From where would this communist-like idea be funded, if not from Canadians’ taxes?
More hand outs means more taxes and public debt. Didn’t we have enough before the pandemic? So, imagine after.
Why should we pay people to do nothing? How would this
encourage the productivity and entrepreneurship of citizens and, thus, the economy
of Canada?
Why are we asking for more dependence of people on governments?
Is this healthy? Is this wise?
Bambi likes some of the great ideas of the green party (she has been following their federal leadership race news lately. She even has a preferred candidate ?).
Seriously, this basic income idea is SURELY not one of
her favourite ones.
It is a recipe for an economic and social disaster for
Canada… and even for tiny bankrupt Lebanon.
To conclude this post on a lighter note, there is a funny myth in less fortunate countries that, in America (the USA mainly but also Canada), immigrants start collecting gold once they land there (gold found on the streets!). A man (neighbour of her family) once joked with Bambi when she was visiting Lebanon asking her if she has been doing this in Canada all those years. She replied: “All day long! I have back pain now. Do you want to come to help me?”
In the Lebanon of 1975-1990, identity politics (or political sectarianism, in the Middle East context) contributed to and fuelled civil war, at least a substantial component of its different phases (another phase was the war of others on Lebanese soil).
During civil war, civilians have been kidnapped or
killed on checkpoints (by all sorts of militias) for carrying the “wrong”
identity.
Bambi’s dad had an employee who was literally “chopped”
and thrown in the garbage (sorry to be so graphic ☹). She keeps praying for him, in her heart,
on a regular basis. His name was Ramadan. You can guess his religious affiliation
from his name… Of course, perhaps at the same time, a certain Charbel or a
certain George may have been killed or tortured for the same reasons (you can
guess their affiliations from their names). That was during the darkest days of
Lebanon’s recent past.
If their religious affiliation/sect was not clear from
their name (Tony, Michel, Fatma, Mohamad or Ali), it was extracted from their
ID card.
The BEST thing that happened post-civil war was when
Lebanon erased this socio-demographic datum from the Lebanese citizenship card.
Someone’s religion is no one’s business.
Someone’s “race” to use a trendy word nowadays is also
no one’s business.
Bearing this in mind, Bambi cannot help not to hopelessly
ask herself, why is Canada getting into this dangerous game of identity politics?
Does it think of itself as being immune to violence or chaos?
No one is immune, especially in a young country like
ours… we need to be even wiser and perhaps even more united around our Canadian
symbols/institutions/pride. We need to improve our federal institutions FOR
SURE… but should we throw the baby out with the bathwater?
Two days ago, we saw an MP (Mr. Singh) accuse another MP
(Mr. Therrien) of “racism” for having a slightly different approach to dealing with
a problem everyone agrees on.
Yesterday, we saw an MP (Mr. Singh again) and our PM
(Mr. Trudeau) both unwisely using identity politics for whatever reason (perhaps
in their passion? Perhaps to keep the NDP pleased so they can remain in power,
perhaps for another hidden agenda, or… perhaps out of lack of wisdom and talent
in seeing the larger picture (of Canada… not of the world).
At least, even if he did not apologize yet, Mr. Singh
(NDP leader), along with Mr. Blanchet (BQ leader), Mr. Trudeau (PM and Liberal
leader) as well as all our political parties (and the whole population!) agree
that discrimination/racism is not a good human behaviour.
Mr. Singh admitted, in a CBC radio interview (https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-thursday-edition-1.5617616/jagmeet-singh-apologizing-to-bloc-mp-would-be-akin-to-saying-i-m-sorry-for-fighting-systemic-racism-1.5618183), that neither the BQ nor the NDP (and, of course, nor the Green Party, nor the PPC) are responsible for what Ms. Freeland has called “the original sin” of Canada, meaning that systemic racism that existed in our short history. It would be logical to point to the Liberal party and the Conservative party only, as these are the two parties that have been in power in the earlier stages of the Canadian history. However, one must also recall that the people from these parties are not the actual ones in power. Back then, it was a different historical context.
As Mr. Blanchet explained well, he is against systemic racism like his colleague and like everyone else. He also added, we still have “buckets” of leftover of this systemic discrimination in our institutions and this is what everyone is agreeing to address (see earlier post, further below).
Isn’t this consensus a positive development?
Why are our politicians playing with identity politics
like that, recklessly taking us in a direction that could backfire on us all,
as matters backfired on Lebanon in 1975?
The irony is that despite its real/current DEEP
issues, and despite the grasp of Hezbollah (and indirectly Iran) on Lebanon, it
still has diversity of political and intellectual opinions (at least for now).
In Canada, it seems increasingly harder to keep the
beauty of this diversity (which is likely widely present in the silent majority
of the population).
