(no subject)
Continuing the Canada Day Long Weekend Blog
It's Sunday morning! And despite staying in bed for an extra hour or so, I'm tired and I ache. Dunno if it's the remnants of the painting yesterday, or if I just slept funny... or if it's from being repeatedly kicked by Gdayboy, who woke at 5AM and tried to go downstairs, so ended up in bed with Gdaysheila and I for an hour or so.
One way or another, the plan is to go to Church this morning, do some laundry, and then Spud and Stephane will be coming over tonight to play VS. Other than that we have the day to ourselves to goof around and do whatever! Wheeee!
We'll likely go to the park to celebrate Canada Day, get little maple leaves painted on the kids faces, and otherwise fulfil their patriotic duty as little Canadians. Maybe, to be cheeky, I could put them in Australian T-shirts, see if we can't throw some people off.
It's an interesting thing being in another country when they're celebrating their nationality. Part of me wants to slap on an Australian shirt and a cork hat and declare my difference from them, another part wants to just join in and support them as they take pride in who they are as a nation, much as I do on Australia Day (even if I do it by myself, I don't know any other Aussies here in Canuckland).
I think the celebration of national pride is an interesting thing. Every time Australia Day rolls around, there are those who think it's a travesty and prefer to call it Invasion Day, focussing on the wrongs done to the native Aboriginal peoples when white settlers arrived; there are Canadians who do the same. We've just had the National Day of Action for the First Nations here in Canuckland. To highlight their cause, protesters blocked rail lines.
From what I'm reading they've got a beef with CN Rail, so rail lines make an appropriate target I guess, but I have to wonder exactly what they're going to achieve, realistically. I'm not saying that their cause is unjust or invalid or anything along those lines; I'm just curious as to what end result they expect. CN Rail isn't going to alter its plans because of one day's disruptions - rather, I'd say they're more likely to lay more charges in court against those responsible, an unfortunate result since one of the things the First Nations are protesting is the CN Rail's laying charges against them over conflicts relating to rail lines through First Nation lands. (NB: just for the record, there are a number of other concerns than just the CN Rail issue; I suggest you do a little research if it's the kind of thing you're interested in or open to finding out more about).
The First Nations peoples get a lot of publicity at this time of year already, I would have thought that there were plenty of opportunities for spreading information about their plights and concerns without the need for disrupting infrastructure. If I was reliant on use of a certain highway on a daily basis and it was blockaded as part of a protest, I think I'd be more inclined to be irritated at the protesters than sympathetic to their cause. As an alternative, if the resources used to blockade were instead put towards some sort of civic event, I'd be more inclined to look at it with an open mind and listening ears, I would think.
I guess my issue, if I really have one, is that the average Canadian, regardless of their heritage, is happy to be a Canadian. As such, should be entitled to enjoy Canada Day and to celebrate what the country means to them. The same applies to any Australian, any American, anyone really - with the caveat that your own patriotism shouldn't trample anyone elses.
I'm proud of being an Aussie, I'm proud of my flag, my beer, my bizarre animals, my places with near unpronouncable names.
Is Australia perfect? Aside from the beer and meat pies? No. Is Australia's history clean? No. Has the white Australian Nation made reparations for all the wrongs done to the black Australian Nation? No. Does that mean I can't take pride in the Australian flag, with its Union Jack and Southern Cross? No. There's a lot of good things about Australia too, and I reserce the right to be proud about them.
Accordingly, on Canada Day I support every Canadian's right to be as Canadian as they want to be. Cheers Canada, you're a pretty decent country - warts and all.
It's Sunday morning! And despite staying in bed for an extra hour or so, I'm tired and I ache. Dunno if it's the remnants of the painting yesterday, or if I just slept funny... or if it's from being repeatedly kicked by Gdayboy, who woke at 5AM and tried to go downstairs, so ended up in bed with Gdaysheila and I for an hour or so.
One way or another, the plan is to go to Church this morning, do some laundry, and then Spud and Stephane will be coming over tonight to play VS. Other than that we have the day to ourselves to goof around and do whatever! Wheeee!
We'll likely go to the park to celebrate Canada Day, get little maple leaves painted on the kids faces, and otherwise fulfil their patriotic duty as little Canadians. Maybe, to be cheeky, I could put them in Australian T-shirts, see if we can't throw some people off.
It's an interesting thing being in another country when they're celebrating their nationality. Part of me wants to slap on an Australian shirt and a cork hat and declare my difference from them, another part wants to just join in and support them as they take pride in who they are as a nation, much as I do on Australia Day (even if I do it by myself, I don't know any other Aussies here in Canuckland).
I think the celebration of national pride is an interesting thing. Every time Australia Day rolls around, there are those who think it's a travesty and prefer to call it Invasion Day, focussing on the wrongs done to the native Aboriginal peoples when white settlers arrived; there are Canadians who do the same. We've just had the National Day of Action for the First Nations here in Canuckland. To highlight their cause, protesters blocked rail lines.
From what I'm reading they've got a beef with CN Rail, so rail lines make an appropriate target I guess, but I have to wonder exactly what they're going to achieve, realistically. I'm not saying that their cause is unjust or invalid or anything along those lines; I'm just curious as to what end result they expect. CN Rail isn't going to alter its plans because of one day's disruptions - rather, I'd say they're more likely to lay more charges in court against those responsible, an unfortunate result since one of the things the First Nations are protesting is the CN Rail's laying charges against them over conflicts relating to rail lines through First Nation lands. (NB: just for the record, there are a number of other concerns than just the CN Rail issue; I suggest you do a little research if it's the kind of thing you're interested in or open to finding out more about).
The First Nations peoples get a lot of publicity at this time of year already, I would have thought that there were plenty of opportunities for spreading information about their plights and concerns without the need for disrupting infrastructure. If I was reliant on use of a certain highway on a daily basis and it was blockaded as part of a protest, I think I'd be more inclined to be irritated at the protesters than sympathetic to their cause. As an alternative, if the resources used to blockade were instead put towards some sort of civic event, I'd be more inclined to look at it with an open mind and listening ears, I would think.
I guess my issue, if I really have one, is that the average Canadian, regardless of their heritage, is happy to be a Canadian. As such, should be entitled to enjoy Canada Day and to celebrate what the country means to them. The same applies to any Australian, any American, anyone really - with the caveat that your own patriotism shouldn't trample anyone elses.
I'm proud of being an Aussie, I'm proud of my flag, my beer, my bizarre animals, my places with near unpronouncable names.
Is Australia perfect? Aside from the beer and meat pies? No. Is Australia's history clean? No. Has the white Australian Nation made reparations for all the wrongs done to the black Australian Nation? No. Does that mean I can't take pride in the Australian flag, with its Union Jack and Southern Cross? No. There's a lot of good things about Australia too, and I reserce the right to be proud about them.
Accordingly, on Canada Day I support every Canadian's right to be as Canadian as they want to be. Cheers Canada, you're a pretty decent country - warts and all.