Author: Bambi

The Canadian federal government implemented virtual ceremonies for those whose ceremonies have been postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic.

Well, thanks to our government (and to technology in life ?), Ms. Diana Akilian, an inspiring entrepreneur (garage owner AND car dealer) residing in Amherst, Nova Scotia (NS), was among the happy new Canadians!

In addition to being a businesswoman and an alumnus who speaks several languages (e.g., English, Armenian, Arabic… and even Turkish), she is currently completing a Mount Allison University’s business degree in Sackville, New Brunswick.

Diana is a good friend of Bambi and her spouse. Like all her friends, especially those from the Lebanese diaspora of the Maritimes, they are thrilled for her!

Actually, Bambi’s spouse made plans to attend her ceremony, which was supposed to take place in Halifax (NS) on March 18, 2020. Thanks to his good friend, Mr. Internet, he can share Diana’s joy and pride.

 “Mabrouk” Diana (this means “Congrats”, “Félicitations” in Arabic).

“Մաբրուք”! Hoping the latter means the same in Armenian and not a bad word found online ?.

For Canadians who are immigrants (basically everyone at different times throughout history!), taking the oath is a VERY moving moment in an immigration journey.

When Bambi took her own oath of citizenship, the older text was as follows:

“I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.”

Yesterday, Diana recited the following text:

“I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.”

The Oath of Citizenship is usually recited at a citizenship ceremony. The latter is the final legal step to becoming a Canadian citizen:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2019/05/the-oath-of-citizenship.html

Each newcomer is unique.

Each story is different.

Each experience is uniquely lived.

Ms. Diana Akilian is also a uniquely talented citizen… now legally a Canadian citizen, enriching our economy and social fabric with her skills, great values, and personality. As she is humble despite her skills, she may be perhaps blushing now whilst reading Bambi’s words ?.

Now, taking the oath virtually is surely a NEW experience that Bambi has never imagined to hear about during her 30 years in Canada.

It is a virtual ceremony yet it is CONCRETE. It is legal. It is final… even if it is lacking family/friends’ physical (or virtual) presence and camera flashes.

To eternize this great moment, Bambi has asked her friend if she accepts to be interviewed for this post and to share pictures. Guess what? We are lucky because Ms. Diana Akilian generously accepted to share with us her feelings and experience just a few moments following her virtual oath ceremony.

In addition, Ms. Kate Walker from CTV News interviewed her and shared Ms. Diana Akilian’s happy story with all of us on TV this evening. Wow!

Here is a video link, followed by Diana’s own words, as answers to Bambi’s questions, and by pictures of this memorable day!  

Before we begin our interview, Bambi will say: Thank you both Diana and CTV news for enriching Bambi’s post. Bravo to Canada for moving forward with these ceremonies in the middle of this pandemic.

Bambi: Bravo Diana! How are you feeling now that you have finally officially become a Canadian citizen?

Diana: I don’t know where to begin with, but the feelings are too strong, in a good way. I feel like I’m dreaming and I’m physically numb, also in a good way. This is the happiest moment I have felt in a very long time.

Bambi: What can you tell us about your immigration journey leading to this great day?

Diana: There have been many exciting moments as well as rough moments from the day I landed in Canada to the day I became a Canadian citizen. It has been very rough for me, as a student coming to a new environment and culture. It has even been more difficult for me to get through this journey without the presence of my family.

When I first met people from the Maritimes, they were very welcoming, and that did comfort me. However, deep down I still felt sad and at times alone, because I lacked the presence of the physical support and love of my family.

You don’t have the option to choose where and when you want to be born, but I chose Canada to be my home and the day I became a citizen will be celebrated every year as “my birth date” because it is the date that I was newly born into this country.

Bambi: Do you have any particular message, or advice tip, to someone dreaming of immigrating to Canada?

Diana: First and for all, Canada is such an amazing and safe country. My advice for anyone who wishes to immigrate to Canada is to be strong and willing to survive through the rough times, because nothing comes in easy, you have to work hard to achieve any goal. In other words, you have to have the motive and the will toward anything you want to achieve. From my experience, it is definitely worth the hard work, because this country has a lot of good things to offer.

Bambi: How did you experience the virtual aspect of taking the oath (compared to physical ceremonies you have attended in the past when your friends became Canadian citizens)?

Diana: It was definitely not what I expected, I have been waiting for 12 years to walk up the stage and receive my citizenship physically. It was disappointing that the ceremony was cancelled just four days prior the date. But I believe that everything happens for a reason, and that reason is the following: I was able to share this beautiful and special moment with my family virtually as well with the world.

