There’s a lot of hoopla going on in Canada right now. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy good hoopla especially about this country I know and love. I am a proud Canadian. Born and bred. I have always been grateful that I was fortunate enough to be born in Canada. Everyone loves Canadians. By reputation we are friendly, polite, clean and relatively quiet. The kind of neighbour everybody wants. We do, however, stand on our moral high ground and make judgements about other more despicable countries. Unfortunately, just like every other neighbour we have our share of dirty little secrets behind closed doors.
So back to the hoopla…Canada is celebrating its 150th birthday and I confess that I have mixed feelings about it. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. In 1967 Canada celebrated its Centennial year. It was one of the best years of my life. I have nothing but fond memories of my great nation celebrating being 100. I was a child. My Mother was still alive. In fact, it was the last great year with my Mom. The next couple of years would be filled with hospitals, chemo and radiation, only to lose her in 1969.
Centennial year was filled with celebrations and endless activities across the country and we didn’t miss any of them when they were in our area. My two older sisters were able to actually visit Expo 67 which was Canada’s main celebration during its centennial year and was considered the pinnacle of the celebrations. It was a Category One World’s Fair held in Montreal, Quebec from April 27 to October 29, 1967. According to Wikipedia,
“it is considered to be the most successful World’s Fair of the 20th century with the most attendees to that date and 62 nations participating.”
My adventures were closer to home. As a family we saw saw the Canadian Armed Forces Tattoo performed by the members of the Canadian military comprised of 1,700 military personnel from all three branches of the armed forces — the largest peacetime event in Canadian military history at the time.
We went to air shows that featured two Avro 504K planes, Canada’s first military aircraft that had been restored by The royal Canadian Air Force. They were joined by an acrobatic flying team called the Golden Centennaires, the predecessors of the Canadian Snowbirds.
We were lucky enough to see the RCMP Musical Ride and Band which toured the country and actually made its first visit to the Canadian Arctic that year.
Perhaps my favourite thing was The Confederation Train, a diesel locomotive with specially designed coach cars filled with exhibits showcasing Canadian history and culture. Front and centre on the nose of the engine was the Centennial logo. In purple and white along the sides of the car was “CANADA 1867 1967”. The Centennial Train started out on the west coast in Victoria, BC, January 9th 1967 and worked its way out to the east coast, reaching Nova Scotia in October. It made its final stop in Montreal in December.
There were also Centennial Caravans, which were tractor-trailers, travelling throughout smaller areas carrying similar exhibits to the train.
Music also played a big part in the celebrations. On a personal note, I was part of a choir that performed “100 Years in Song”, something, over the years, my family has regretted as I still sing the song, “I Don’t Want To Play In Your Yard” (1894) that was my featured duet with my friend Susie.
My niece recently walked in on me singing it to her young daughter. The little one was sitting there with a horror struck look on her face and her hands over her ears. Her mother immediately said, “Oh, no! Not the song!
Let’s just say that my voice did not improve with age. It was good enough then, though, to be one of the children chosen to sing with Bobby Gimby, The Pied Piper of Canada, when he came to town with his jewel encrusted trumpet to perform his composition, “Canada”. It was considered to be the official theme song of Canada’s centennial celebrations and was performed as a children’s marching song with English and French lyrics.
Many years later, when I went back to college as a 30+ year old, I was assigned along with my much younger classmates to do some PR work for a local museum. As we went through the museum there was a display from Centennial Year. My first reaction was one of fond memories. Then I saw the photo of me with the “Pied Piper”. My next reaction was, “Oh, my gosh! I’m so old I’m in a museum!” Then my classmates began asking me what it was all about. They didn’t know anything about Centennial Year. I was stunned that something that had been so important to me had faded in history.
My best friend in college was Gilbert. Even though he now lives in Florida, I still consider him one of my best friends. Gilbert was younger than me but older than the rest of the class. As I lamented to him about this time in my life being forgotten, he pointed out that it wasn’t necessarily a wonderful year for everyone in Canada. Gilbert is one of the First Nation people. His talking to me about it was probably the first time that I, personally, became aware of the difference of opinion. In the years since then, a lot of things that we as Canadians can’t possibly be proud of have become more publicly discussed. Our treatment of the First Nations, probably most horrifically concerning the Indian Residential School System, is a black mark against this country I love. In 1967 Chief Dan George very eloquently spoke his mind. His “Lament for Confederation” is one of the most heart wrenching, eye opening pieces I have ever listened to (sorry I couldn’t get it to embed but it is worth watching and listening to).
The thing is that at the time, I was a kid caught up in the excitement. I didn’t know about our dirty secrets. Now I do. Now I know how these things have affected friends and family that I care about. Is it any wonder that I am confused about how I should feel about all the celebrating? Many First Nations people have refused to take part in any of the events. Even Canadian actor Adam Beach, who has agreed to act as an ambassador, feels he is “walking a fine line“. The government is spending millions of dollars on this celebration of 150 years. Perhaps, the most embarrassing portion is being spent to bring a 30,000 pound rubber duck replica to Toronto’s waterfront. I do know there are a lot of better ways we could be spending that money.
As I said before, I love Canada and will always love Canada. I may not approve of or like the way we behave all the time, but I will always love Canada.
You brought back some fond memories of Expo 67. I completely agree that there is a lot more things deserving of our Nation’s funding than a giant rubber duck.
My sisters sure enjoyed themselves. I think it has been repurposed to some extent. Maybe I will see it someday. Were you living in Montreal at the time?
