Equality for All?

 I am sure that we are all aware of the leaked US Supreme Court draft decision, written by His Honour Alito, that, if past, will over turn Roe v. Wade.  The Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 secured the right of American women to seek an abortion without government interference.  It was my original intention to go into a long rant about how horrible this is for women, in the US, but as I researched, another broader issue came to mind.  Why does it seem that most people in an uproar about this are women.  When any citizen is denied a right or freedom, all citizens suffer.  

There are many studies, by the UN, Australia and many social organization that conclude that when there is complete gender equality, everyone benefits.  Company profits increase, Gross Domestic Product increases, poverty is decreases, violent crime against women and children decreases which frees up more funds to be used in curbing other types of crime.  

So, since this is the case, why are men not as pissed off as women.  I am tired of hearing from men that tell me they are not interested in women's issues, especially health concerns.  Why is it so hard for a man to hear about menstruation, cramps, ovulation, and menopause. Do you have a mother, a sister, a daughter?  If you do and you love them at all, why are you not as concerned as they are?  

Honestly, men need to get over it.  If most women can discuss erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer and testicular cancer, why are some men so disgusted by "women parts?" Everything that I listed above are natural body functions, not sorcery or a strange mutation.  But for some reason, women are supposed to keep all of it a secret for what; to prevent men from some discomfort?  The point is that none of these should cause discomfort, any more than premature ejaculation should cause discomfort to women.  By the way, I am not uncomfortable with men's reproductive health concerns, nor should any women.

This to me is another indication that women have a long way to go before we can be considered full citizens of the world.  Until we get to the point when there is no such thing as "Women's Health Issues" and just Health Issues, we will always be marginalized.  The fact that a separate government department has to be created to have women issues addressed, is proof positive that governments, which are dominated by men, do not see female citizens as equal.  

Excuse my language, but WTF.  Are governments so short sighted that they don't realize that leaving half of a countries population behind, for the sake of power and control, harms everyone?  Is "sharing the wealth" for the benefit of all so incomprehensible?  If so, why? Egomania, power addiction, a need to compensate for believed deficiencies?  

Again, I say GET OVER IT!  WE ARE ALL SUFFERING.

A Long Time Coming.

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 This week Pope Francis I gave what some called a heart felt apology to the the Indigenous, First Nations, Métis and Inuit people of Canada for the atrocities of the more than 100 years of the residential school systems of Canada. It was long over due.  I am not sure that everyone understands what these children endured in the name of religion and a policy of assimilation. 

Assimilation is, in my opinion, a form of cultural genocide.  How dare anyone of any religion make efforts to  eradicate another's faith, culture and language.  

    "The content of faith cannot be transmitted in a way contrary to the faith itself."

These are the words of Pope Francis I.  It is exactly what the Canadian Government and various religions tried to accomplish.  If the cultures have not been erased, considerable damage was done. 

Residential school operated from 1870's to the 1990's in Canada, except the provinces of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland.  The last residential school was closed in 1996, in Saskatchewan. This is only 2 years before my son was born.  I was born in 1970. If I would have been part of an Indigenous community, I probably would have been forced to attend such an institution.  This is a very sobering thought. 

It is estimated that at least 150 000 children were stolen from their homes, families and villages for their own "education and welfare."  This happened after those very same communities were forced off their ancestral lands by the policy of colonization.  It boggles my mind how anyone could honestly think that this would be beneficial to the various peoples indigenous to what is now Canada.

In fact, these communities were considered "a problem."  

    '...if anything is to be done with the Indian, we must catch him young.  The children must be kept constantly within the circle of civilized conditions." Nicholas Flood Davin. Report on Industrial School for Indians and Half Breeds. 1879.

    "I want to get rid of the Indian problem...Our objective is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed in the body of politic and there is no Indian question and no Indian Department." Hon. Duncan Campbell. Deputy Minister of Indian Affairs. 1920.

In 1920, it became mandatory for any Indigenous child of the ages of 7 to 16 years old to attend residential schools and in 1933 legal guardianship of these children were assumed by the principals of the school after being forcibly surrendered by their parents.

The religions that operated the residential schools include Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Menonites and others.  The Catholic Church operated 70% of the schools funded by the Canadian Government.  There were also schools operated without this funding.  I was unable to find any records or reports on these schools.  This being said, it would not surprise me if their practices were any different than those with the official approval and financial support of the federal, and provincial governments.

In my research, I could not find any record of a positive experience by any student.  In fact, what I discovered was worse than I could have imagined.  Students were forbidden to speak their language, being allowed to communicate in English or French only.  Punishment for a transgression could include a needle through the tongue.  Among other rules were that students had to convert to whatever religious beliefs of the school and wear "appropriate uniforms."  Children were separated by gender and siblings were separated.  

