Tag: controversy

What is Happening in Our Schools? (Part Three)

There was a time when I (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) thought I’d heard and seen it all, but clearly, I haven’t. Being a former teacher, I have always taken note of what is happening in our schools because I care about our youth. I’ve devoted most of my life working with youth, and I hope I’ve impacted their lives for the better. Seeing what’s happening in our schools is discouraging. My last two posts were about, ‘What is happening in our schools,” so here is what I’ve learned since my last blog post.

Global News talks about a Controversial West Kelowna billboard which had to be taken down. The billboard reads: What are your kids really learning in school? That is a question all parents should be asking. A Fox News article, A message from parents to schools — stop sexualizing our kids, says:

In recent months, parents have grown more and more upset by curricular content within public schools, demanding changes for the sake of their children. While their concerns include issues like critical race theory, they have also expressed outrage at sexually explicit materials in schools, easily accessible by young children…Schools have moved beyond the initial boundaries of “sex education” to ask our children for intimate details about their lives, making it seem as if young teenagers and even children should have sex. 

Parents are outraged here in Canada like in the United States. Schools seem to be presenting sex as a normal thing for children. Why are schools doing this? I discuss one possible reason in my last post. Many argue that it is Christians and conservatives that oppose sexually explicit materials in schools, but, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs protest against the sexual indoctrination of kids in BC schools. Yet, school boards try to silence concerned parents as, Ottawa school trustees shut down parent critical of trans policy. Parents are being bullied. (#bullying, #antibullying)! The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (The Charter) says Canadians have freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression… Based on what I’ve observed, ‘The Charter’ is a spineless document. This is why the National Post says, Canada was designed as a free country, but no longer is, so even Mainstream Media admits Canada is no longer a free country.

Even more disturbing is a School board in B.C. collecting photo ID, personal data of concerned parents. As I said in my previous post, Big Brother is watching you. Watch Tucker Carlson’s interview a Canadian Catholic school student arrested for saying men and women are different.

Then there are the B.C. child educators who will soon be learning how to ‘decolonize’ daycares and implement ‘gender-diverse’ curriculums. The article speaks of instruction being given to early childhood educators on how to use “intentional language to better include gender diverse children” saying these children are “worthy of being embraced and celebrated.” These public policies and training practices are being given to daycare workers who work with preschoolers; children 6 or younger. Do these children even know what gender is? I doubt it. This is indoctrination, the repeating of an idea or belief to someone until they accept it without criticism or question. Then there is the Ontario school board that focuses on divisive woke race-based hiring.

Watch this video of a school board that cuts off a Mother, only to have her son step in to point out the hypocritical board policy. This student explains that if he tries to google an “inappropriate” website he is immediately flagged, yet he can walk into his school library and find sexually explicit materials. That is hypocrisy! If you’re going to have sexually explicit materials available in school libraries, then allow students to access porn sites. Please understand, I am not advocating for that. I am merely pointing out the hypocrisy of these policies. Canada’s insanity is making world news as Tucker CANNOT believe what the school did to this girl after she made the wrong complaint. This girl was suspended for complaining about a trans person-with male genitalia-in the girl’s change room. As Mark Twain once said, “Truth is stranger than fiction.” Listen to Tuckers interview. It is eye opening.

Another controversy schools will face in the not so distant future is the use of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) writing tools that can generate humanlike stories, essays, poems and other written forms, according to the opinion piece, Educators: why not embrace artificial intelligence writing tools. Let’s make cheating even easier, why don’t we?  This will become an educator’s nightmare, but there are those who like this technology as a mother whose teen son struggles with a learning disability urged him to turn in an essay written by ChatGPT. I am so grateful I don’t have to deal with AI technologies.

Many Canadians believe critical race theory (CRT) isn’t prevalent in Canadian schools, falsely believing critical race theory is just an American issue. The article, Critical Race Theory In Canadian Schools, suggests otherwise. I touched on CRT in schools in my previous post. What is CRT all about? The article, What Is Critical Race Theory? describes CRT as a “way of thinking about America’s history through race,” and it focusses on the idea that racism is systemic in a country’s institutions. This theory argues that a country’s institutions work to keep white people in a powerful position. Those against CRT say it is trying to rewrite American history, and tells white people that they are innately racist, and should feel guilty because of their white privilege. Those in favour of CRT argue that students get an incorrect picture of American history without this curriculum, and that it is damaging for students to think that racism, discrimination, and past injustices have no affect on society today.

You’re likely wondering what I think as a former educator. CRT should not be taught in our schools.  The problem with CRT is it focuses on what divides us—our differences—instead of what we have in common. No matter what a person’s beliefs, skin colour, or culture is, we are all united as humans. We need to focus on what unites and not what divides us. You may not think my view as worth much being I belong to the “privileged race,” so listen to what this African American says about CRT. He speaks truth.

CRT is indoctrination, and as the gentleman in the video says, it “keeps racism alive.” The Association for Psychological Science says, Young Children Are Especially Trusting of Things They’re Told. “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth” is a law of propaganda which is often attributed to Joseph Goebbels who was Hitler’s Reich Minister of Propaganda. Watch the video of Black ELEMENTARY Students Forcing White Kids To Pledge that black lives matter. That is what happens when kids become indoctrinated by CRT.

I’ll reiterate what a censured teacher said in an interview with the National Post who said, “Teaching is now a political act that involves indoctrinating children instead of educating them. There’s a lot of reason to be afraid. We are in a kind of cultural revolution and people really do need to pay attention.”

This insanity isn’t just affecting our schools. Parents are furious about ‘naked man’ entering a girls’ locker room in a Calgary swimming pool. I wrote about this in my last post. Then there is the Storytime drag protester to spend weeks in custody. This is a story about a Calgary man who protested a drag show geared towards kids who was denied bail after refusing to distance himself from future shows and drag performers. These protests prompted the mayor to outlaw protests by increasing enforcement at Calgary city hall. This new law prompted Calgary cops to plot to grab anti-drag protester. The Charter says Canadians have freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association, but that’s only if you have the “right” viewpoint. In the province of Saskatchewan, there’s Steadfast support of Saskatoon’s trans community at a city council discussion. Saskatoon’s city council chambers were filled to capacity when people came to speak on the topic of public change room access for trans people. Listen to the video where an 11-year-old expresses fears about the policy.

Ontario considering banning TikTok in public schools. This is not a bad policy as the app has consequences for children. There are concerns about potential data breaches, and for the mental and physical health of children. The article refers to a survey that says many young Canadians believe excessive use of social media negatively impacts children’s mental health. Why just target TikTok? What about other social media platforms?

American Politician, Tom Allen said, “I think we have a moral obligation to our children that can be easily summarized: number one, protect them from harm.” Kids are being harmed with these absurd policies. As I said in my last blog post, “leave them kids alone.”