Becoming a citizen when you’re a minority is such a big deal, and having a physical ceremony is even a bigger deal because it is a moment where we all can gather together and celebrate it. But again, it is a new experience to have this type of ceremony virtually.

Bambi: Would you like to add anything else? Congratulations again!

Diana: I would like to thank every single person who helped me throughout my journey and who was a special part of me becoming a Canadian citizen. I want to thank you personally for giving me the opportunity to share my story.

Mr. Trudeau is right on this file, it is not his problem if his MP Mr. Marwan Tabbara is charged with criminal acts (what looks like domestic violence?).

It is neither our PM’s fault nor the Liberal Party of Canada’s fault if one MP has been criminally charged. It is something that Mr. Tabbara is responsible for.

Of course, when we are accused of anything, we may be truly guilty or not.

If he is truly guilty, what he seems to have done is BAD for sure and domestic violence is surely criminal.

If he is wrongly accused (sometimes it happens in life, even to those so-called criminals), this is not good but we may never know the truth.

Lately, there has been a story in the media of a truly racist Canadian woman at a Park in NY. Well, this woman is not just racist lacking any moral standards, she is also sexist. Men can be wrongly accused at times but this we rarely hear about it.

Mr. Tabbara seems to be of Lebanese origins like Bambi but she has never heard of him before in her life.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/marwan-tabbara-trudeau-arrest-1.5604757

Today, Bambi received the following tragicomic joke (see below). She laughed a lot, even if the situation is very sad. It is reassuring to see that the people of Lebanon still have their sense of humour.

Here is a translation of the joke: “Only in Lebanon… From Monday to Friday, a coronavirus lockdown, on Saturday civil war and on Sunday beach & Mishwee grills”.  

To begin with, although not explicitly mentioned in the joke, as a result of its financial/economic crisis, followed by the covid-19 pandemic, there is hyperinflation. Although the Lebanese Lira (or pound) is said to be pegged to American dollar at about 1,500, a US dollar is worth around 4,000 Lebanese Lira. Many people, among those who still have jobs, earn about US$200-250 per month. Can you imagine?!

The joke sadly refers to what happened last Saturday:

http://bambisafkar.ca/index.php/2020/06/06/a-sad-day-in-lebanonwhat-can-we-learn-from-it-in-canada/

To conclude this post on a lighter note, the joke also refers to the following pictures. Mmm, no need for words here!

The picture above was taken in Ottawa last Friday at an “anti-racist” demonstration in the middle of the covid-19 pandemic in which our PM has been talking to us daily from out of his residence.

One must recall that our Prime Minister and another opposition leader (NDP, if Bambi is not mistaken) considered that it is too risky to operate Parliament in the pandemic. However, the packed streets of Ottawa seemed OK now when Trudeau et al. wanted to signal their virtue.

When we read the mainstream media (funded by our government for a large extent) and we take a look at the picture above again, we cannot help not to be surprised at the contrast between this new narrative about Canada and the following message from her Majesty the Queen’s to us on January 1st, 2017 (just three years ago :)), taken from the Ottawa Citizen (https://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/trudeau-wishes-canadians-happy-new-year-queen-sends-message-to-welcoming-canada):

“I am delighted to offer all Canadians my best wishes and congratulations on the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Countries throughout the Commonwealth and, indeed, around the world, rejoice with you as you embark on this special year.

“Throughout the years, particularly since your Centennial year, I have watched Canada develop into a remarkable nation. You have earned a reputation as a welcoming, respectful and compassionate country.

“Fifty years ago, on the eve of the Centennial, I encouraged Canadians to continue to embody the values of equality, freedom and inclusion.”

End of the message of her Majesty the Queen.

After this form of public self-flagellation followed by some federal ministers sharing personal stories of “racism”, even within our institutions, one can wonder what Mr. Trudeau is up to, now that he has “politically used” the tragic death of Mr. George Floyd (in another country, one must say)? Bambi is asking this question, even if deep inside, he may be genuinely outraged like all of us? In other terms, what do they want us to swallow, as politics or ideas, besides the idea that we are systematically racist and unconsciously biased?

Once again, do our political leaders realize that they are creating “holy” or special groups or brigades of radicals. From an educational point of view, this is not a healthy way to approach “the values of equality, freedom, and inclusion“, to use our Queen’s own words.

