Canadian Pride

"In a world darkened by ethnic conflicts that tear nations apart, Canada stands as a model of how people of different cultures can live and work together in peace, prosperity, and mutual respect." (Bill Clinton)


Canada Day, July 1st is a day of celebration, and a day to be proud that we live in one of the most desirable countries in the world. We are known all over the globe as friendly, polite and compassionate people and as the quote above points out that we set a standard of multiculturalism is able to co-exist and prosper within a country. For that reason I am truly proud to be Canadian.

As I was out in the great city of Ottawa this past Canada Day there was an incident where that pride had vanished.

I was making my way up Rideau Street towards Parliament, slowly trying to navigate the immense crowd when I was almost caught up in a fight between two individuals. I am not sure how it started, but there were two men amongst the crowd who started arguing. At first I thought it was nothing, that it would pass as a little tiff between two people who were frustrated by trying to find a path through the crowd of people. It did not. Again I would like to point how I did not hear everything that was said between the two of them so I do not know the whole context behind the argument. Now with that being said I cannot say whether this was a provoked response or just an out-lash but one of the gentlemen involved started cursing and yelling at the other and even dropped some racial slurs that I will not be repeating here.

It was a senseless shameful act on a day where when Canadians all over the country and the world celebrate everything that makes us who we are as a nation, including that of being more ethnically tolerant.

When I look out into the world and see all the hate and the discrimination I feel ashamed for humanity because we should be better than that and then witnessing that act on Canada I was ashamed of myself. Ashamed because when I saw it going on all I did was stand there watched and walked away. I did not speak up and I did not step in to break it up. The act of not standing up against an act of injustice is just as bad as committing the injustice yourself.

I thought I was a better person then that, though I guess not.