I am Back

I know it’s been a while since I’ve (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) blogged, but between taking time off to camp in nature, recovering from a medical procedure, and needing a break from this crazy world, I haven’t written anything for awhile. Time to change that.

A sister-in-law of mine recently got around to reading my book, A Shattered New Start, and she mentioned to one of my family members that she felt the book was really my story. I’ve been thinking a lot about that, and she is right. Yes, the book is based on many of my experiences as a school teacher, but I’ve come to realize that it is my story too.  I was bullied (#bullying, #antibullying) as a child, laughed at and teased for being sensitive and different. At times, I was the bully. I especially remember a student who was bullied every day on the bus to our high school. I sometimes participated in that bullying and I always felt bad afterwards, especially for her. She did nothing to warrant it. So, my sister-in-law is right.

Bullying is awful, yet it is condoned by our culture. Everywhere you look, there is bullying, and it has always been that way. Television is full of it. As a kid I grew up watching cartoons on Saturday mornings. I remember watching Popeye the Sailor. The Bugs Bunny Show, and The Flintstones. Bullying was rampant in those cartoons, but as a kid, I didn’t see as bullying. They were just funny cartoons.

In Popeye the Sailor, there was always a villain. Typically, it was Bluto who made moves on Olive Oyl, Popeye’s girl. Bluto always bullied Popeye, usually by clobbering him, until Popeye eats a can of spinach giving him the superhuman strength to clobber his villain.  In the Bugs Bunny Show, Bugs is characterized as clever and capable of outsmarting any bully. The bullies I most remember are Elmer Fudd, Tasmanian Devil, Coyote, and Daffy Duck. Bugs usually tried to avoid conflict by pacifying his bullies but when pushed too far, Bugs would use his catchphrase “This means war!” before retaliating in some manner. The Flintstones was characteristic of feuding between Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble who went back and forth bullying each other.

Bullying was prevalent in other shows as well. My siblings and I always watched Gilligan’s Island, a show about seven people stranded on an uncharted island following a torrential storm. The captain was always hitting his shipmate, Gilligan, with his hat and criticizing him for doing something stupid. One of my favourite shows as a kid was Lost in Space, a story about a space colony family who struggled to survive when the stowaway, Dr. Smith, threw their ship off course. Dr. Smith was a notorious bully, always sabotaging the Robison Family’s attempts to get back to Earth.

Today is no different, in fact, the bullying on television is worse today. On television, bullying is normalized as being acceptable and typical. I could write several blogs on this subject but my point is, bullying has always been portrayed as normal and acceptable on television.

Observing the world for the past months, I’ve witnessed inexcusable bullying by our politicians, mainstream media (MM), and health officials. It makes me wonder if these people were bullies as children, but more on that later.

In Canada, the Public Order Emergency Commission’s public hearing has completed . This was a commission looking into the federal government’s—more specifically Trudeau’s—use of the Emergencies Act to bring last winter’s ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests to an end.  ‘There was no justification whatsoever to invoke the Emergencies Act,’ said a lawyer , and there appears to be no credible evidence to justify Trudeau’s claimed emergency. When a leader declares an emergency when there is no emergency, that person is a bully. The article, How the Bullying Tactics Politicians Use Affect Kids, says, “most of the bullying tactics that politicians use are the very same ones that middle school and high school students use,” listing: blame-shifting, name calling, reputation bashing, rumour spreading, and ushering obscure threats as methods used. Trudeau uses all these tactics as seen in this video, and then lies about it while on the stand during the commission hearings. Don’t believe me, have a watch.

Alberta’s new premier Danielle Smith calls the unvaccinated ‘most discriminated-against group’ in her lifetime. That provoked a Media Party taking aim at Danielle Smith over comments about unvaccinated residents.  The Alberta premier has also apologized to unvaccinated citizens, and even considers dropping all lockdown prosecutions. When I tried to find articles about her apology in the MM, virtually nothing came up. Is MM trying to cover her apology up? Seems so. That is censorship! When MM attacks, they are bullying. She should be applauded for apologizing to a group of people who were indeed bullied via discrimination and segregation, just like the Indigenous people, Jews during Nazi times, and others were.

Mainstream Media and politicians told us the COVID shots protected against transmission, now saying they didn’t say that. This video is proof they did.

Yet, Pfizer did not know whether Covid vaccine stopped transmission before rollout, executive admits; saying that vaccines were never tested for transmission. Have a listen to the Pfizer executive in article’s video. Moderna CEO Now Admits COVID-19 is Like Seasonal Flu . That means we’ve been lied to. Lying is an element of bullying, as it enhances a bully’s power and influence. Spreading lies is used by bullies with the goal to socially alienate those being bullied. Since we were lied to, which caused social isolation of the unvaccinated, that mean the MM and politicians were bullying. This is why Canadians’ trust in the legacy media reaches a new low: report, and Americans’ Trust In Media Remains Near Record Low 

Maclean’s Magazine in 1983 had an article entitled, Once a bully, always a bully. I’ve never believed that and I wrote my book, A Shattered New Start, with that premise in mind. Earlier I mentioned that I wondered if people who bully were bullies as children.  Dan Pearce, who wrote the book, Single Dad Laughing, says: “People who love themselves, don’t hurt other people. The more we hate ourselves, the more we want others to suffer.” That is exactly right! In other words, “Hurting people hurt people,” or “Hurt People Hurt People, and Healed People Heal People.” I believe bullies can change. Heal the hurt, and you heal the bully. That is what happens to the bully in my book.  When I started planning my story, it is was going to be a story solely focused on the victim, Jonathan, but that is not how it turned out. Donovan, a Scottish musician, once said, “Sometimes the songs just come to me. I don’t sit down to write like you’d sit down to make a pair of boots.” The same is true for writing. When I finished my story, it turned out to be a story mostly about the transformation of the bully, Ryan, surprising even me.

Bullies can be changed, and I witnessed that as a teacher. Is it too late for many? Probably. As Dan Pearce suggested, bullies don’t love themselves, so they want others to suffer along with them. The ancient Roman poet Virgil who lived long before Jesus walked the earth said, “Love conquers all things.”

Everything in this universe has its own vibrational frequency. All humans, animals, plants, and all non-living things are vibrating at their own frequency. Albert Einstein said this, saying, “Everything is energy. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics.” Love is said to be the highest vibration of all. If that is true, which I believe it is, then love can transform any bully. The bully in my book experienced trauma in his home life, and trauma has a low vibration. It is connected to emotions like fear, panic, anger, sadness, and so on. Those emotions vibrate at a low frequency. If you change the vibration to a higher vibration; to emotions like gratitude, joy, and love, then the bully transforms. 

