Happy Canada Day! I love Canada and I love being Canadian. We have not one but two flags in front of our place today, including an intepretation by the late Kwakwaka'wakw artist Curtis Wilson. I appreciate why the phrase "the country we know as Canada" is used by some (I have myself at times) because European contact was with a host of Indigenous peoples throughout this land.
I would be content to have our national anthem permanently altered to say/sing "our home on Native land." I still sing it with pride (not too much pride, we're Canadian) and I often get emotional doing so.
Hanging our with an Iceberg, Change Islands Newfoundland, July 2017
We were out in our kayaks on a nearby river this morning and we paddled for an hour seeing lots of creatures but no humans during that time.We are so aware these days of the beauty and the peace of the region in which we live. I saw the latest edition of the Global Peace Index, a now 19-year-old measure of the peaceability of nations, employing a number of factors. During these two decades Canada has placed as high as seven and several times at fourteen, as it has again this year. Iceland is in first spot and Ireland at second in 2025. By contrast, China is 88th, the United States is at 128, and Russia dead last at 163. So much for superpowers.
I would feel better about our ranking if there was a greater sense of reciprocity and fairness with Indigenous peoples and if we continued to be a welcoming nation to newcomers. My overwhelming feeling about being Canadian is gratitude and as a Christ follower that includes generosity, respect, and hospitality. There has been a lot said about "elbows up" in the past few months, a feisty response to threats from south of the border, but I would prefer "hands open" as our ethos.
I hope you have the opportunity to spend some time outside today and that you be intentional in thanking the Creator. God keep our land, glorious and free...
Christi Belcourt Métis visual artist, activist, author
Happy Canada Day. For me, it's extra special as I just noticed a turtle in my backyard digging a hole in some wood chips we had spread out. I have a soft spot for turtles and it's exciting to see one here and possibly building a nest.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying that when the chips are down turtles turn to you, Roger? That's good news on Canada Day.
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