Reblogged this on Woggins Writing and commented:
I feel there is something very wrong with people that would split up families and send their kids to so-called residential schools. When I learned about it I was ashamed to be a Canadian.
It definitely isn’t our finest moment. Hopefully, we have learned something from this and adjust our way of thinking.
Just an aside about Chief Dan George…I saw him once or twice at Exhibition Park (Now Hastings) in Vancouver. Here was a movie and television star reading a Racing Form on the main line in the grandstand. Just like me. I was in awe.
He was and is a National Treasure as far as I am concerned.
There is no country that doesn’t have its dirty little secrets. Hell, mine sits in the Oval Office! I think loving your country and being proud of what it is today — a country full of friendly people should be what it’s all about. For me, that would be just ducky…
Heheheh…yes, we have had no end to the “duck” phrases. You’re right every country has them. Admitting that and moving forward is the key IMHO.
My home town has a big duck too. (Westport, CT). So obviously we are birds of a feather. 🐤
I don’t get it! What the “duck”?
Me neither But I do like ducks. So I’m good with it. And out of puns.
Country’s are just like family, aren’t they? Sometimes they’re embarrassing and totally disappointing, but they’re yours and you can’t help but love them. Dammit :o/
True. Family is exactly like that.
What a beautiful and thoughtful post. Every country has shameful history of course (America is making brand new shameful history as we speak!) and your sensitivity toward First Nation concerns serves as a great counterpoint to your joyous childhood memories.
That said, “I Don’t Want To Play In Your Yard” is a terrible, terrible song.
Believe me when I tell you, there is not one member of my family, that has heard me sing that song, that would not back you up.
Thanks for the kind words on the rest of the post.
You gotta smart family, there.
I think all countries have a their share of dirty secrets. It does take some persistence and willingness to see it all. And when we do, it makes us feel ambivalent about our country, even when we love it. In Norway the way we treated the Sami people is quite equivalent to what happened in Canada. Hopefully we learn by our mistakes and become better nations (although some don’t seem to learn anything from history at all…).
This is true, Otto. I would like to think that we are all getting better as human beings with a few exceptions.
I love your country, too. It is amazing! However, your national anthem is: O Canada. Leave out the “h” and you’ll be as good as Klondike gold.
Thanks for stopping by, Edwin. The title of the post is not the same title as our national anthem. In this case it is “Oh”. An exclamation expressive of, in this case, disappointment.
Oops. Sorry about that!
No worries.
Thanks for the insiders, interesting perspective. I assumed we Americans had an exclusive on collective guilt – nice to know we’re not alone. I loved that song. Wish I could have heard your version.
Believe me, Peg, you do not want to hear me sing. Especially that song. It may have been “adorable” when we were acting it out as little kids but it is very, very, very, bad now.
Lovely article. I’m all for economy and fiscal responsibility, and that giant rubber duckie looks a fine and worthy expenditure of public funds. PAs for theft of Native lands, these are shameful events – on which both Canada and US are founded. Such is history, but we in the present can only try to make amends and make things better.
I’ve recently been watching some videos the pretty much the same stuff going on in Australia. It seems the Aboriginals have not been treated very well their either. That word “colonization” has taken on a whole new meaning.
In Breakfast of Champions, Vonnegut has a preface where he covers all of American history. He talks about the white pirate marauders. He endswith “It was always about race”
It makes me very sad.
Ah, the game of life. At least you get a rubber duckie.
I’m glad I’m Canadian, my dear friend… but I’m more privileged to share this land with you.
You are too kind. I wouldn’t want to be anything other than Canadian.
What an amazing blast from the past and your memories of the 100th. I love the Pied Piper photo. I feel your pain about your country. I would never have predicted this feeling a year ago. It’s hard to feel so out of control of things. We’re all just gritting our teeth and waiting for a big shoe to fall or the next election in 2018!
So true that every nation has its dirty little secrets. The U.S. has had plenty and is having a BIG one (not a secret) right now. It’s name is Trump, and it’s destroying our lovely country. Aside from that, I’ve been to your World’s Fair in Vancouver (can’t remember the year; does 86 sound familiar?), but it was wonderful. Please, please, can I become a Canadian 🙂
Oh, my! And here I was thinking of a way to get you to adopt me to live in Hawaii. When some one living in paradise wants to leave because of that scoundrel (as polite as I can be) you know a line (in his case many) has been crossed.
It was indeed 1986 that the Worlds Fair was in Vancouver. I have been to your area (Maui) twice. Once in ’88 and again in 2007.
What is the status of the volcano now? The images have been remarkable. And your piece about how they handled it before was an eye opener. Take care, stay safe.
Oh, my! It’s been so long since your comment. We have been away for about 2 months (traveling in Europe), and are now trying to adjust to normal life at home. I’m afraid I’d use a less polite word than “scoundrel,” but it was nice to be away from “the Madness of King Donald” for a little while. We still got the news, but it wasn’t so “in your face” for the time we were gone. Yes, many lines have been crossed. I hope an orange jump suit is in his future.
You can come to Hawaii any time, and we’ll be happy to show you around. We’re on Oahu, though, not Maui. Still a beautiful island, and at least further away from the madness on the Mainland.
I guess you know now that the volcano has stopped spouting. Good news for the people living on the Big Island (and us, too, since the vog travels up the island chain). Wish I could have gone over to take pics, but that wasn’t to be. Again, sorry to be so late answering. I am trying to get back on track. Hope you’ll enjoy my Europe pieces, too.
Take care, and “talk” with you soon, I hope.
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