The highest vibration is unconditional love. The bully in my story is transformed because his school community had people who loved him unconditionally which raised his vibration. I wasn’t consciously thinking this when I wrote the book, but it is how Ryan, my bully character, changed. Author J. Andrew Herbert says, “Everything in life is choice.” Ryan’s transformation happened because Ryan chose to change. A bully has to want to change. Ryan was hurt, was open to changing, and love healed him. There is hope for the bullies of the world, but are they willing to change?

This is Stupid

In the video Pilot Has A Message For Canadians, the pilot speaks of a “disaster averting, lifesaving phrase: ‘this is stupid’” used in the aviation world. He tells of a deadly aviation disaster involving two 747s. He says even though a first officer expressed concern, the disaster still happened because “of complacency, deferring to authority and not wanting to rock the boat by questioning.” The phrase “this is stupid” or “this is dangerous” would have awoke the pilot of danger. He goes on to say that our government presently “has their throttle jammed full forward in a race for totalitarian control,” and the “voice inside you is saying ‘this is stupid,‘ ‘this is dangerous,’ and ‘this is wrong.’” He says, “your voice is useless if you stay silent,” so “you have to summon the courage to say no.” Since 2020, I’ve been saying “something is wrong.” The truth is, Canada and the world are at a critical point. DO WE WANT TO LIVE IN A FREE WORLD OR NOT?

Trudeau has never bothered to speak to the protestors. Instead, he declared an emergency while still debating the Emergencies Act in Parliament. In fact, the House of Commons suspends debate on Emergencies Act ahead of police operation against Freedom Convoy. This act has not received approval of the Canadian Senate or Royal Assent. On February  13, a  MSM’s New York Post headline said, Canada PM Justin Trudeau slammed for invoking emergency powers to stop protests.

Multiple Canadian premiers oppose Trudeau invoking Emergencies Act. Trudeau is condemned around the world for moving to crush protests. Some headlines were blunt as in Trudeau Invokes the Emergencies Act (aka Martial Law) in Canada … For a Bunch of Truckers. Independent media says Trudeau is marching Canada down a dark path. Billionaire, Elon Musk draws ire for comparing Trudeau to Hitler.  An editorial piece in the NY Times called out Trudeau for backing a protest by farmers in India that clogged major roads in New Delhi while attacking his own citizens for a peaceful protest that has blocked roads in Ottawa. American podcaster, Dan Bongino says “Canada’s Dictator Declares War On Freedom” (see Dan Bongino Show). This is a war on our freedoms. Declaring an emergency when there is no emergency is extreme bullying (#bullying, #antibullying).

Trudeau said when announcing this emergency:

We’re entering the third week of illegal blockades that have been disrupting the lives of too many Canadians. Here in our capital city, families and small businesses have been enduring illegal obstruction of their neighbourhoods. Occupying streets, harassing people, breaking the law: this is not a peaceful protest. At the borders in different places in the country, the blockades are harming our economy and endangering public safety.

Former Prime Minister Steven Harper said in 2005, “When a government start trying to cancel dissent or avoid dissent is when it’s rapidly losing its moral authority to govern.”  Trudeau has lost the moral authority to govern.

When the blockade ended in Coutts, Alberta, protestors hugged police. Don’t believe me (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors). Watch Coutts protest ends. Still think Ottawa protestors are “endangering public safety,” and it is “not a peaceful protest?”  Watch the videos Canadian Peaceful Protest, and Food, massages offered freely to anyone in need as convoy protest continues in Ottawa. Here’s a video of the Ottawa protestors “endangering public safety.”

The National Post’s Rex Murphy: Trudeau’s monumentally misguided emergency measures are an insult to Canadians  says:

Here’s the mother of all questions for Trudeau and it is one that he cannot, and will never, answer: what was so difficult about having a talk with the leaders of a group of Canadians who found some of the government’s COVID regulations to be a grievous burden? When Black Lives Matter [a terrorist organization] flooded the streets, Trudeau not only met with them, he went into the streets and joined in on the their American-inspired protest. He gave them a knee and bowed his head. But he would not meet with the truckers. He would not talk to their representatives. There was certainly no kneeling.

Here is some history around this act. The Canadian Encyclopedia, says, when the First World War began (1914), the Canadian government  passed the War Measures Act (WMA), giving the cabinet sweeping emergency powers. This Act gave the government full authority during wartime to censor and suppress communications; to arrest, detain and deport people without charges or trials; to control the economy; and to seize private property. Most controversial is the WMA enabled the government to intern “enemy aliens” on the suspicion they posed a threat to Canada’s safety.  About 600 Italian Canadians and 800 German Canadians were interned during the war, along with Jewish refugees and Mennonites .

During the Second World War (1939), the WMA was again invoked resulting in approximately 22,000 Japanese Canadians on the West Coast being interned in remote areas of interior British Columbia. The WMA enabled the government to strip Japanese Canadians of their property and pressure them to accept mass deportation  when the war ended. I led many classroom discussions about the Japanese Internment, and students typically felt it was a violation of Japanese Canadian’s civil liberties.

In 1970, the WMA was invoked because of the October Crisis. A state of “apprehended insurrection” was officially declared to exist in Quebec in October of 1970, as a response to two kidnappings by the terrorist group Front de Libération du Québec (FLQ). This emergency enabled police to conduct more than 3,000 searches without a warrant and detain 497 people. The suspension of civil liberties in Quebec was controversial. I remember as a kid being confused about the controversy as many Canadians were angered at their loss of civil liberties.

In 1988, the WMA was amended to the Emergencies Act. This act defines a national emergency as an urgent, temporary and critical situation that seriously endangers the health and safety of Canadians or that seriously threatens the ability of the Government of Canada to preserve the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Canada. When invoked, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter) continues to protect individual rights. The Government MUST respect constitutionally protected rights and freedoms (see Emergencies Act).

Canada’s Charter specifically says, “Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: (a) freedom of conscience and religion; (b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication; (c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and (d) freedom of association.”

Most Canadians feel the use of Emergencies Act is illegal because a peaceful protest is no emergency.  MSM’s National Post headlines, ‘Legal standard not met’: Two court challenges filed over Trudeau’s use of Emergencies Act. Ironically, Canada issued a harsh condemnation of the Cuban government’s sentencing of protesters who participated in anti-government rallies last July.

On February 18, in the once free country of Canada, Ottawa police arrest dozens of protesters, and start towing rigs, and Ottawa Police threaten media with arrest for covering enforcement against peaceful protesters.  Independent Media, Rebel News journalist Alexa Lavoie attacked by Ottawa police. Watch how RCMP Trample Elderly Lady With Horses. Watch how police use force.  The MSM’s National Post says This must be what Ottawa police meant by methods not usually seen in Canada. Look at the article’s disturbing pictures. Watch police damaging personal property in this video.

