Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Katie Neustaeter

REFRACTION

NEUSTAETER: Indigenous Day and Canada Day — Why I’m proud to be Canadian

Jun 30, 2019 | 12:30 AM

AM I A PROUD TO BE A CANADIAN GIRL? Well, let’s see, I:

• have my own hockey stick (although I don’t play hockey)
• own at least a dozen toques
• say “toques”
• know many facts about the beaver (two sets of eyelids, mainly nocturnal, not as cute as you’d think, etc)
• was deeply in love with Kurt Browning in the early ’90s
• rejoice at the first snow
• enjoy back bacon (obviously)
• act very offended when foreigners ask if I live in an igloo when I actually kind of wish I did
• am a life-long devotee to Charlotte Diamond, Mr. Dressup, Fred Penner, Today’s Special and the Polka Dot Door (but honestly, can we talk about how weird the Polkaroo was, though?), the Friendly Giant and Sharon, Lois and Bram
• also Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Neil Young (but mostly out of loyalty), Sarah McLachlan, Anne Murray, Gord Downie …I could go on forever…
• happily camp in the snow (and the rain, sun, sleet, etc.)
• have used the word “toonie” this week (despite its heinousness’)
• think Hawkins are the only real cheezies
• drink Tim Hortons coffee (even though it is clearly not superior coffee)
• own many plaid things
• can recite the original Anne of Green Gables movies line for line
• sometimes find myself humming the theme song of Fraggle Rock
• couldn’t live without Lay’s ketchup chips, Smarties, Fudgee-o’s, and Ruffles All Dressed Chips
• spell favourite with a “u”
• value manners

…and the list goes on.

So, yes, you could say I’m proud to be a Canadian girl.

It’s incredible to see the reaction we get all over the world when we tell others where we’re from, because it’s a special privilege to call a country home that lights up the eyes of others when you say it.

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“Are you American?….” (tinged with suspicion and wariness)

“No! I’m Canadian!” (said with buoyant pride)

“Oh, we love Canadians!” (the walls come down)

People around the world love our country, our people, our sports, our land and our ways.

But this year, as we mark another Canada Day on our calendars, I’m also proud of the way our country is beginning to more fully own the not-so shiny, polite or praise-worthy parts of our history.

In the last two years I’ve heard more productive and authentic everyday dialogue around reconciliation than ever before. Part of that is because of my personally expanded awareness, but it’s more than just wishful thinking to believe that we are heading in the right direction when it comes to owning the wrongs that have been done to the First Nations peoples of Canada.

I believe we have begun a better path to healing the heartbreakingly tragic parts of our past through humbled hearts, expanded minds and ownership of generational wrongs on a broader scale, widening that path for our future generations.

This weekend is Canada Day and it’s only fitting that the previous weekend was National Indigenous Day; an annual day when the First Nations community invites everyone to join them in celebrating the beauty, importance and great depth of their culture so that we can all better know the roots of our country and our people.

There was a time in Canada when elected figures would not have proudly attended a celebration of First Nations culture, when non-aboriginal people had little interest in becoming better educated in the culture that preceded them (to put it mildly) and the terrible history and shame between people groups kept wounds both open and growing without signs of repair.

We must continue to talk openly about still-existing injustices, increase representation, link arms and make meaningful change (pushing for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People to be implemented, addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous youth who experience homelessness and exploitation, etc.). But seeing that Indigenous high school graduation rates are at an all-time high in British Columbia, that a national inquiry into the missing and murdered Indigenous women was finally conducted and that all Canadian children are receiving a more comprehensive picture of our history from Day One of their formal education is reason to believe that we are a more united Canada than ever before.

There are parts of our heritage that I’m certainly not proud of, but I am proud that we, as Canadians, are beginning to rally and own them — working toward a Canada that’s authentic about our pain and intentional about our healing.

I’m proud that we’re known for saying “I’m sorry” and hopeful that we’re starting to understand when we truly need to be.

So add to the list of things that make me proudly Canadian that I know we have a terribly long way to go before we achieve true reconciliation, but believe we’re walking in the right direction.

Happy Canada Day everyone, may our strengthened unity continue to become a symbol of our home and native land.

——

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.