read about those who insist July 1 should be a day of mourning for what they call “the exploitation and genocide of indigenous people,” and it makes me sad. We need to be reminded of what our ancestors did, they say.

“Genocide” is a strong word. It means the deliberate killing of a large group of people, the extermination of a race. Sometimes it’s referred to as “cultural genocide,” which may be more accurate. Certainly, there’s a lot of debate about whether the term is being over-used — “verbal inflation” as it’s been described.

What there can be no doubt of is that colonialism was hard on indigenous peoples and that the often-devastating legacy is still with us.

Maybe we can never be reminded enough about that but I suggest we should look on this 150th birthday as a time to be together as a family and to recognize, for one day at least, our nation’s progress and accomplishments, and what we’ve given Mother Earth in return for the blessings she’s given to Canada.

After all, we, the descendants of those individuals who allowed injustices to happen four generations ago, are trying — sometimes too hard, I would argue. We’re taking down statues, changing the names of schools and universities and mountains that don’t fit with the way we would like history to have been.

The governor-general even apologized recently for commenting that we’re all immigrants, that even indigenous peoples came here across the Bering land bridge a very long time ago.

The existence of the Bering Land Bridge is a credible if controversial theory, and so is the theory that our First Peoples used it to get here thousands of years ago. If we’re all immigrants, we at least have that in common, but it doesn’t square with history the way some see it, so the governor-general apologized.

Our country has made a lot of other mistakes, like the internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II, and the exclusion of Chinese. Their descendants could be angry, too, but they’re celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday because whatever happened in the past, they’re Canadians. (Many indigenous Canadians are celebrating, too.)

For all your blemishes, Canada, you’ve always been there to welcome those fleeing their own countries due to war, famine or persecution. You’ve given the world scientific and medical advances, innovations and inventions, and talent and genius, out of all proportion to your population.

Our own Kamloops’ July 1 celebrations, hosted by the Kamloops Multi-Cultural Society, honour our collective diversity. All across the country, Canadians are doing the same. Those who stay away will be missing a great party.

This country hasn’t ended injustice or poverty, it hasn’t solved guns and drugs, it’s struggling with the environment, and health care has some problems.

However, no person, no ethnic group, no political group, no country is perfect. Canada, there are things about you to criticize, but there’s so much more to praise. Yes, there’s a lot more to be done, and you’re working hard at getting better.

I acknowledge the validity of the grievances against my country but history shows Canadians are preeminently kind people who are making something good here, and I take offense when anyone says otherwise.

I forgive you your imperfections, my big, beautiful, wonderful country. I forgive you, I love you, and I’m proud of you.

by Armchair Mayor

I forgive you, my big, beautiful, wonderful Canada

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