Watch the Fox News video: Tucker Carlson’s view of Ottawa events. What occurred is “state sanctioned violence.” CBC reports Emergencies Act directs financial institutions to freeze accounts linked to convoy protests. Trudeau gives BLM money while seizing the bank accounts of peaceful protesters. An Ottawa Bakery is facing threats and harassment over leaked convoy donation. Independent media reports that Ottawa may euthanize truckers’ pets as punishment. Trudeau’s justice minister, David Lametti says Trump supporters should be worried. Why? Trump merely endorsed the Truck Convoy.

Sadly, there are still Canadians who think this is about a virus. As an emotional Calgary police officer said after seeing what happened in Ottawa, “Canada has fallen.” This is about our government wanting totalitarian control over us. This is about the World Economic Forum’s Great Reset. Here is what  Alberta’s premier said about the Great Reset.

Are we free when peaceful protestors are ignored, and arrested for demanding freedom, when bank accounts are being frozen for supporting freedom fighters, when threats to harm family pets are made, and businesses supporting freedom are harassed? If you think this is okay, you are NOT thinking for yourself.  If you go to your heart, you know this is wrong; that this is stupid. You’d know this is a sad day for Canada.

I am still a proud Canadian, but I am ashamed of my government. Shame on a government who resorts to police action instead of peaceful dialogue with the protesters, and for the parliamentarians who voted to suspend parliament. I am ashamed of those enforcement officers conducting arrests in their riot gear and carrying automatic weapons. Shame on them for breaking the oath to serve and protect. I am ashamed of tow truck operators participating in this police action. Shame on you for wearing neon-green ski masks, with your companies’ decals taped over to conceal your identities. I am ashamed of the MSM. Shame on you for reporting a peaceful protest as a ‘nationwide insurrection” (see Business Insider).

This is NOT the country I grew up in. I no longer live in a free and democratic country. We are now living under a fascist dictatorship. That may make some uncomfortable, but that is because of cognitive dissonance. No matter what you believe, if you listen to your heart, you’d know this is stupid!

Something Astonishing is Happening

The Freedom Truck Convoy and protest happening in my country has captivated me (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors). I can’t stop watching what is going on. I pondered why, and for the first time in over two years I feel proud to be Canadian again. I have read numerous posts and comments of fellow Canadians saying the same thing. Canadians are raising money in support of the truckers, presently over 10 million dollars. Despite what mainstream media (MSM) says, truckers are respectful. See for yourself in these videos: Chris Couture’s Video and truckers ask for shovels. Canadians are showing their gratitude with food, gift cards, coffee, and greeting truckers enthusiastically when they drove by their cities and towns. See for yourself.

Historians and writers consider the Canadian victory at Vimy Ridge a defining moment for Canada. In April 1917, during the first World War (WWI), the Canadian Corps seized Vimy Ridge, a heavily-fortified seven-kilometre ridge in northern France which held a impressive view over the Allied lines. With this victory, Canada emerged from under the shadow of Britain, recognized as a country in its own right.

Once again, the world is recognizing Canadians. This time it is the Freedom Truck Convoy and their massive protest in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city. On January 26th, Justin Trudeau said this about the Freedom Convoy:

“The small fringe minority of people are on their way to Ottawa, who are holding unacceptable views that they’re expressing, do not represent the views of Canadians who have been there for each other.”

Listen carefully to his words.

You decide if it is a “small fringe minority of people?” Check out this drone video.

Ottawa Police report aprox 2.3 million people on foot and 130,000 trucks in the city. That is no “small fringe minority of people.”  I heard one of the truckers speak at Saturday’s protest saying Canada has never been a unified country until now. Gathered in Ottawa are anglophones, francophones, people of all religions, many ethnic groups, vaccinated and unvaccinated all united to end EVERY government imposed restriction and to take back their rights and freedoms. WATCH: Convoy organizers say they are fully vaxed but still oppose mandates.

Trudeau claims the truckers “do not represent the views of Canadians,“ a lie, as the vast majority of Canadians support the truckers. Poll shows majority of Canadians now want COVID restrictions to end. A Toronto Sun editorial says  It’s time to end COVID rules in Canada. Much of the world is removing restrictions as MSM’s ABC News reports in, ‘Take back life’: More nations ease coronavirus restrictions. Even the WHO Warns Against Repeated Booster Shots and Vaccine Mandates: ‘It’s Over, People’. There is no need for mandates. MSM’s National Post says Mandatory vaccination a betrayal of what Canada stands for.

The National Post, part of MSM reported on January 29, Thousands pack Parliament Hill for protest, really millions according to Ottawa police. The same day there were trucker convoys and protests held at the various provincial legislatures and in Canadian cities, such as Edmonton trucker convoy turns into massive rally against mandates.

High profile Celebrities are supporting the Truckers for Freedom Convoy. Canadians unintentionally initiated a worldwide movement. The convoy is gaining international attention. Many countries were inspired by Canada to start their own convoys as reported in European and Australian truckers are joining the Freedom Convoy! and Truckers inspired by Canada begin ‘freedom’ convoys around the world. I have seen posts of convoys in Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Brazil, United Kingdom, US, Finland, Czech Republic, Australia to name a few. In 1917, the world was inspired by the Canadian WWI soldiers who fought for freedom, and now 105 years later, the world is once again inspired by Canadians fighting for freedoms. This site says Uprising: Truckers Freedom Convoy is a Beacon of Hope for the Entire World.

No surprise to me, MSM and politicians attempt to mislead the public. When the truck convoy for freedom began, Canada’s CBC said Truckers protest dangerous conditions on B.C. highways, a blatant lie. Canadians didn’t buy that, so the CBC reported that it was a protest against vaccine mandates for truck drivers as in this article, Ottawa police prepare as convoy protesting vaccine mandate heads to nation’s capital. This article insinuated that the truckers might damage infrastructure, become violent, and spew statements of hatred, xenophobia, and racism to those who disagree with them. Independent Media called them out on this lie saying They tried calling truckers racist and sexist. It didn’t work. So now they’re calling them violent.  Here are Eleven ridiculous convoy stories pushed by the legacy media. . Candice Malcolm debunks legacy media lies about the Trucker Convoy. Even the MSM’s Toronto Sun says Media’s handling of trucker convoy one-sided, inflammatory, shameful. Thankfully, Media is being EXPOSED for misleading Canadians. This video clearly shows how the MSM manipulates the truth. So please reject Establishment Media Attempts To Demonize Canadian Truckers, an opinion piece by Spencer Fernando. The protestors have said from the beginning that it was a peaceful protest to demand that all pandemic-related measures end.

This protest is about freedom, and was from its inception. Protestors are demanding their civil and Charter rights be returned; rights such as the right to fully open their businesses, the right to keep their medical records private, the right to choose what medical treatments they receive, mobility rights returned—unvaccinated are forbidden to fly, and the right to be treated equally as guaranteed in the Charter of Rights and Freedom. Until recently, unvaccinated Canadians were discriminated against as Quebec health tax for unvaccinated residents prompts fierce Covid debate, but one example.