On the contrary, this may backfire, one day. Indeed, from Bambi’s own experiences in another place that suffered from civil war, she can recognize the seeds that could turn into ingredients preceding dangerous times. Therefore, she is concerned that what is unfolding in front of our eyes may be a failed recipe where, without wanting to, we may encourage those who claim to be “oppressed” to become (more) radical. Some of the latter may consider that they are above any criticism or any rule of law. Some of these groups may push for extreme ideas that, even if they can appear appealing to some, they cannot be applied in real life (e.g., abolishing borders, police, prisons, governments, etc.). Some of these groups may be funded by organizations or folks who surely do not have our best interests at heart.

In life, extremists usually keep pushing and sometimes use “terrorizing” methods, if there is no common sense or no firmness pushing back, the end result can be ugly (an example that comes to mind easily would be the mindset and behaviour of Islamist groups that can take people, governments, or whole countries hostage).

If there is too much political correctness (and fear), this phenomenon can happen even faster. If no push back is happening, eventually we may see extremism [of opposite side(s)] occurring. Then, any push back would have to be even stronger. If both/all sides push back and forth strongly, we may easily become a large Lebanon… but at least in Lebanon there is true political and intellectual diversity. Perhaps this is what is allowing this tiny country in serious trouble to keep holding on?

Anyhow to come back to our beloved Canada, Bambi will conclude this post with one question: Is our approach to anti-racism still in the spirit of what our Queen referred to in her beautiful message cited above?

When our federal government invited Maritimers to welcome Syrian refugees. They immediately listened with such a beautiful welcoming preparation that took over a year around here in Sackville, NB, and in some nearby villages in NS. Arabic lessons were taught. People learned words that even Bambi did not know or forgot about ?. They were just amazing before welcoming our newcomers. So imagine after. Bless them!

Now, our government, media, and international organizations are telling them that they are systematically racist and unconsciously biased. Here they are walking in Yarmouth, Amherst, Truro (NS), in Charlottetown (PEI) and of course earlier in Moncton, Sackville, Fredericton, Saint John (NB), and St John’s (Newfoundland). You can see some pictures below.

Well for a bunch of racists, Canadians are just sweet!

Bambi just read the following tweet by her own sister, journalist/author Roula Douglas. She was deeply sad to read her beautiful yet highly disturbing comment about Lebanon. Why? Because Ms. Azar-Douglas is usually an optimistic person in life, like her…

Ms. Douglas’s quote literally means: “As far as I am concerned, I am not Sisyphus (or Sisyphos). And the Lebanon Phoenix, I do not believe in it anymore”.

In the Greek mythology, if Bambi recalls her lessons from high school well, Sisyphus was the king of Corinth (formerly Ephyra?). His punishment was to be forced to roll a huge boulder up a hill… then this boulder had to roll down every time it neared the top, repeating the action, over and over, that is for eternity.    

This being said, the Lebanese capital of Beirut has been destroyed and rebuilt seven times. In other terms, it has been rebuilt from the ashes seven times in its history. This is why it is associated with the phoenix bird in mythology.

Ms. Douglas’ comment refers to the sad day of riots and of street fights in Beirut and beyond, it seems (with stones, insults… and heavy gunfire).

This happened today in two nearby neighbourhoods of the capital where citizens used to get into fights, especially at the beginning of civil war in 1975. Seeing fights there today must have been emotionally tough on many, including Bambi’s family.

As per the title of the article below from Naharnet, Bambi learned that it was about a silly religious insult. Bambi wrote “silly”, with all due respect to all involved. Luckily both religious and political leaders called for the utmost restraint!

This occurred on a day that was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration (the revolt is back on the streets). As a reminder, this “thawra” or “intifada” (revolt in English) began on October 17, 2019 to denounce political corruption.

Today, there has also been riots (just like what happened in the United States and in Berlin, it seems). Yes, thugs sometimes infiltrate demonstrations to provoke chaos ☹.

In the United States, it was perhaps easier to uncover those who may have been behind the riots. Bambi heard sad stories of people whose shops were destroyed. She heard this on the Mount Lebanon in Los Angeles internet music radio she listens to whilst working.

The American federal administration took the needed action to help states or cities who suffered from the destruction. Of course, if their federation works like ours, those cities or states would have asked for the help from the federal government in order for the latter to send extra armed forces.

In Lebanon, things are more complicated and the risk of unrest, or even civil war, can be more imminent. Thank Goodness, the Lebanese Army managed to control the situation fast, at least for today… but until when?

This is why Bambi finds ideas like abolishing (or defunding?) police forces not only odd but also unrealistically dangerous:

We should reform and always aim to improve our police forces, for sure.

