• IninewCrow@lemmy.caEnglish
    83·
    2 days ago

    Indigenous Canadian from northern Ontario here - Ojibway/Cree from northern Ontario.

    Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian brothers and sisters, landed, immigrant, nation-born, First Nation, Arch-Linux-users, Metis, religious, non-religious, whatever denomination, Lemmy-user, Fediverse-user, corpo-Social-Media-user, straight, bi, none-sexual, LGBTQ++++, black, brown, white and every shade in-between.

    We have our differences, we have our troubles, we have issues, good, bad and whatever … but at the end of the day we will always be national brothers and sisters who inhabit this land.

    My parents were survivors of the Residential School system but they always celebrated Canada Day never knowing the politics or history … they just enjoyed having a fun day in the middle of summer. I’ve grown to learn lots of good and bad about Canada but in all that history, I may have grown negative and dark but at the same time, as I grow older, I also realize that we have to keep hope alive and always reach out to others, especially to any potential allies. We can create a country where we can all co-exist in a cooperative way that can be equally beneficial for every individual in this country. I will always hope for that.

    So good day to you all!! Kitchi-Meegwetch Misiway (Thank you very much to everyone) Nee-nas-kah-moon! (I give my praises!)

    • Balaquina@lemmy.caEnglish
      28·
      2 days ago

      Thanks for posting this. My feelings about celebrating Canada have become so complex since I became an adult and starting learning about Canada’s true past. I love my country, and would very willingly die for this country (a feeling that became VERY clear to me with Trump’s talk of annexation), but I can’t deny that I will never see this country quite the same way I did when I was young and naive.

      This land was stolen, it should never have happened, but the clock can’t be turned back, and now there are legions of us born here, and for better or for worse we are part of this country now. I also view everyone here as my brothers and sisters, and I’m glad there are native people willing to view us that way too, although quite frankly I would not blame them if they didn’t.

      We can only move forward. That’s what the Truth and Reconciliation movement is all about. Acknowledging the horrors of the past, and trying to move forward in peace together. I hope that Canada can turn into the country I thought it was when I was young.

      Happy Canada Day to you.

      • reluctant_squidd@lemmy.caEnglish
        13·
        2 days ago

        Couldn’t agree with you more. I think it is vitally important Canadians as a whole continue to reflect on the mistakes and unthinkable things done in the past, to make sure we do everything we can to prevent anything like them in the future.

        If we all held onto, and strived for, the Canada we remembered as kids, maybe we can carve a newer, better future for all Canadians, present citizens and those destined to become Canadian.

        We need to look to the authoritarian, old school countries as examples of what happens if we aren’t vigilant. To lean into and integrate our cultural and political differences as a source of strength, not division.

        In my opinion, only then can we really become true Canada.

    • fosho@lemmy.caEnglish
      23·
      2 days ago

      I’m with you as much as I know how. I love plenty about Canada but I also don’t pretend that we have a clean conscience with our history and don’t generally feel like we should blindly celebrate without acknowledging the problems. In that way and because of the convoy losers the flag has become a bit of a badge of ignorance. But as long as people are trying to be aware then there should also be a time to relax and unwind.