MSM and government leaders continue to spread lies and try to discredit the movement. Trudeau calls convoy truckers “tinfoil hats,” says he will not meet with organizers saying:

“Freedom of expression, assembly and association are cornerstones of democracy, but Nazi symbolism, racist imagery, and desecration of war memorials are not.”

Opposition members are calling Trudeau on his rhetoric as Conservative Party (CP) member, Pierre Poilievre, did in his response to Trudeau. Politicians are even calling out government lies. Poilievre calls former Liberal cabinet minister “a liar” for convoy tweet. Another CP member, Leslyn Lewis, at the Freedom Convoy: The people have been lied to, and they want answers. CP leader Erin O’Toole fired by his own caucus after not supporting the Freedom Convoy. In this opinion piece, Spencer Fernando outlines What The Establishment Media & Trudeau Government Doesn’t Want You To See. Trudeau even admits he is taking away Canadian’s rights and freedoms. Listen to his words carefully.

Agitators wearing Nazi symbolism are typically paid (see Paid protestor). MSM continues to present the protestors negatively like CTV’s article, ‘Very concerning’: Professor worried about extremist views present during trucker protest. Why would the MSM do that? Simple answer, MSM has been paid off as shown in the article, The Toronto Star has prostituted itself to Justin Trudeau by accepting tax dollars from hardworking Canadian families. Trudeau even brags about doing so in this  video.


Religious leaders tell us God’s spirit unites. Christian leaders would more likely say the Holy Spirit unites. Albert Einstein is considered to be one of the most brilliant scientists to have ever lived. He once wrote a powerful message of love to his son. In his letter, he tells his son;

There is an extremely powerful force that, so far, science has not found a formal explanation to. It is a force that includes and governs all others, and is even behind any phenomenon operating in the universe and has not yet be. This universal force is LOVE. When scientists looked for a unified theory of the universe they forgot the most powerful unseen force.

A Baha’i Perspective says “Love is the most powerful attractive force in the universe.”

What is happening is this spiritual force —love—that Einstein refers to is uniting Canadians and the world. This spirit of togetherness is uniting humanity, conquering fear, and inspiring people to take back their intrinsic rights and freedoms. Author Cat Bauer says, “Love is so powerful that it always wins. Truth is so powerful that it always wins. All it takes is Time.” That is what I think is happening. Love, truth—and I would also add hope—is beginning to win over the fear propaganda machine. Humans were created as sovereign beings, so love, hope and truth are now reminding humanity of that. The lies and bullies (#bullying, #antibullying) are being exposed!

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

I (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) recently read an article that asked the question: What ever happened to “agree to disagree?” It feels like that  is no longer an option. You are either for or against. I’ve never seen the world so divided. I’ve never seen my country so divided. I’ve never seen my province so divided. I’ve never seen my community so divided. I’m retired, but my wife still works, and she has never seen her work place so divided. Never have I seen families, including mine, so divided.

We are at a crossroads! Either we continue down the path we’ve been on for almost two years, a path of divide and conquer, or we can unite in our diversity of opinions and get out of this mess. Whether you are for or against vaccines, it doesn’t matter. When human rights and freedoms are threatened, we have a reason to unite. The way I see it—there will be those that will see it differently—is we are in a fight to be free and sovereign, to be free to choose what is right for our bodies, to have the freedom to be a free thinker, and to be free to disagree with the majority view. The following video says it much more eloquently than I can.

The words of the speaker that resonated most with me were:

“We do have an enemy, but it’s not your co-worker, it’s not your neighbour, or your family member. It is fear. Fear makes cowards of us all. Fear will always drive you to make the wrong decision. Fear blocks our ability to take in and disseminate information effectively. Fear can push us to act in ways we later regret. Fear can paralyze a nation and bring us to our knees in a way like no other….fear is the true foe.”

The inconvenient truth is it is fear that is dividing us. We are being manipulated and indoctrinated by our politicians, our health officials, and the mainstream or Legacy media with propaganda to keep us divided and in fear. That is bullying (#antibullying, #bullying). When divided, we are distracted from what is really going on. Whenever there’s a big story in the media, look for the story they’re trying to distract you from.  As Paulo Coelho, in The Devil and Miss Prym, says “If you want to control someone, all you have to do is to make them feel afraid.” We are being indoctrinated to hate the unvaccinated, just as the Nazis were indoctrinated to hate the Jews. Adolf Hitler, in 1926, did say: “The only stable emotion is hate.” 

I always told my students “that your opinion means nothing unless you can support it,” so here is mine.  Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau says he’s only interested in protecting the freedoms of “those who did the right thing”— and not those “who are risking us all going into further lockdowns.” In another video, he threatens unvaccinated Canadians with medical segregation. Where is the freedom of choice when our leaders decide what is the right thing? Even Legacy Media, the Toronto Sun, says Trudeau, not Kenney, is dividing Canadians, and politicians such as O’Toole says Trudeau ‘dividing the country.’  Trudeau is intentionally promoting hate toward the unvaccinated.

CTV News reports Alberta’s premier, Jason Kenney, stated that due to the escalating COVID-19 situation, which he described as a “crisis of the unvaccinated,” the province would enter into a proof of vaccination program. He too is promoting hate toward the unvaccinated. Kenney goes on to say, “I do not say this to stigmatize people, but we all need to understand that the decision not to get vaccinated is not just a personal choice, it has real consequences for our whole society and for our ability of our hospitals to cope.” That folks, is fear mongering.

Mainstream Media also promotes hatred toward the unvaccinated as in this Global News article, B.C. is in a ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated,’ latest modelling numbers show.

The Top medical authority in Alberta says, Unvaccinated Albertans are majority of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths, according to Legacy Media’s CTV News. She too is creating hatred towards the unvaccinated. What’s interesting is there is little reporting by the Legacy media that Israel is struggling with COVID-19, despite high vaccination rates. What lessons can Australia learn? Is it really “a crisis of the unvaccinated? Or, Are we being manipulated and lied to? Rick Warren says, “a lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good, just because it is accepted by a majority.”

The media, governments and health officials are all trying to indoctrinate people to believe the unvaccinated are a threat to the vaccinated. If we are only being told one perspective, or one narrative, then we are being manipulated and controlled. It is not the responsibility of the unvaccinated to protect the vaccinated. That is the vaccines job!

There will be those who will say I’m negative, and call me a Conspiracy Theorist but I prefer the term prophet. A Conspiracy Theorist is the term used to discredit someone who speaks about things people can’t bare to look at because if it were true, it would reveal a darkness in the world that some people are simply not ready to accept.  There will be those who agree government laws are necessary for safety. There are those that say it is necessary to give up our human rights to be safe; that personal choices of others are selfish and need to be regulated. Perhaps selfish is expecting others to surrender their liberties so you can enjoy a false sense of security. I ask you: How many rights are you willing to give up to feel safe? It was Benjamin Franklin who said, “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Thomas Jefferson once said, “He who gives his freedom for safety gets none of them.” But it was Bob Marley who said, “Better to die fighting for freedom than be a prisoner all the days of your life.”

