Reflective Essay On Canadian Identity
Introduction Hockey, Tim Hortons, maple leaves, maple syrup, Mounties, ‘oot and aboot’, oh and I’m sorry eh? These 'Canadianisms' are what stereotypically makes up the fantasy of the ‘Canadian identify’ and the one that gets broadcasted to the world. Aforementioned is all false pretences and sugar-coating the vast dark history of the land now known as Canada. In truth, the idea of a ‘Canadian Identity’ and it is different for every individual person based on their background and the way they label themselves, for example, people of indigenous heritage, non-aboriginal people of colour, and white people will all have different views on the ‘Canadian Identity. Having this in mind is why I ask; where do I fit in the Canadian matrix? My answer to that is when looked at critically, though my grandparents I am a trespasser, while also seen by the ‘society’ and the government as a ‘true Canadian.’ While I have indigenous heritage, and relatives who are aboriginal, I would not declare myself aboriginal. Simply because I was not brought up with the rest of my family that was brought up with the Mi'kmaq traditions and culture. Furthermore, I look white and primarily come from a European background, three of my
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grandparents came to Canada through pier 21 in Halifax; my mother immigrated as an infant and my father being born here. While I have connections with my distant family, my place in Canada is more as a colonizer which is why the remainder of this essay will focus on my position in the Canadian matrix as a white descendent of immigrants.
History
“The History of Canada is a colonial history. It celebrates the 'Europeanization of the ‘Americas.’” (Lovelace, Introduction). The Canadian government has been teaching a whitewashed version of history to Canadian students for decades and simply because those who ‘won’ write the history books does not mean that those who ‘lost’ do not have a unique and essential history. As Professor Lovelace pointed out there is not a linear way of Indigenous history, it is not in a vacuum it is continuously being played out. Also, Indigenous history is primarily oral history and is considered sacred and fundamental. (Lovelace, Gaining a Basic). This fact impacts where people identify in the Canadian matrix. The Canadian education system impacts my position in the Canadian matrix because the government only teaches Eurocentric history while ignoring the rich, unique histories that each Aboriginal group has. I am negatively impacted by this as the government has kept me ignorant of this issues that people who are Aboriginal in modern-day Canada have faced both now and in the past. However, it is different for Aboriginal people, for example, Canada spent millions of dollars on it’s Canada 150 celebration which when thought about, was a celebration of Indigenous Genocide. Aboriginal people are always reminded that the Canadian government cared more about throwing a party than working toward reconciliation. Whereas, while I acknowledged the problems with celebrating Canada’s birthday, I also took advantage of it and travelled across the country with Via Rail’s controversial ‘150 pass’. While I would not place myself above Aboriginal people in the Canadian matrix, I do put myself in a position of privilege that I do not have to fight every single day of my life for the government to acknowledge its wrongdoings.
One example of twofold assimilation and white-washing is the residential school system. First, the vision of Residential School Education system was three part which included removing children from their families; re-socializing children in their new school; and assimilating students into the Canadian world. (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 2006). Secondly, the way that residential schools are thought of today involves whitewashing history. For example, children are taught that residential schools were meant to help Aboriginal students gain an education; however, in the discussion of the abuse suffered some argue that “stern school discipline belonged to its time” and that “students in residential schools were unable to tolerate treatment that white students may have also endured.” (Hulan, 2012). The whitewashing and assimilation of Aboriginal people were done in part to destroy the traditional history of Aboriginal people and ignoring that Aboriginal people cannot be confined under one label or grouped all together. Regarding my positionality, my history is taught, European history is seen as the only thing that matters which makes where I place myself in the Canadian matrix interesting because residential schools impacted parts of my family. However, I am separated from them because I did not grow up with them and did not have grown up reclaiming history because I was never brought up with it in the first place. It is easier to place myself in the Canadian matrix while ignoring the family that I have over the last couple years started to get to know. I chose this because I need to acknowledge my colonial history and the power that and privilege that I have just for being born, and continuing to recognize that others have different experiences. I agree with Elizabeth Cook-Lynn when they say “It seems important to call for a shift in attitude concerning the history and literature of the region called the West.” I have the power to protest the education system, and I need to stand in solidarity with the ones who should have their voices heard.(Cook-Lynn, 1996). However, my position also should not be wallowing in a woe is my attitude and perpetuate a continuation of the white man’s burden. There needs to be humility, sincere apologies and reparations. Consequently, I place myself in part as a trespasser in the Canadian matrix because Canada is stolen land, and in a position of privilege with power because of the family I was born to.
Citizenship: Voting
Voting can sometimes be seen as a hallmark of Canadian citizenship, and that enfranchisement led to everyone being equal.