There was a lack of a nutritional diet and often not enough food or only spoiled food.  If a child became sick as a result, they were made to eat their own vomit. There was widespread physical, emotional and psychological abuse.  This could include beatings, with fists, leather straps or other tools.  Some of these beatings could result in the student falling into unconsciousness. At St. Anne's School in Fort Albany, Ontario there was an electric chair. Sexual abuse was widespread and systematic. If a pregnancy resulted, abortions were performed.  

In 1992 a 7 year investigation into the abuses at St. Anne's by the OPP, headed by Constable Greg Delguidice was done after the survivors approached the authorities.  It consisted of thousands of reported abuses by both religious and lay staff and teachers.  After the 2008 official apology by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Stephen Harper an agreement was made that in exchange for not suing the government, residential school survivors would be "properly compensated" according to a Truth and Reconciliation Agreement. To add insult to injury, many of the claims were denied for lack of a evidence and it was deemed that there was no sexual abuse at all.  The Federal government claimed that they were not in possession of the results of the OPP 1992 Investigation.  A claimed denied by the Constable who conducted the investigation.

I have chosen not to go into to many of the details of the reported abuse as it was graphic and more than upsetting.  They can been found by visiting the websites listed below.  

The next time you hear someone complain about continued payments to the Indigenous peoples of Canada, remind them of these facts.  How many parents would sue their Municipal government if their child broke their arm at a public park and expect compensation.  If this is the case, to what are survivors and families of Residential Schools entitled, after over a 100 years of systematic abuse.  

Sources:

bbc.com

anishinabek.ca

cbc.ca/fifthestate S44 E12

What’s in a Name?

I have recently seen an advertisement on television from Mastercard informing us that they have a new card called True Name. For some of us, this may seem insignificant. All our identification bears our name. What’s the big deal?  For some it is monumental. 

I have to admit that I did not know that having a card in my wallet not bearing my name was even a thing. But I am not part of the LBGTQ+ community. Some times I’m unaware of issues that affect others. I don’t believe that is intentional, as I don’t think it is for most. In fact, I am naïve enough to take for granted that people, companies and government would be timely in adapting to the needs of ALL people. I know. It’s not only naïve but perhaps even delusional. 

The struggles of those who identify as any marginalized group are real, whether I, or anyone, understand them or not. I do my best to understand, empathize and support them in any way I can. But, since I don’t live their life, there will be struggles that I don’t immediately see. This is the case here. 

When a person identifies themselves as a gender other than their physical state at birth, I can only imagine the turmoil in which they live. This is not as simple as getting a new hair cut or colour to match what you feel. Your very physical being does not match who you really are. 

After this, there must be fear; fear of family reaction, fear of school, and fear of how will your friends react. What about transition?

Wouldn’t it be great if they could look forward to love, support and acceptance?  Honestly, I don’t know why this is not the case. I guess it’s my delusions and naivety rearing their beautiful heads again. 

Perhaps it’s fear that causes some people to react the way they do. I’m not a huge Stars Wars fan, but Yoda says some pretty great things. One of which is: “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”  Fear of the unknown is natural. But instead of submitting to that fear, seek knowledge.  It’s not as hard as you may think. There is information all around you, just look or ask. You will be enlightened and perhaps find compassion and understanding. This makes fear and judgement impossible. 

So I come back the the ad by Mastercard. I commend and congratulate them for this step. Acknowledging our differences and acting accordingly is brave in the corporate world. I am sure there will be backlash. And if you listen to the ad, you will learn that the LBGQ+ community want what we all want and need. It is a great spiritual need to be loved and belong. I see no reason why this basic need is not freely given. I hope that this goes beyond ground breaking. I want it to be something that will go without saying. 

Happy St Patrick’s Day.

I was going to write a long history of the man who was St. Patrick, including his lineage and how St. Patrick’s Day became such a big deal for so many people. But I reconsidered and thought only a brief bio was necessary. 

I will say that he was a man who was born in England and  kidnapped to Ireland. After his escape from Irish slavery and return to his family, he returned to Ireland as a missionary. It was reported that he performed miracles, including bring back people from the dead. He was in danger, but continued to preach Christianity to Ireland. 

There have been legends about St. Patrick as well. According to some, he drove all the snakes from Ireland. It is also told that he explained the Holy Trinity to the Irish by using a shamrock; three leaves on one stem and one plant. 

The most important thing I want to say is the following: 

May you always have a coin in your pocket. 

May the wind always be at your back, and

May you be in Heaven half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead. 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. 

What is a Good Education

This is probably not the most interesting topic, nonetheless it is the most important. I was educated in the Separate School System in Northern Ontario.I attended JK to Grade 8 in French and Grade 9 to 13 in English. I also attended York University and graduated with a HBA degree in Sociology and a Minor in Psychology. I am not sharing this information to brag but to explain my background and possible reasons for this post. 

All of this book learning was great and I think it was important and has definitely contributed my successes. However, I certainly don’t believe that it is the end all and be all of education. In fact, the most important lesson I ever learned was at my family dinner table, every night. As I grew up, the problems of the world were tabled, discussed and solve at every evening. I learned to think and I learned to question. 

