Canadian Politics Today

Should present day Romans be apologizing for the slavery and brutality of the Roman Empire. Where do you draw a line?

It’s our country. Show me a country that wasn’t taken from others at some point. It’s also a country where discussions like this can take place and steps taken to address issues like these.

One day there will be a Global Truth and Reconciliation Commission to acknowledge and settle the historical injustices underlaying problems that persist to this day. Canada is one of a very few countries taking humanity's first painful steps down that path.  I'd really like to see 1st Nations people one day take a leading role in shaping and representing Canada's foreign policy on the global stage.  They'll probably have the most experience at how navigate the complicated course towards reconciliation.

The biggest obstacle and greatest threat to this is the rise of authoritarianism. In fact I expect the fear of reconciliation will only increase the respectability that many have been afforded the last couple of decades. We live in incredibly dangerous delicately balanced times with a lot hinging on the sort of challenges to our humanity that Canada is faced with.  I suspect the world will be watching with increased focus as each new mass grave is uncovered in Canada.

It's sometimes said the world needs more of Canada but what exactly?

And no one is asking you to feel personal guilt over this.

Well, for starters, the Catholic Church should pay reparations. All residential school sites should be investigated for more unrecorded fatalities and an investigation launched. The approximately 5,000 abusers who have been identified should be investigated and face criminal charges if appropriate. The government should step up its efforts to implement the calls to action from the TRC. They can start dialogue about the hundreds or thousands of  statues, schools roads, hockey rinks named after various historical monsters. Those are just a few things that they can do before they get around to "trying to make wilber feel personally responsible for the actions of the state."

Cherry picking the negative, you say?

So your ancestors are buried in mass, unmarked graves. They tried to beat the Indian out of the child in residential schools. Yet, you have to walk by a statue of the guy who orchestrated the residential school system on your way to work every single day. A disgusting and vile reminder of the horrors perpetrated against your family, your people.

But hey, let's leave the statues up and the bars named after the guy because he wasn't ALL bad. That argument is absolutely preposterous.

We need to start atoning for our whitewashed history and the genocide of indigenous peoples. That only partially means relegating the people who organized a system of torture and abuse against them to history books, instead of public monuments.

Imagine having statues of wealthy slave owners in public spaces frequented by people of colour and whining about the statue being taken down because "that slaver gave the slaves food, clothing, and shelter! That slave owner also built schools!" This is what you sound like right now.

That's not at all what's happening. People are pointing out that public monuments that glorify the architects of genocide are not a good look. You're the one who's suggesting we give it a free pass because "hey, he also did good things! Like for example crushing the indigenous in my area of the country to make us a province."

We need to start atoning for our whitewashed history and the genocide of indigenous peoples. That only partially means relegating the people who organized a system of torture and abuse against them to history books, instead of public monuments.