Canada Day or Not Canada Day

Yes, it’s Canada Day again. But with a brand new take on who we are as a country and a people. With the recent finding of residential schools children graves, we are mourning together.

What an awful and sad story we now remember. More today, are aware of the terrible truths surrounding our history and how these children and their families were treated.

Children were torn from their families, their hair was cut, they were raped and even some murdered.

Yes we have come a far way since then. But I still can’t say that I’m proud of how the indigenous people even to this day are treated.

How their land in Calgary, once again, was taken to build a ring road. How we continue to disrespect tribal lands where indigenous people live, and where they depend on the land itself and on their communities staying together.

How people have judgments or discrimination still to this day.

Enough. Let’s respect all cultures, all people.

This is a difficult subject for me to talk about and I probably didn’t do it justice. So forgive me and may I speak in a way as to not offend anyone.

As a person who’s not indigenous by blood, I still resonate deeply with indigenous people and their beautiful culture. A culture that has been blended into other cultures, and yet still stands true to its own, woven together over time, welcoming all people to join together as one family.

And also a culture that still stands strong to this day in love and integrity, connected to the ancient traditions of the ancestors as well as the people here today and yet to come.

Today is still called Canada Day so far as decided by the government.

I look back on how far we came since the days of the residential school, and yet, how far we have to go.

I celebrate every day, this land and the people, here today, and from long, long ago. I celebrate that we are one family, that we are connected. I honour the spiritually in each of us, and respect that we each represent that in our own unique ways.

I’m so sorry about what happened and I pray that we will join together in reconciliation, healing our families, our communities, our world.

I love people and the inate goodness within most people who all want the same thing, peace, together.

I think we can find a new way to celebrate life together and promote peace and awareness and respect. I hope we can do it in a way that is not offensive. So I totally get the rallies happening right now around not celebrating Canada Day.

It sounds like that on the radios tonight, before the fire works, we will take a moment of silence to remember the victims of the residential schools and their families. To remember the children, whose bodies were found, and there families.

I can’t even imagine how difficult these discoveries have been for some people and I pray for healing for everyone effected and hope for healing. For some they may still be upset about Canada Day, and I here you, and there’s is so many people here to help eachother get through this and find a new way through this that is healing.

If they wanted to cancel Canada Day, that’s fine with me. Maybe we could come up with a new holiday or a new name and date that honours and protects people, instead of divides people, or makes false claims about who we are and what we want to represent.

It’s our communities that reminds me of what it is to be human and that this life’s is sacred, and that this life’s is for all of us. Could we learn to live in a way that honours the sacredness of life and all people, past present and future?

The word Canada, simply implies that there is a line drawn upon the earth that separates Canada from other countries, or Canadians from non Canadians. But honestly, what is the the difference, and why do we look at it that way. Yes this is a beautiful place to live, and I love it here and I love the people, the people who were born here or who’s ancestors were born here, and those that came from around the world.

But I’m not as into the idea of division and saying that we are better then anyone else or different because of an imaginary line on the ground.

Could we lay down our flags and come together as one people, sisters and brothers, or each family of any gender, or non gender specific in some cases, united together.

Could we honour where and from whom we each came from and that we are all connected. Could we shift our voices to sing and celebrate being alive on earth, rather then standing for one country, or one moment in time that made us a country.

This is just my thoughts and I hope I said it well without offending anyone. I welcome all beliefs that are kind, positive, loving and inclusive.