I am grateful for this. It saved me from blind obedience. It gave me compassion for others in dire situations. It opened my mind to the opinions of others. It made me teachable from everyone and anyone I met. 

I became aware that any social or historical event is never black or white; right or wrong. I cannot jump to a conclusion without proper investigation. Most importantly, if I have an opinion, I damn well better be able to back it up. 

I am presently working on the other side of the desk so to speak. I am teaching at the Oxford Learning Centre in Bradford Ontario. Its program centres around asking questions and knowing the why of any topic. It motivates the brain to retain information because it is always is connected to what you already know. 

It has become obvious to me that this type of learning and questioning is not something that most students know. I am not blaming teachers or parents or any educational professionals. I am sure I am not the only individual who has made this observation. The question is what to do about it. 

Part of my responsibility as a parent is to prepare my children for the world. This includes the good and the bad. If they are to be contributing members of society they must know to question everything they hear or read. What is being said? Why is it being said? By whom is being said? And what interest does “the whom” have in what is being said?  By asking these questions, my children are able to make well educated decisions in their lives and in the process change the world. Every child should be given that chance. They are all our future. 

I am not putting the responsibility of this type of learning on any one person or institution. A lot can be said for the idea that it takes a village to raise a child. I believe in a united team of schools, parents, and others to instil the skill of thinking in our youth. This is the most important skill that anyone can learn. It opens them up to endless knowledge. 

Ukraine v. Russia.

So, it’s hard to watch the news over the past week and not have something to say; but where to start?

I almost feel like I have to remark on the tumultuous history of Russia before 1917, The Soviet Union and the present day Russia. Suffice it to say that Russia was a monarchy, that was over thrown as a result of the Russia Revolution of 1917. After some years there was a civil war which ended with a communist government head by Vladmir Lenin. Within another few years, at its height, the USSR contained 15 Soviet Socialist Republics, one of those was Ukraine. 

Ukraine did not achieve complete independence until 1991, after many years of foreign control by, at various times, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, and Czechoslovakia. Finally it became part of the USSR. 

Since the fall of the USSR, the relations between Ukraine and Russia have been, in my opinion, tense. A lot of this revolves around economics. Russia already has control of Crimea and to gain control of Ukraine would increase it’s access to the Mediterranean Sea and a major trade route to Western Europe. Russian exports are mostly hydro carbons. It would also control NATO influence in Eastern Europe. 

As much of history, actions are being somewhat controlled by the love of money. Many would agree that Russia is an oligarchy. A very select and rich elite are calling the shots which explains why the drastic economic sanctions against, not only Russia but significant wealthy private citizens literally hits them where it matters. 

All that being said, I think that Putin is a bit of a megalomaniac and has a lust for power. Any leader of this type is not just a threat to their country, but to the rest of the World. I think the recent invasion of Ukraine makes this all too clear. 

I am completely behind Ukrainian Resistance to, in my opinion, an invasion and an act of war. All because Ukraine is seeking closer ties to Western Europe. 

I would like to believe that the economic sanctions will discourage Russian from further aggressive actions, but I also know this is unlikely. As much as I know that there is more good in the world than bad, It frightens me that the bad can still do so much damage to our World. 

As a caveat, if you are following this global event, or anything else for that matter, be careful of your sources. Social Media is a breeding ground for false information and propaganda from both sides.

Resources:

www.britanica.com

www.history.com

www.carnegieendowment.org

www.aljeera.com

www.cbc.ca

If you have suggestions for other sources of information, I welcome them. 

Ignored History

So February is Black History Month. I am aware that there are differing opinions about the fact that there is a month dedicated to history of a specific people. What bothers me most is that one is necessary. 

At some point in time, I hope that a Black History Month is not necessary, however I do believe we need it now. It is sad but true. 

I look back on all I learnt in history in school and I do not remember being taught anything about Black people in Canada or the United States. There was not even a unit dedicated to the many significant events surrounding Black People, or Aboriginal Peoples or women for that matter. This is a disgrace to our education system, and further evidence that much of the history we learn was written by white men. 

This is the reason that a focus on ignored history is absolutely necessary. 

Certainly, we know about Sir John A. MacDonald, Dr. Banting, Tommy Douglas.  We can all probably recite some basic facts about all these men. But what do we know about the women, the Aboriginals and the Black history makers. I admit, I had to go looking for these significant history makers. 

Do you know who Viola Desmond was and what she did?   Do you know who Agnes Macphail was and what she did? Do you know who Nahnebahwequay and what she did. What about Lincoln Alexander, or Mifflar Wistar Gibbs, Louis Riel, Tecumseh, and Laura Secord (not the chocolate company)?

There are so many more to name but they have been forgotten or even worse, ignored. 

I challenge you to discover the richness of Canadian History that has been disregarded by our present education system. Dust off the books in the library, light up the internet and revel in the accomplishment of the unknown heroes and heroines of Canada.