I believe that this is hypocritical because of the history of voting rights in this country. For example, while suffrage was extended to Aboriginal people in Canada in 1960 up until that point they “could only gain the vote by giving up their status.” (Henderson and Ground 202). While this tends to be deemed an astonishing thing, at least in Canadian high school textbooks, the reality is this ‘inclusion’ is theft. Before 1960, the government stole a piece of individual identities, and post-1960 is can still be seen as theft because it is like the government said Congratulations you may now vote in a country that was stolen from
you.
Meanwhile, when I turned 18 three short weeks before the Canadian federal election in 2015, I was ecstatic to be able to vote finally. The day after my birthday I registered to vote, I happily campaigned for the local by-election nominee, and on October 19th, 2015 I posted an ‘I voted’ picture on social media while using a caption that condemned anyone deciding not to vote. I at the time felt entitled, as Pierce points out in their article “Western power extended from colonial tradition… has led to an increased sense of entitlement.” (Pierce, 1978). To further on this point, the Canadian government put out ad campaign after motivation propaganda to make those who chose to vote to feel superior, and I think I did at that time. I did not stop to understand why people decided not to vote and that there were valid reasons to protest. This positionality shows how my experience differs from Aboriginal people that I benefit from the colonial state and feel entitled to vote in elections whereas Aboriginal people have a lower voter turnout in part because it can be seen as a colonial act. Additionally, it shows my position in the Canadian matrix is different than Aboriginal people in modern-day Canada because they way I experience voting is not the same as Aboriginal people.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I put myself in the centre of privilege in the Canadian matrix with my ties to the land inexistent because of the process of the colonization of North America. Furthermore, I do believe that people of indigenous heritage have a right to this land as it was stolen from them. Where I fit in is trying to stand in solidarity together, yet separate because it is the voices of Aboriginal people that need to be heard in this country. Nevertheless, while I would like to say I stand with Aboriginal people in solidarity, no matter how much I do to make sure it’s Aboriginal voices heard and not my own, I cannot ignore that my opinion will be taken more seriously because I am white. While I face different kinds of oppression, i.e. being transgender, I still must acknowledge my privilege and the reality that I benefit from the colonial state. What I need to do now that I have thought about my position in the Canadian matrix is understanding the consequences of my privilege, remaining aware that people go through life having life experiences in ways I might never truly understand. To put more simply, while my indigenous heritage through my grandfather might complicate my position in the Canadian matrix; when explored critically, my place in the Canadian matrix though my grandparents, I am a trespasser, while also seen by the ‘society’ and the government as a ‘true Canadian.’ Furthermore, ‘Canadian’ can often be seen as a white identity and I was born with privilege; the Canadian matrix would then be an unfair representation of what is actually occurring, the land may be modern-day Canada, but it is stolen land.
grandparents came to Canada through pier 21 in Halifax; my mother immigrated as an infant and my father being born here. While I have connections with my distant family, my place in Canada is more as a colonizer which is why the remainder of this essay will focus on my position in the Canadian matrix as a white descendent of immigrants.
History
“The History of Canada is a colonial history. It celebrates the 'Europeanization of the ‘Americas.’” (Lovelace, Introduction). The Canadian government has been teaching a whitewashed version of history to Canadian students for decades and simply because those who ‘won’ write the history books does not mean that those who ‘lost’ do not have a unique and essential history. As Professor Lovelace pointed out there is not a linear way of Indigenous history, it is not in a vacuum it is continuously being played out. Also, Indigenous history is primarily oral history and is considered sacred and fundamental. (Lovelace, Gaining a Basic). This fact impacts where people identify in the Canadian matrix. The Canadian education system impacts my position in the Canadian matrix because the government only teaches Eurocentric history while ignoring the rich, unique histories that each Aboriginal group has. I am negatively impacted by this as the government has kept me ignorant of this issues that people who are Aboriginal in modern-day Canada have faced both now and in the past. However, it is different for Aboriginal people, for example, Canada spent millions of dollars on it’s Canada 150 celebration which when thought about, was a celebration of Indigenous Genocide. Aboriginal people are always reminded that the Canadian government cared more about throwing a party than working toward reconciliation. Whereas, while I acknowledged the problems with celebrating Canada’s birthday, I also took advantage of it and travelled across the country with Via Rail’s controversial ‘150 pass’. While I would not place myself above Aboriginal people in the Canadian matrix, I do put myself in a position of privilege that I do not have to fight every single day of my life for the government to acknowledge its wrongdoings.