The danger of identity politics can take the form of radicalism,
absurdity, totalitarianism (even for noble causes like anti-racism), accusations
of this and that (witch hunting and shaming).
It is unhealthy, and dangerous, to make some of us holier
than the rest because of a visible difference (a hijab, a turban, a skin colour,
an accent if we open our mouth, etc.).
Bambi is part of a minority in our town/province/country
and she is saying so.
Bambi would have been perhaps part of a majority somewhere
else and she would still say so.
We are ALL Canadian citizens.
We are ALL Québeckers (for those living in this
province or those from there).
Canada is NOT racist (even if some people are or some
institutions still carry the residue of systemic discrimination, etc.).
Québec is NOT racist.
Canadians/Québeckers as a whole are NOT racist (even if some are).
Our politicians (all of them, including Mr. Singh, Mr. Blanchet, Mr. Therrien, and Mr. Trudeau) are NOT racist. They are just being unwise.
By doing so, he is projecting his “unconscious stupidity” on all of us.
This is the worst kind of “unconscious bias” to have when we are the leader of a country.
He is also sadly reminding us why Québec wants to be a separate country. Is this a good thing for Canada, Mr. Trudeau? Is this what you want?
Yesterday, Bambi celebrated her 30 years in Canada, an unforgettable happy day, even if the preceding one is perhaps one of the saddest days of he life. She is saying so because this is when she returned with her family, to Beirut from Cyprus, a nearby country/island, under the shelling, to quickly pack whatever could be packed… and to say good-bye to loved ones left behind in the danger of the last round of combat.
Sadly, she has never imagined, over the past three decades, that a day will come where she would be worried about the future of Canada like that… and no, it is not because of the pandemic and its economic consequences. It is because of the cultural and intellectual decay.
More than ever, we need a leader to unite us. Unfortunately for us, Mr. Trudeau lacks both leadership and wisdom.
To conclude this post, Bambi will allow herself to borrow Mr. Gibran Khalil Gibran’s powerfully wise words, published in the Garden of the Prophet. They were meant for the Lebanon of 1934 (perhaps still valid now?). This means that they were NOT meant for neither the USA, nor Canada… nor the Western world!
You may wish to check the bold sentence at the very end… Is this Mr. Trudeau’s vision for Canada?!
“Pity the nation that is full
of beliefs and empty of religion,
Pity the nation that wears a
cloth it does not weave, eats a bread it does not harvest,
And drinks a wine that flows
not from its own wine press.
Pity the nation that acclaims
the bully as hero, and that deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.
Pity the nation that despises a
passion in its dream, yet submits in its awakening.
Pity the nation that raises not
its voice save when it walks in a funeral, boasts not except among its ruins,
and will rebel not save when its neck is laid between the sword and the block.
Pity the nation whose statesman
is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler, and whose art is the art of patching
and mimicking.
Pity the nation that welcomes
its new ruler with trumpetings and farewells him with hootings, only to welcome
another with trumpetings again.
Pity the nation whose sages are
dumb with years and whose strong men are yet in the cradle.
Pitythenation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation.”
The video above is taken from the CBC. It shows us a living example of a leader in the true sense of the word, in Bambi non-expert citizen’s opinion: A man who is human, compassionate, sincere, supportive, and most importantly courageous (perhaps others would have thrown their MP under the bus… who knows?). He also answered the journalist’s questions very well.
Mr. Blanchet seems to sincerely respect Mr. Singh. He seems sad about this story.
Ironically, both Blanchet and Singh happen to be on the same (left) side of politics, in addition to being peers… and perhaps “friends”, who knows? Of course, in as much as you can be friendly with your colleagues in politics.
Each one of them, in his own way, cares for citizens.
It is Bambi’s hope that Mr. Singh will accept to apologize and to take that hand extended to him.
We, citizens, need his calmness and hopefully lucidity, now more than ever.
As for Mr. Alain Therrien, without knowing him in person, Bambi would like to salute his courage again, especially in times where political correctness is paralyzing both citizens and public servants representing them.
Only sincerity of our acts (vote in this example) will get us out of of those unhealthy times where words have been emptied from their meanings.
This is why, Bambi is convinced that we need more of Mr. Blanchet and Mr. Therrien (+ their colleague from yesterday’s incident who defended the latter); regardless of the topic, of the issue, of the opinion.
We need to be able to say what we think in life with freedom/respect before, during, and after a speech/vote, etc. It is called basic democracy (and diversity of opinions) in life.
Everyone wants to be a good citizen/politician. Everyone wants to prove this “goodness” to him/herself and to the rest of the world… but we are all human beings. No one is perfect. No one is right all the time.
We may get angry because we are convinced to be right.