We can perhaps aim to improve screening whilst recruiting new members. We can assess interventions or tape them. We can use tasers sometimes, if it is better, etc.

Even if most of our police officers are amazing people who just want to protect citizens, some could perhaps have psychopathic traits, who knows? A bit like people with pedophile tendencies who get into scouts or churches in order to have access to kids precisely whilst being in a position of trust. Thus, in a context of a protected abuse.

Bambi is of course for reforms, as needed and for best practices, etc. However, Bambi is also for allowing our police officers to do their job and to be proud of their good job.

Yes, we need more education and prevention… but at the end of the day, we need police officers to stop criminals and to protect people, neighbourhoods, and populations.

Sadly, police blunder will always exist. Here, Bambi is not talking about the story of police lynching in Minneapolis. She is talking about mistakes that are bound to happen sometimes, despite the good intentions. Sadly, sometimes these mistakes result in the death of innocent citizens :(.

Whether we live in Lebanon, in Canada or anywhere else, the alternative to an absence of police would be chaos. Bambi prefers police forces to chaos, tribes, gangs, or militias. Today, she thanks the Lebanese army for having stopped those fighting on the streets.

Bambi is of course for the education and prevention of disruptive behaviours, criminality, and/or strife.

However, we cannot always prevent in life. Serious problems happen.

A sovereign country needs to have its security forces and tools to protect itself (an army, no illegal arms, demarcated borders with its neighbours, etc.). Sadly, Lebanon does not have this luxury because some entities, or neighbours, do not want to see it truly sovereign.

When there is no strong police or army, tribes or militias usually take over or fight each other.

No to violence. No to chaos. No to destroying people’s stores, as they did in downtown Beirut today and in many cities in the United States lately.

People are already going through rough economic times. People are also in the middle of a pandemic. They do not need to lose their shops or businesses.

To those external forces who may be trying to provoke unrest, or even a civil war, to push their agendas forward, Bambi wants to say: hands off Lebanon!

To those “protesters” and “counter-protesters” who have been insulted by whatever words about their holy symbols or holy persons (insults to the Prophet’s wife, as per the article below), Bambi feels like saying the following: No one likes to hear someone they like, or believe in, being verbally insulted, we get it. However, please learn to have a thick skin in life, for God’s sake… or rather for your country’s sake!   

 

First, here is Mr. Martineau’s thoughtful article published today in the Journal de Montréal:

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2020/06/06/quand-lantiracisme-est-raciste

Second, here is a quick translation:

“Here are the two brightest statements I have heard about racism.

Martin Luther King: “I dream of the day when children will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by their character. “

Morgan Freeman: “The best way to fight racism is to stop talking about it. I will not tell you that you are a white man, and I will ask you to stop saying that I am a black man. “

RACE EVERYWHERE

Before, when the virus of political correctness and identity politics had not yet infected people, and when universities encouraged debate instead of protecting “little rabbits” [this is how Mr. Martineau calls/teases the Millennials” in his texts] from “bad thoughts”, anti-racists dreamed of a world where race didn’t matter.

A white man was like a black man and a black man was like a white man.

Today, some anti-racists have elevated race to the rank of a supreme identity marker.

Not only do these activists see race everywhere, but they only see that.

Race, race, race.

For them, race explains everything. It is the be-all and end-all of our identity.

It determines whom we are.

Unlike Martin Luther King, they do not judge people by their character, actions or ideas, but by the colour of their skin.

There would be a black way of thinking. A black way of viewing the world. A black way to vote. A black way of loving [Bambi will allow herself to add her own voice to the text here: as if there was one single group of blacks and they all have to think the same].

It’s funny, that’s exactly what some racists think: that there is a black “essence” that distinguishes blacks from whites.

Unlike the anti-racists of my youth, these new anti-racists do not want to abolish the concept of race. They want to magnify it, celebrate it, sublimate it.

Make it essential. Expand it until it takes up all the space.

I vote for someone because she is black. I listen to another person’s records because he is black, etc.

A TRAITOR TO HER RACE?

This week, on the QUB radio show (called “We don’t have to agree”), Varda said that, for her, the idea that black people should encourage black-owned businesses does not seem like the best way to fight racism.

Result: she was harshly attacked by activists on social media.

As if she were a “traitor to her race”.

As if there was only one way to be black!

As if black people should all think the same, all vote on the same side, etc.!

I’m sure Morgan Freeman would shake his head with sadness when he will hear these anti-racists speak. He would find their speech absurd, ridiculous.

Because Freeman does not consider himself a “good black actor”. But a “good actor, period”.

