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Open on Canada Day: a very brief history of the racist policies on which Canada was built, why it is a day of reflection rather than celebration and why we offer services on this national "holiday".


Canada: a country with a strong social fabric woven with a deeply rooted culture of tradition and peace, making it a desirable place to call home for newcomers and locals alike.


Though we have so much to celebrate as residents of the True North, as a country, Canada was built on the exploitation of the rights of others.


In this blog post, we will discuss a very brief history of the discriminatory practices that have made Canada what it is today and why we remain open on Canada Day.


Canada shamelessly promotes itself as a champion of human rights. Indeed, through recognition of LGBTQ2S+ rights and providing sanctuary for refugees experiencing war (though, we are complicit in these wars through dealing arms to war mongers. See more on that here.) through a strong legal framework, we have generally been considered globally as a leader in human rights progression. However, the areas in which we struggle--Indigenous rights and immigration policies--speak to the very policies that continue to perpetuate systemic inequality.


Before we begin, it is important that I remind readers of the lens in which this decision became apparent. In 2010, I graduated with a History degree (with the intention of pursuing law, but the universe had other plans for me) and in 2014 I began taking social work studies (only to be completed an impressive seven years later. I know, I even impressed myself). The combination of these programs has offered complementary knowledge to help deconstruct Canadian racist policies from both worldviews:


British North American (BNA) Act, 1867 & The Indian Act 1867-present:


We're all familiar with this one, and at this point it does not need much more explanation. However the fact that it remains the only active racially discriminating policy in the world is concerning. Yet, it forms a large part of Indigenous cultural identity and the rights that they are finally being afforded (for example, see cows 'n' plows, below). So, how did this create so much systemic racism? Well, the Indian Act aimed to control and assimilate through literally wiping out populations--and I'm not just talking about populations of people: bison and natural habitat, which provided sustenance and shelter, were also impacted--to make space for colonization and settlement efforts (check out this book to learn more). The Indian Act also eroded Indigenous communities ability to self-govern, restricted cultural, language and food practices--which most Canadians know has led to intergenerational trauma, addiction and illness. July first was literally the day that the BNA act and the Indian Act came into effect, making it not Canada Day but rather from the indigenous perspective, Colonization Day.


Labour exploitation and Chinese Head Tax; 1885-1923:


The Chinese Head Tax is a little less known than the BNA and Indian Act but is worthy example of a racist policy that settled Canada at the expense of another cultural group.


Long story short: without the Chinese men to come and build the railroad, there would be no Canada as we know it today. Though we are now the same country, the colonization practices were quite different from East to West...but it was the railroad that connected the East to the West and allowed for migration of the colonists. Before contact, the European Powers believed that if it had not been touched by the Vatican, then it was vacant land (Terra Nullius), meaning that the land and life on it, including people, were not recognized. Thanks to the railroad, this practice (somewhat adjusted as they gained more territory and experienced more resistance) shaped the identities and interactions with the indigenous people, animals and vegetation. How do the Chinese and the Head tax factor into this? Well, the Chinese were commissioned to come perform dangerous, gruelling work to build the railroads that connected Canada. Many men became sick due to the unsanitary working conditions, lost their lives because they were assigned the most hazardous tasks (such as handling explosives)and earned only $1.00/day--significantly less than their white counterparts, who also were not required to pay for their own food and gear. After carefully curated casualties, the railroad was finally built, and Canada didn't need the people willing to risk their lives for perceived prosperity anymore--the Chinese. Any Chinese immigrants seeking a "better" life in Canada were charged a head tax--initially of $50--to discourage Chinese immigration to Canada. The head tax climbed to $100 and then $500 in an attempt to keep Canadians a "pure" race. In 2006, the same time that Stephen Harper issued an apology to Indigenous folks for Canada's role in the genocide of their people, he also promised compensation to Chinese Canadians for the suffering and injustice they endured as a cultural group.


Settlement of the West c. 1900-1914:


The provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba wouldn't be what they are today if it weren't for aggressive immigration policies. Marketing by the Canadian government to attract Europeans and Americans (read: white) by offering protection by the North-West Mounted Police (also a racist initiative to suppress Metis resistance to keep them from reclaiming their land and resources. Hmm... sound familiar?) and free or almost free land, implements, and supplies to begin building their homesteads. The problem? While the Canadian government was giving away land to white-skinned settlers, Indigenous populations were not only displaced but some are only now receiving the same luxuries that were afforded to their immigrant counterparts. Indeed some First Nations are still waiting for their cows 'n' plows entitlement that was promised to them in the initial treaty negotiations. What is cows 'n' plows? Well, according to Google Gemini: it is "the historical treaty obligation by the Canadian government to provide First Nations with agricultural assistance, including livestock (cows) and farming equipment (plows), as part of the transition from a hunting-based to an agricultural lifestyle"...in order to advance the profits of the Crown and benefit, you guessed it, settler society. While the railroad workers were moving out, the government of Canada sequestered Indigenous populations to reserves and denied their participation in the local, allegedly booming, economy by not following through on their promises until now--2025!--to preserve colonial culture and create opportunities for settlers while further disadvantaging their Indigenous counterparts.


Canada built on immigration...and racism:


It's not uncommon to hear a mainstream Canadian complain about immigrants taking their jobs and buying their houses. But, if it weren't for immigration--and racism--Canada as we know it wouldn't exist today. Even though these racist policies are no longer totally in effect (except the Indian Act but with some changes that became effective in 1985, mostly as a response to Trudeau Senior's "White Papers"--even the name of it is racist), Euro-Canadians still benefit from the advantages that were afforded to them through the generations of hand-outs. And while settlers are still benefitting from those policies that allowed their generations to grow their wealth, Indigenous populations, particularly within urban centres are grappling with homelessness, poverty, addictions and poor health outcomes as a direct result of displacement and economic discrimination. The next time you hear someone complain about how hard it is to be Canadian, show them how important immigration and exploitation has been to the "prosperity" of our country.



We are here to serve and support you.


There is much to be grateful about when reflecting on Canada as a whole particularly in regards to LGBTQ2S+ and women's rights, freedom from war, bodily autonomy and self-determination among others (yet, recently China has spoken out on Canada's Human Right's record), we would be remiss if we did not recognize the third world conditions that exist in some parts of the country as a result of colonization. For European immigrants of the 1900's, the "culture shock" (if we can call it that) of the harsh reality of navigating a new land with no language supports and the harsher reality of our climate created many hardships that have lead many issues surrounding alcohol abuse and codependency that we see today. Some of us are still processing our respective realities. And many of us experience distress, guilt and shame knowing how our colonial past has made us complicit the exploitation of cultural groups while others are experiencing intergenerational trauma. However you find yourself coming to terms with a day that represents colonialism, at White Dove Counselling and Mediation, you will find Peace, Parity and Hope for your Future. For Canada's future. Whatever that means to you.


 
 
 

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