During a conversation a quote from a celebrity was given as to the insecurity of Canadians. The quote was from Gene Simmons, a member of the band KISS. He was on a talk show and the host asked him if he was enjoying his time in Canada. He responded with “Why do people here always ask if I am enjoying my time here? Are you that insecure about yourselves that you always seek reassurance?”
Well, I thought about this and was leaning towards agreement of his assessment but then reality of being Canadian slapped my face. A good host is always concerned if their guests are enjoying themselves or have enjoyed themselves. It is called being respectful and it is in fact proof of a caring society.
The thought of Canadians being insecure comes from someone seeing us and thinking we are weak and timid. Or it is the thought of the slave asking its overlord if they are well pleased with the service out of fear of being punished. This ideology of Canadians being insecure or seeking approval is not new and it comes from a point of one being dominant over us. However there is another identity that exists.
There is an identiy that Canada has and it is one that must be protected. We are honest, polite, caring and when called upon will do more than required to get the job done. This reality speaks more true of what we are trying to do. Unfortunately that reality is under attack everyday.
We are seeing the world become a bit more erratic with increases of violence. All the more reason for Canada to be peaceful, honest and act with integrity and genuine care for each other. This brings us to a constant cross road of economics and morals. At present we have the deal with Saudi Arabia to provide armoured vehicles for a cost of $15 billion. We know for fact that these vehicles are being used in Yemen for operations that counter the agreement of sale. At this moment you have to ask how much are you willing to sellout for? Please remember we have tens of thousands of graves acoss this world filled with Canadians who died to stop such actions as is taking place in Yemen.
There is no amount of money that should make us look the other way. Each day that we support the Saudia Arabian government is another day we loose who we are. Sadly it seems that we are more willing to sell out who we are more than we stand up for Peace, Order and Good Governance. To paraphrase a quote from one of the most ardent supporters of humanity and equality Agnes MacPhail - “![]()
I do not want to be the angel of any home: I want for myself what I want for others, absolute equality. After that is secured, then we can take turns being angels”
In the pursuit of equailty we will be tested more than we want to be. That is why being a peaceful person takes more courage than being a violent one. A peaceful person is often seen as weak, yet it is the peaceful person who endures the greatest sufferings. As each day passes we are loosing our connection to the peaceful country that we are known as. We can not sell out or give in to the attacks on our defining characteristics. We have to stand up for peace because that is all there really is to stand up for.