Someone reminded me that the Holocaust was legal and people who hid the Jews were criminals. Slavery was legal and people who freed slaves were criminals. Segregation was legal and people who stood up for equality and justice were criminals. Now vaccine mandates and passports are said to be legal—they’re not because of the Nuremberg Code and the many Human Rights Acts—and those who disagree are said to be the crazy conspiracy theorists and criminals. Our government and laws are not a guide to human decency and morality!

The phrase “United we stand, divided we fall” can be traced back to Aesop.  J.K. Rowling in ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ wrote, “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”  The simple truth is, as Richard Twiss says, “You can’t have unity without diversity.” It is time to choose! Do you want to live in a world of segregation and hate? Or, Do you want to live in a world that is united despite the diversity of opinions? Kofi Annan once said, “We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skin, but we all belong to one human race,” or as John F. Kennedy once said, “Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s future. And we are all mortal.” Kennedy also said, “The unity of freedom has never relied on uniformity of opinion.” Are you willing to live in a world where some individuals are coerced and forced to take a vaccine to keep our jobs, and where we have to show a card to be identified has one of the vaccinated to eat at a restaurant, to shop, or to travel? I don’t. If you do, then you choose a world where we are no longer free. What kind of world do you wish to live in? When Robert Adams said, “There is only one decision you need to make: You are either working at your Freedom or you are accepting your bondage.” That is where humanity is at. What is your choice?

The truth is that humanity is at a crossroads. It does not matter what country you live in, the colour of your skin, or what your beliefs are. This is about whether we want to live in a free world or an enslaved world. This is why freedom rallies, comprised of both the vaccinated and unvaccinated, are erupting around the world as reported—rarely by the Legacy Media—in Tens of thousands take to the streets in “World Wide Rally For Freedom”. This was the fourth round of world wide freedom rallies. The “fake news” (Mainstream Media), if they do report on such events, claim these rallies are just violent anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers as in Australian police clash with anti-lockdown protesters, arrest nearly 270, but that is a whole other blog.

Are We Being Bullied? (Part Two)

A commentary on the reality of our world.

Columnist Molly McCann wrote in one of her columns titled, Mandatory Masks Aren’t About Safety, They’re About Social Control, “Mandatory masks are a critical predicate conditioning us to accept abuses of our liberty.”  Columnist Lee Smith shared McCann’s piece on Twitter and wrote, “Masks aren’t about public health but social control. Image of Biden in black mask endorses culture of silence, slavery, and social death.” President Donald Trump shared a tweet that argued the mandated use of face masks to control the spread of the coronavirus represents a “culture of silence, slavery, and social death.” I couldn’t agree more with these statements. This shouldn’t surprise you since I’ve written about the mask debate in previous posts. The question is: Why are authorities mandating mask wearing and why are politicians and the mainstream media pushing masking?

In the May 21st edition of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) it states:

We know that wearing a mask outside health care facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection. Public health authorities define a significant exposure to Covid-19 as face-to-face contact within 6 feet with a patient with symptomatic Covid-19 that is sustained for at least a few minutes (and some say more than 10 minutes or even 30 minutes). The chance of catching Covid-19 from a passing interaction in a public space is therefore minimal. In many cases, the desire for widespread masking is a reflexive reaction to anxiety over the pandemic.

Even prestigious medical journals are saying masks are relatively ineffective. So, again I ask: Why are authorities mandating mask wearing and why are politicians and the mainstream media pushing masking?  To me, It seems evident it isn’t to protect us. The only logical explanation is to control the masses.

Dr. Jeffrey Barke MD, a doctor I referred to in part one purportedly said:

We should never require a child to wear a mask. Not only is it ineffective but it could actually be harmful. It increases learning disorders. It increases anxiety. It reduces the ability for that child to bond with their teachers. It is a form of child abuse to require face coverings on a small child in a school setting. Stop scaring the public unnecessarily.

I (#blogger #blog #somseason #YA #authors) couldn’t agree more. Masking children is abusive! This is bullying (#antibullying #bullying) plain and simple. I recently substituted in the school I once taught in where students are forced to wear masks because our government mandated it, even while sitting in their desks. Dr Barke is right! As a teacher, I had difficultly identifying the students and it was tough to develop any kind of relationship with a faceless student. I had no way of knowing if they were struggling with an assignment, or upset, because I could not read his or her facial expressions.

During a press briefing in August, US Presidential Candidate, Joe Biden stated the following:

“Today, I want to talk about one thing, straightforward. Doesn’t have anything to do with Democrats, Republicans, or Independents, it has to do with a simple proposition. Every single American should be wearing a mask when they are outside for the next three months at a minimum.” (source: Biden)

Did you catch that? Joe Biden would make mask wearing outside mandatory. Why? Ken Rice of Pittsburgh CBS affiliate KDKA interviewed Joe Biden in June. Rice asked Biden if he would use the federal leverage to mandate the mask use, to which Biden replied: “Yes, I would from an executive standpoint, yes, I would.” Rice then asked: “So you would, in effect, mandate the wearing of masks.” Biden replied: “I would do everything possible to make it required that people had to wear masks in public” (source: Biden). Joe Biden, if elected president of the US, would mandate wearing masks outside.

Why would a presidential candidate do this? Does he have an agenda? Does he want to keep the masses fearful of the virus? Or, is it about power and control?  Whenever I see someone in a mask, I see them as muzzled; as having their voice taken away. It is like we are symbolically silenced. Is that what is happening? It sure feels like it to me. A few weeks ago, I saw this video on social media. Please listen to the entire video as this person raised some thought-provoking points. You can access the video by clicking on Savanna’s video

Savanna didn’t address another element of masking, and that is: How mask use affects criminal behaviour. If ever there was a prime opportunity for the criminal element of society, it is now. All a criminal needs to do is put on a face mask and a pair of sunglasses. By doing this the lawless person becomes unidentifiable. Don’t believe me? It has already occurring. Have a look at the news articles Anonymous and emboldened: How mask use affects criminal behaviour and  Gloversville man used large face mask to hide identity, commit crimes, say police. I guess we should be grateful that these criminals have our safety in mind since they are protecting us from this so called deadly virus.

The statistics that Savanna gave in the video come from an article titled, Child Abduction Statistics for Parents from Parent’s Magazine. The most shocking statistic for me was:

Every 40 seconds in the United States, a child becomes missing or is abducted.

Now let that statistic sink in.

Beautiful People Magazine states:

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, roughly 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the United States. Sounds a little bit too much? Think of it this way to realize the whole situation – that’s roughly 2,000 per day!