A HUMAN

George Floyd was killed because he was black. When his killer looked at him, that’s what he saw. Not an individual, but a black.

Now, when we saw Floyd being murdered in the middle of the street, we saw a human being dying before our eyes.

That’s why we were so upset.

This is what separates us from racists.

We don’t see race.

They only see that.”

Mr. Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada (+ a couple of his peers, Federal Ministers who behave more like a Council of junior high school students sometimes), participated in an “anti-racist” demonstration in Ottawa this afternoon.

Here is just one of the many media articles about this story, in addition to Mr. Trudeau’s own official Tweeter account:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-anti-racism-parliament-hill-1.5600803

The picture above, which will surely soon tour the world, speaks volume about the self-righteousness of our political elites.

It is also sadly a prelude to the dark years ahead of us, both as a country and as a world full of radicalism and lack of substance.

Mr. Trudeau is just the symptom of where we are at in Canada today and in our world.

He was at a demonstration organized by radicalized (not just “racialized”) groups. With his presence and theatre, he is encouraging the radicalization of our youth ☹.

Once again, this is no longer about Mr. George Floyd, sadly ☹.

Some forces (unclear whom) have been politically using this tragic story of police lynching to weaken our neighbouring country, Bambi is afraid.

Mr. Trudeau with his theatre of silence, the other day, and posture today is shamelessly encouraging these forces.

At that demonstration, we can hear in the videos circulating in the mainstream media people chanting anti-American (i.e. precisely anti-Trump) slogans. He was there and his presence appeared to endorse.

When he knelt to the ground, was this genuine? Or just another political drama?

Does he realize the meaning of his words, silences, and postures?

Does he realize that whatever forces are trying to destabilize the United States to make it fall, Canada will fall with it (+ the Western world)?

We are doomed if he realizes it and does it on purpose.

We are doomed if he does not realize it.

Mr. Trudeau, during the railway crisis, Bambi posted that, even if she has voted for you the first time (and historically almost always for your party), she thinks that you are perhaps the worst PM of Canada. Well, today, you have proved her wrong.

You are not the worst.

You are rather the WORST.

Mr. Daniel Ouellette is sadly our first covid-19 death in the province.

May his family members find the courage to navigate their tough journey of loss and grief:

https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1971650

Mr. Ouellette was “a real joker, a handy man, a good dancer, and a go-to man”, as his son Michel said.

He also seems to have had a good taste in hockey: a fan of the Montreal Canadiens, as per the lovely screenshot picture above.

Bambi cannot help not to think of Henri, her friend Rita’s beloved uncle who lost his battle to covid-19 in Montreal in April (he was also in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease).

Bambi has dedicated a short dance video produced by the famous Caracalla Lebanese dance group during the lockdown to him, as a tribute from his country of birth. The latter also had a tough day with 50 new cases of covid-19 (after just a couple here and there), 42 cases in the same village infected by a repatriated expatriate who did not follow the health authorities’ instructions (quarantined herself for just 7 days only):

“No Matter What- Keep Your Soul Free With Caracalla Dance Theatre”

Today, if she may, Bambi would like to dedicate the following beautiful hockey moment to Mr. Ouellette. Bambi does not know if his favourite team had won this game. However, she recalls having enjoyed hearing Mme Ginette Reno singing our national anthem. Well, for you Mr. Ouellette, she will imagine that the Canadians had won following this nice singing moment!

May you rest in peace/“Que votre âme repose en paix”.

Bambi is reacting here to the following CBC article:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/sackville-anti-racism-rally-peaceful-1.5596842

Yesterday evening, she reacted to the same topic featured in the New Wark Times:

No, Canada is not systematically racist. It is rather becoming radicalized and collectively insane in front of our eyes

If this is Ms. Mohammad’s second visit to Sackville only, perhaps she should not be so self-righteous about our community?

Had she looked just across the street, she would have seen the delicious pizza place owned and managed by a Lebanese-Canadian family.

Around the corner, we have other delicious restaurants with ethnic food (South Korean, Italian, Japanese, Chinese a little bit further down, etc.).

Had she driven by the Bridge Street exist, she would have come across the business of a big entrepreneur in town also of Lebanese origins. This without mentioning the university’s, hospital’s, and schools’ own diversity.

As per the title of this post, everyone is busy earning a living or helping sustain the economy in pandemics. This even if everyone also and naturally wants our world to be free of violence, respectful, and welcoming to all.

Bambi does not know about others but she also hopes to keep seeing our community free of the coronavirus. Despite masks, are demonstrations across towns the wisest idea now?