If you happen to be in Montreal (Québec) on Canada Day, and you are not busy moving out from one apartment into another one (since most residential leases end on June 30th), you might wish to consider joining the “Anti-Canada Day BBQ“. This would be an opportunity for you to celebrate our country’s National Day in a sad and odd way.
This way would be a contrast with Lebanon, Bambi’s birth country. The latter is still struggling to exist in the most basic sovereign way. Yet, when she visited it lately, she attended a university-based public event. The latter started with the Lebanese national anthem to which everyone stood up, from young students to more senior academics, journalists, and the general public. They did it for a few seconds with the utmost respect.
Of note, Lebanon’s past history and present, and most likely its near future, are filled with injustice. Yet its people, especially youth, seem to be keen to preserve their critical thinking, along with a healthy sense of patriotism. They seem to love their country despite all its critical problems.
In contrast to the above, why can’t McGill University’s “Quebec Public Interest Research Group” aspire to maintain the ability to think clearly and to analyze Canada’s shorter history, more objectively? Why should they give their BBQ event an insulting name, namely a so-called “decolonial anti-Canada day” (whatever “decolonial” means and whatever “Palestinian Feminist Collective“means)?
In other terms, how about wisely and radically accepting the following reality: like many other countries grappling with flaws or injustices in their pasts, what can Canada do better in moving forward into the future? What might be some ideas to address the country’s issues and key areas of development?
I remember going through quite a bit of bother when I was at McGill, to avoid some of my student fees going to these losers.
It’s very heartening to see that finally, the administration seems inclined to stop giving this group what are effectively taxation powers on the student body. It’s very disheartening to see that it has taken more than 30 years of this kind of idiocy to get there.