One example of twofold assimilation and white-washing is the residential school system. First, the vision of Residential School Education system was three part which included removing children from their families; re-socializing children in their new school; and assimilating students into the Canadian world. (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 2006). Secondly, the way that residential schools are thought of today involves whitewashing history. For example, children are taught that residential schools were meant to help Aboriginal students gain an education; however, in the discussion of the abuse suffered some argue that “stern school discipline belonged to its time” and that “students in residential schools were unable to tolerate treatment that white students may have also endured.” (Hulan, 2012). The whitewashing and assimilation of Aboriginal people were done in part to destroy the traditional history of Aboriginal people and ignoring that Aboriginal people cannot be confined under one label or grouped all together. Regarding my positionality, my history is taught, European history is seen as the only thing that matters which makes where I place myself in the Canadian matrix interesting because residential schools impacted parts of my family. However, I am separated from them because I did not grow up with them and did not have grown up reclaiming history because I was never brought up with it in the first place. It is easier to place myself in the Canadian matrix while ignoring the family that I have over the last couple years started to get to know. I chose this because I need to acknowledge my colonial history and the power that and privilege that I have just for being born, and continuing to recognize that others have different experiences. I agree with Elizabeth Cook-Lynn when they say “It seems important to call for a shift in attitude concerning the history and literature of the region called the West.” I have the power to protest the education system, and I need to stand in solidarity with the ones who should have their voices heard.(Cook-Lynn, 1996). However, my position also should not be wallowing in a woe is my attitude and perpetuate a continuation of the white man’s burden. There needs to be humility, sincere apologies and reparations. Consequently, I place myself in part as a trespasser in the Canadian matrix because Canada is stolen land, and in a position of privilege with power because of the family I was born to.
Citizenship: Voting
Voting can sometimes be seen as a hallmark of Canadian citizenship, and that enfranchisement led to everyone being equal.
I believe that this is hypocritical because of the history of voting rights in this country. For example, while suffrage was extended to Aboriginal people in Canada in 1960 up until that point they “could only gain the vote by giving up their status.” (Henderson and Ground 202). While this tends to be deemed an astonishing thing, at least in Canadian high school textbooks, the reality is this ‘inclusion’ is theft. Before 1960, the government stole a piece of individual identities, and post-1960 is can still be seen as theft because it is like the government said Congratulations you may now vote in a country that was stolen from
you.
Meanwhile, when I turned 18 three short weeks before the Canadian federal election in 2015, I was ecstatic to be able to vote finally. The day after my birthday I registered to vote, I happily campaigned for the local by-election nominee, and on October 19th, 2015 I posted an ‘I voted’ picture on social media while using a caption that condemned anyone deciding not to vote. I at the time felt entitled, as Pierce points out in their article “Western power extended from colonial tradition… has led to an increased sense of entitlement.” (Pierce, 1978). To further on this point, the Canadian government put out ad campaign after motivation propaganda to make those who chose to vote to feel superior, and I think I did at that time. I did not stop to understand why people decided not to vote and that there were valid reasons to protest. This positionality shows how my experience differs from Aboriginal people that I benefit from the colonial state and feel entitled to vote in elections whereas Aboriginal people have a lower voter turnout in part because it can be seen as a colonial act. Additionally, it shows my position in the Canadian matrix is different than Aboriginal people in modern-day Canada because they way I experience voting is not the same as Aboriginal people.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I put myself in the centre of privilege in the Canadian matrix with my ties to the land inexistent because of the process of the colonization of North America. Furthermore, I do believe that people of indigenous heritage have a right to this land as it was stolen from them. Where I fit in is trying to stand in solidarity together, yet separate because it is the voices of Aboriginal people that need to be heard in this country. Nevertheless, while I would like to say I stand with Aboriginal people in solidarity, no matter how much I do to make sure it’s Aboriginal voices heard and not my own, I cannot ignore that my opinion will be taken more seriously because I am white. While I face different kinds of oppression, i.e. being transgender, I still must acknowledge my privilege and the reality that I benefit from the colonial state. What I need to do now that I have thought about my position in the Canadian matrix is understanding the consequences of my privilege, remaining aware that people go through life having life experiences in ways I might never truly understand. To put more simply, while my indigenous heritage through my grandfather might complicate my position in the Canadian matrix; when explored critically, my place in the Canadian matrix though my grandparents, I am a trespasser, while also seen by the ‘society’ and the government as a ‘true Canadian.’ Furthermore, ‘Canadian’ can often be seen as a white identity and I was born with privilege; the Canadian matrix would then be an unfair representation of what is actually occurring, the land may be modern-day Canada, but it is stolen land.