We may vote differently and still be right.
Despite Mr. Singh’s enthusiasm (or impoliteness?), using a word that acts as a sword nowadays, no single person or entity is entitled to morality in life.
Mr. Singh may have just been angry, Bambi gets it. However, by apologizing, he would set a good example of collegiality to all of us (just like Mr. Blanchet did today).
Briefly, Mr. Alain Therrien, a BQ MP had the courage to vote against a unanimous vote that our RCMP is systemically racist.
Mr. Jagmeet Singh, NDP Leader, called a BQ MP “racist” after the above motion
by his party failed to receive unanimous consent from the House of Commons.
It is nice to see another BQ member requesting his apologies and defending
her colleague.
However, Mr. Singh refused to apologize for the words directed at her colleague.
Interestingly too, the Speaker invited Mr. Singh to apologize to Mr. Therrien.
As he refused to do so, the Speaker ordered him to leave the House for the rest
of the day.
Here is the official position of the BQ:
“We are convinced that discrimination against indigenous communities and other cultural minorities is a major issue. However, we believe it is inappropriate to impose conclusions on a committee before it has studied it. We respect the parliamentary process”.
According to Mr. Singh, “anyonewho votes against a motion against systemic racism like the one his party proposed is a ‘racist’”:
Well, if this is his definition of racism, Bambi is racist then (but this was established a while ago in our small town, which has led to the creation of this blog actually). Mind you, her spouse has been called racist a while ago for citing Mr. Martin Luther King who said that he looks “to a day when people will be judged by the content of their character and not by the colour of their skin” ?.
Nowadays, we have to see the colour of skin of a person ONLY and not his/her merit. If we don’t, we are racist.
So, if this is racism for you Mr. Singh, Bambi is proud to be respectful to her Indigenous fellow Canadians whilst thinking it is premature, and perhaps unfair, to jump to a conclusion as dramatic as a police force that is systematically racist. Even, in Lebanon, this “black” and “white” thinking would not be logical to apply without investigations and facts.
Ms. May said the other day that she was treated nicely when she was arrested, during an illegal demonstration, because she is “white”. Bambi thinks that it would make more sense to think that it was perhaps the case because she is an MP AND she is a woman (Bambi will add a cute woman on top of that, because she likes her ?).
Our honourable Senator, Senator Lillian Dyck, asked the other day for the resignation (or firing) of the RMCP Commissioner, Ms. Brenda Lucki. Bambi agrees… perhaps not for the same reasons. Maybe because she did not have the courage to stand by her statement (too much politics and less administration of security forces). Clearly, regardless of her reasons, she does not seem to have the luxury of the courage of Ms. Jody Wilson-Raybould nor of Mr. Mark Sanders, the Toronto police Chief:
The timing of the CBC interview with Ms. Michaëlle Jean is amazing, at the eve of the vote of confidence for our government and the vote of the UN for a seat for our country. Is this a coincidence?
And why is she being that political?
Did Mr. Trudeau ask her to do so or did it really come
from the bottom of her heart?
Bambi has always liked and followed the incredible
fairy tale of a career of Ms. Michaëlle Jean with its highs and downs (i.e., saga
of over expenses on an apartment in Paris).
In 2005, when she was appointed Governor General by Queen Elizabeth II, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Paul Martin, Bambi (and her family) literally jubilated!
Today, she finds the statement of Ms. Michaëlle Jean
about systemic racism in Québec (and Mr. Legault’s denial of it), ungrateful,
disappointing, and contradictory, to say the least.
For her, only ten years ago, Canada was “a country of
possibilities”.
Today, it is one of “systemic racism”.
Does that make any sense? Either she was rather blind
before or perhaps too illuminated now.
Even her approach to anti-racism seems trendy and too
limited for such a smart and highly educated/inspiring lady (she speaks several
languages, including French, English, Haitian- Creole, Italian, and even
Portuguese if Bambi is not mistaken).
She is dividing her colleagues at Radio-Canada and fellow Québeckers (and by extension Canadians) into “white” and “black”. She wants us to believe that they called themselves “white” and her “black” in the late 1980s when she was first hired and we are supposed to believe her because she is saying so.
It would have perhaps made more sense to say “French-speaking”
versus “English-speaking”. In our Québec/Canadian context and language. No, she
prefers to use the language of the UN and the political elite instead. It may
be “sexier” nowadays…
When Ms. Michaëlle Jean was the leader of the Francophonie,
she chose an economy-focused strategy for this international organization. Why
didn’t she use her power then to combat “systemic racism” – or was it not a Liberal-UN
hot topic then?
According to Bambi’s non-expert citizen’s opinion, Mr. Legault is an excellent Prime Minister. For instance, he is pragmatic, logical, wise, courageous, and principled… Too bad he is not Canada’s PM ?.