Yes, pedophiles are taking away our children. They are being sold on the rich black market. Powerful people worldwide are buying them as they would buy groceries or anything normal.

Wow! Pedophiles are buying children. Pedophilia is the ultimate kind of bullying because it is  the abuse of innocent children. My Cognitive Dissonance just kicked in. If this is true, why is this not the biggest story in the mainstream media (MM)? Why is that? The Hollywood elites have been eerily silent on the topic of child sex trafficking. That wasn’t the case after George Floyd’s death when the Black Lives Matter movement exploded. Why are the Hollywood elites silent on human trafficking? Why aren’t Hollywood stars taking up this cause? Why are our government leaders, for the most part, silent on child sex trafficking? Is the MM intentionally trying to keep us focused on the pandemic to distract us? Are they hiding something? Is human trafficking what they don’t want us to focus on? Are our governments trying to keep us fearful of covid with all their talk of second and third waves, and another possible lockdown? If they are, why?

I mentioned in a previous post that I saw this meme on social media:

The Media isn’t silent on Child Sex Trafficking because of the Children, it’s because of who the Customers are. Read that again please.

Could that really be true? When I begin to think about all this, my brain says: “Stop that, you’re thinking nonsense,” but isn’t that Cognitive Dissonance?

Just in case you are unfamiliar with that, allow me to explain. When a strong core belief is presented with evidence that challenges the belief, our brains refuse to accept the new evidence. It creates a feeling that is far too uncomfortable for us to stomach, and this is known as, “Cognitive Dissonance.” This happens because we have a need to protect the core belief, so we rationalize, ignore, and deny anything that fails to support that core belief.

You will experience this just as I have, once you start critically looking into things. The English novelist and poet, A. S. Byatt is quoted as saying: “Things are not what they seem.” Don’t take my word for it. I challenge you to do some of your own research. As Atisa, an Indian Buddhist religious leader, once said: “The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.”

The Great Debate of 2020

A commentary on mandatory masking

I (#blogger #blog #YA #authors) have been away camping for the past two weeks, and so I wasn’t able to check the news. I have to say, it was nice to be away from the sensationalized news stories, especially about covid, and the stories of civil unrest on our planet. Upon my return to civilization, I’ve learned that a debate is raging over mandatory mask wearing.  I was struck by the CBC News headline, OPP shoot man dead hours after mask dispute leads to alleged assault. The story says a man refused to wear a mask,  allegedly assaulted a grocery store employee, and then drove away. A police officer saw the car, followed it to the man’s home, and outside the home the two police officers fired their guns after some sort of “interaction.”  Another news article reports that an Ohio county launched a hotline to report people spotted without masks (see hotline). There were numerous stories about wearing masks. These are really stories about bullying (#bullying #antibullying) in my opinion; stories about masks verses no masks.

All across Canada there have been protests against mandatory mask wearing (see CTV News). Protests are occurring in the US as well. “Experts,” whoever they are, are telling us masks  protect us and those around us. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that healthy people wear masks over their mouths and noses when leaving their homes and entering places where physical distancing is difficult. The World Health Organization (WHO) released a list of recommendations, in early June, suggesting the most appropriate types of masks to wear in a variety of settings, including the use of non-medical masks in crowded places and on public transport. Now I’m hearing of city councils debating whether mask wearing should be mandatory in enclosed spaces.

I’ve seen social media posts arguing that making the public wear masks is no different than making wearing seat belts mandatory. I disagree, as this debate is not that simple. Statistics clearly show that seat belts save lives (see Seat Belt Statistics). Regarding mask protection, the experts don’t all agree. In other words, the research on mask usage doesn’t provide definitive proof that they work.

The news media sites many studies claiming to show that masks are effective. One such study in The Lancet, a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal, says in its findings that “transmission of viruses was lower with physical distancing of 1 metre or more, compared with a distance of less than 1 metre.” Now I can accept that as the data shows definitive evidence. Then it says “face mask use could result in a large reduction in risk of infection, with stronger associations with N95 or similar respirators compared with disposable surgical masks or similar.” The problem I have with this statement is its use of the word could. The word ‘could’ means ‘possibly’. That is not definitive proof.

In Science Focus’ article, Coronavirus: Will face masks reduce transmission? it says in a “study which looked at coronavirus deaths across 198 countries found that nations which had policies favouring mask-wearing had lower death rates.”  Now that sounds convincing, but when I did research for my post titled, An Opportunity, Or Back to the Same?  I learned that what counts as a covid death varies, depending on the country. In my opinion, that makes this study misleading and unreliable. 

In Wired’s article, The Face Mask Debate Reveals a Scientific Double Standard, it says, “There are no large-scale clinical trials proving that personal use of masks can prevent pandemic spread.”  It sites a study on influenza where it states in its findings,

These findings suggest that face masks and hand hygiene may reduce respiratory illnesses in shared living settings and mitigate the impact of the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic.

There is another one of those words: ‘may’. The word ‘may’ means ‘possibly’. Again, this is not definitive proof.  In another study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it says:

We concluded that household use of masks is associated with low adherence and is ineffective in controlling seasonal ILI (influenza-like illness).

The data fails to show that masks are effective. Furthermore, one needs to look at how the study was done. How big was the test group? Was there a control group? Did the study follow strict scientific protocols? Who funded the study? As a retired science teacher, I taught the importance of doing science properly.

I’ve seen posts on my social media claiming masks may dangerously reduce oxygen levels. In USA Today Fact check, it quotes the Center for Disease Control (CDC) saying:

The CO2 will slowly build up in the mask over time. However, the level of CO2 likely to build up in the mask is mostly tolerable to people exposed to it … It is unlikely that wearing a mask will cause hypercapnia (Carbon dioxide toxicity).

There is one of those words again: ‘unlikely.” That means possibility. This doesn’t convince me.

The CDC told the international news organization, Reuters:

“The CO2 will slowly build up in the mask over time. However, the level of CO2 likely to build up in the mask is mostly tolerable to people exposed to it. You might get a headache but you most likely [would] not suffer the symptoms observed at much higher levels of CO2. The mask can become uncomfortable for a variety of reasons including a sensitivity to CO2 and the person will be motivated to remove the mask. It is unlikely that wearing a mask will cause hypercapnia.”​

There is that word again: ‘unlikely.” That means possibility. This doesn’t convince me either.

There are many arguments against mandating masks, such as, face masks can be uncomfortable. I haven’t worn them a lot, but when I have, I have found them to be uncomfortable. In fact, I tended to touch my face more with a mask on, which apparently is a “no no.” Another is face masks restrict airflow, or make breathing more difficult. That is true for me. Masks cause glasses to fog up, and I have personally experienced that. Masks force people to unintentionally draw closer to others during conversations. I would have to agree with this one as well, as I have a difficult time hearing what people wearing masks are saying as their words are muffled. Masks could foster a false sense of security. I have to agree, as I have yet to see a study saying masks are 100% effective against viruses and bacteria, but mask wearers may think they are 100% protected. Plus, people may think they are safe and take risks. Another argument is cloth masks could spread disease if unwashed. Let’s face it, walking around with a dirty face mask isn’t doing anyone any favours. Masks can cause skin irritation. I recall seeing lots of news articles showing health care workers with skin irritations back in March when covid numbers were raising, so that is true.

