The G7 & the Dignity of Chief Crowchild

                                           Chief Steven Crowchild and President Donald Trump

1 Make me a channel of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me bring your love;

where there is injury, your healing power,

and where there's doubt, true faith in you...

 Well, the Orange One arrived at the G7 summer camp, trotted out a few inaccurate grudges about the past, had a cat nap, and left unexpectedly early, before he spoke with several of his counterparts from other nations. So much for being the leader of the free world.

Fortunately he did have a conversation with Prime Minister Mark Carney about free trade and it may have gone well. Let's be honest, we never really know.

There was also a brief exchange between Treaty 7 leader, Tsuut’ina Minor Chief Steven Crowchild, and President Trump as part of the welcoming delegation. Crowchild had mixed feeling about this encounter, wondering if he should be there. He reflected on what transpired afterward: 

Instead of war, I chose peace. Instead of hate, I chose love. Instead of hostility, I tried my best to show humanity. He was just another person, like the ones I greeted before him (some would say a horrible person and we all know many reasons why). I felt strong with my feather hat, which I received a transfer for yesterday, my treaty suit, my beadwork, and good medicine. I stood taller than him as a proud Tsuut’ina. Close as it gets...

These comments reflect maturity and dignity. Well done Chief Crowchild. They bring to mind the hymn, Make Me a Channel of Your Peace based on the words of St. Francis. 

On another note, the RCMP security team is acknowledging that it has installed 8-foot tall critter fencing because Kananaskis is grizzly bear country. I'm assuming that this protection is for the bears, not the humans.