He said that there is no consensus on a definition of the word “systemic”. When a journalist asked him about his own definition of racism, he explained that for him it is simply about a system (of racism).
He recognized that there is racism in Québec, even if most of the people are not racist (common sense for Bambi). He spoke about conditions that are not acceptable like high rates of unemployment in some communities (i.e., blacks). However, for him, there is no “systemic racism” in Québec.
When another journalist tried to link Bill 21 to systemic racism, he replied calmly “no it is not, that’s it, that’s all” (a Québec expression to say: this is what it is, period). Wisely, he even added “secularism is good for everyone, regardless of one’s skin colour or ethnic background“.
As a reminder, Bill 21 is often VERY wrongly/negatively featured in the English media. Same for Québec, historically (one must not forget).
Bill 21 is simply about the state’s secularism, namely that representatives of the government in positions of power will not be explicitly wearing any religious symbol when they are on duty (e.g., judges, crown prosecutors, teachers in the public sector, etc.). It is a choice that the population of Québec has clearly made when they elected their current government to power, with a majority (it was part of the platform of the CAQ party).
It is a moderate bill, compared to other countries with similar bills.
It is a bill that came after a decade of a public debate on “reasonable accommodations”. It is a bill that respects the history and values of Québeckers.
In other terms, it is simply a bill with a different
cultural approach to secularism.
For Bambi, this bill is like Bill 101 about the French language as Québec’s official language.
It is a bill made by Québec and meant for Québec.
Long life to Québec, to its civilization, and own values.
To conclude this post, here are some earlier posts of Bambi about Bill 21:
Despite any good intention, Bambi would like to kindly ask you Mr. Trudeau to please stop calling her a “racialized” Canadian deer, as per the article below and several others, citing you or your honourable ministers.
Please do not put her so-called “race” (she prefers the term “ethnolinguistic background) into what looks like a tribal category.
Without wanting to, this seems like a recipe for
dividing Canadians, not for uniting them.
For Bambi, this seems not only unwise but also insulting.
Please, rise above all this.
Please unite us together, today more than ever.
Without wanting it to for sure, your anti-racism language/efforts may sadly backfire on us all, as they may act as seeds for communitarism.
Bambi and all her community of deer are Canadians.
We are proud Canadians.
We do not want to be treated with neither pity nor holiness.
We want to be treated equally to ALL Canadians.
We are neither better nor worse than our fellow Canadian
citizens.
As immigrants, we want our kids (and/or young relatives) to have a sense of belongingness to their adoptive country or to the country that has adopted their parents.
We want them/us to have a sense of responsibility toward our society and country, in addition to our Canadian laws to protect our rights.
They are blessed to live in peace and in a quiet environment.
The lady in the picture is citing the Prophet Mohamed….
A holy Prophet (bless his name) but ironically, he comes from one of the most
racist parts of the world.
Plus, this article talks about “the black community”.
There is no single “black” community (and no single “white”
community neither).
How can you be from one single entity when you come from
different places and backgrounds?
The experiences of an Afro-American adolescent are not
like those of a Sudanese youth living in Ottawa or a newcomer to NB from Congo
or a francophone Maritimer from Paris who happens to have a black skin.
What do all these people cited above have in common? Really?
The only thing they have in common is to be New Brunswickers
all of them! Canadians!
Why don’t they focus on what unites them to make our
province and country a better place for all?
Why are they falling into the trap of putting barriers
between them and others instead of building bridges between them and others?
Bambi feels like telling these surely well-meaning young
people the following:
Like you, she has encountered a couple of “racist”
situations or folks throughout her 30 years in Canada. Who hasn’t?
Sometimes, we may perceive situations as being
negative when they are not.
Sometimes, we judge too fast. We do no wait for facts
or explanations.
We are 37 million Canadians. Isn’t it normal to have a few who would be truly racist or truly unwelcoming?
We are about 745, 000 New Brunswickers. Isn’t it normal to meet a few who may be unwelcoming?
However, this does not mean that our country is
racist.
NB is NOT racist.
Canada is NOT racist.
We do NOT have “systemic” racism or “systemic”
discrimination.
We just have “systemic naivety” because we are a young country and because we want to save the world.
Oh, one quick question to Mr. Husoni Raymond: Upon your graduation from St-Thomas University, you have been named the 2020 recipient of the Tom McCann Memorial Trophy for your “strong leadership and character, and who best portrays the spirit of St. Thomas through their contributions”.
If NB is as racist as you are claiming, would one of its prestigious universities be honouring you like that ??
To conclude this post, sorry but Bambi does not buy your claim, you and your peers… But, by the way, she will tell you: Congratulations on your award!