In light of what I have learned, do I think masks should be mandatory? No. I’ve not been convinced with what I’ve learned. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying masks fail to protect us. Of course, they would provide some protection since they are barrier to droplets released from someone. Will they slow the spread of a virus? Possibly. Many anti-maskers oppose it since it infringes on their freedoms, and it does. In fact, The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is closely watching the development of orders and regulations in some jurisdictions which mandate the use of masks in all indoor public places, saying “mandatory masking requirements represent an interference with personal autonomy” and may even violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms depending on the situation.

The truth is, making masking mandatory is not the same as making seat belts mandatory. Wearing seat belts have been proven to save lives. Wearing masks may or could save lives. That is not definitive proof! When mandating something without definitive proof causes bullying and divisiveness, it should not be done. Any policy that pits people against one another, especially when it is without definitive proof, and promotes bullying, is unethical and therefore shouldn’t be directed.

Does Canada Have a Systemic Racism Problem?

A commentary on systemic racism

The Beaverton, a weekly satirical Canadian news show, recently had the headline: Country [Canada] responsible for the Indian Act, Chinese Head Tax, Komagata Maru, Africville, “None Is Too Many,” Japanese Internment Camps, Sixties Scoop, Residential Schools, Oka Crisis, and MMIWG declares itself not racist. This headline is based on prominent Canadians such as Stockwell Day, Doug Ford and Rex Murphy claiming that Canada is not racist. Stockwell Day is a former Conservative politician, a person I met with when he was a member of Alberta’s Legislature. Doug Ford is presently premier of Ontario, and Rex Murphy is a Canadian commentator and author.

These three prominent Canadians have all argued that Canada is not a racist country. Mr. Day resigned from several roles, such as a Telus board member, after being called out when he denied the existence of systemic racism in Canada on CBC’s “Power Play.” Here is a link to his comments (see Power Play).  Doug Ford drew strong criticism when he claimed that Canada doesn’t have the same “systemic, deep roots” of racism that the United States has. (see Doug Ford’s comments on racism ignore history of black trauma in Canada).  The National Post’s article; Rex Murphy: Canada is not a racist country, despite what the Liberals say, has the commentary by Mr. Murphy where he says:

“…Canada is a mature, welcoming, open-minded and generous country. It would be helpful if these Liberals kept the full story of this country in mind when discussing racism, and not leap so reflexively to grim characterizations of a country that, while not perfect, has been doing its best to be tolerant and welcoming.”

Canadians are watching the events of our southern neighbour and comparing them to Canada.  I (#blogger, #blog, #YA, #authors, #somseason) taught Social Studies for many years and I taught about the Indian Act, Chinese Head Tax, Africville, “None Is Too Many,” Japanese Internment Camps, Sixties Scoop, Residential Schools, Komagata Maru, the Oka Massacre, and MMIWG. I’ve provided links should you be interested in learning more about these Canadian events.  Most of us Canadians like to see ourselves as “mature, welcoming, open-minded and generous,” but the truth is, our history reveals that Canada’s past is filled with racial bullying (#bullying, #antibullying). The Beaverton’s list proves that. Systemic racism is just as much a Canadian problem as it is a USA problem, and likely a worldwide problem.  Systemic racism is all of the policies and practices entrenched in society that harm certain racial groups and benefit others. Canadian history books rarely, if ever, talk about the systemic racism, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

The problem is, most people read a history book thinking it is fact. My students did until I taught them that history is an interpretation of the past, so it is not necessarily factual. Here is a social studies lesson.

What do I mean by past? It refers to primary documents; records created in the past that have survived into the present. Historians use a wide variety of written records, from personal diaries to statistical records kept by government departments, as the basis for their historical investigations. Historians even use non-document records, including photographs, moving pictures, the spoken word, architectural plans, or botanical (plant) inventories to find clues about how people lived in the past. All of these primary documents are the “raw materials” that historians work with as they attempt to figure out what happened in the past.

So, what is history? History is a story or tale of what has happened, or may have happened, in the past. Historical interpretation is the process by which we describe, analyze, evaluate, and create an explanation of past events. History involves debate, discussion, and conversation. Hugh Trevor-Roper wrote in 1957, ‘history that is not controversial is dead history’.

The Magazine, History Today, has an article titled, A Question of Interpretation, that says:

“Yet the truth is, if you take a group of historians working on the same problem, writing at different times and in different places – even if they all use their evidence in a scrupulous, honest, critical and informed way – the conclusions they reach may differ.”

The reality is, a historian’s belief system, values, biases, prejudices, and experiences, all influence how a historian interprets the past. Dan Brown, in The Da Vinci Code, wrote “History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books-books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. As Napoleon once said, ‘What is history, but a fable agreed upon?” There is truth in that statement.

With my students, I always gave a concrete example, so let’s use 9/11, the alleged terrorist attack on the US.  I say alleged because there are many who question if we have been told the full truth. For example, Reader’s Digest has an article, 12 Questions People Still Have About 9/11, with questions that have not been given convincing answers. The Foreign Policy Journal’s article, 9/11: Finally the Truth Comes Out? Says;

Every informed person is aware that elements of the US government were involved either in the perpetration or a coverup of the 9/11 attacks

I certainly have questions about 9/11. The article, 737 Passenger Plane Possibly Struck and Damaged by Drone on Landing, shows damage done to a plane by a drone. This video shows a plane going through a twin tower.

My question is: How is that possible, when a drone can do that much damage to a 737 and when jet airplanes are made of light materials, like aluminum, can go through a tower designed to withstand the impact of a commercial jet airplane? My point is, the past (9/11 event) is open to interpretation. Anyway, enough about 9/11 questions. I’m starting to sound like a conspiracy theorist.

Returning to 9/11 as an example of historical interpretation. After the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, George W. Bush, president of the U.S. at the time, said; “Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended.”  Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the terrorist attack, said; “America has been hit by Allah at its most vulnerable point, destroying, thank God, its most prestigious buildings.”  Same past event, but two very different interpretations.

Does Canada have a systemic racism problem? Based on our past, I would say yes. We have legislative documents to prove it. In last week’s post, I mentioned a meme I saw that defined White Privilege as, “Privilege is when you think something is not a problem because you aren’t personally affected.” Perhaps those with white privilege, and those who aren’t personally affected, choose to see our nation the way they want to. They choose to deny that racial bullying exists in this country. It is time to wake up and take a closer look at our country folks! We’re not as innocent as we like to think.