Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Larry’s story – Born in US, became Canadian.
My Family Programmed Me for Canada
Pondering why I chose (and still choose) Canada, I realize that my decision
to come here (and to stay) has more to do with an identity my family programmed
into me. Over thirty years ago, I was a draft dodger who came to Canada,
thinking the decision was mine, even though Mother claimed it was her
idea. Remembering her and other important people from my past, I see links
between the Canadian decision and a variety of family influences, starting
well before I was born, traceable through sixty years of the lives of
parents and grandparents, with ancestral baggage handed down from Holland,
Native American Indian and England. There was: Grandma Falsom with her
traditions to live by; Grandma Verna, her religious principles and her
iron will; Dad, judging that some enemies needed to be killed (WWII) and
others not (Vietnam); Granddad Emmett, thinking that fighting can be fun
(he would have loved Hockey) and my mother Marcella, unflinchingly deciding
for herself, no matter what.
How different they were, but also, how similar. I remember the traits of stubbornness, will power, and independence that I absorbed from all of them. These same traits are very apparent among my Canadian neighbors. I see attitudes towards war and killing among Canadians very like those of my father (fight if you must) and my mother (negotiate, if at all possible). When Canadians choose to fight terrorism, but not Iraq, when we choose to decriminalize marijuana, when we choose to treat all of our cultural diversity as a source of pride rather than derision, when we choose to grant our gay brothers and sisters the same respect and rights as for our straight brothers and sisters, we demonstrate that same independence of thinking that Mother had, while most around her were boasting of moralistic and ideological rights and wrongs, do’s and don’t's, patriotism and loyalty.
I was just thinking about Vietnam again and the major influences on the generation my brother Dave, our cousins and myself. Although, we learned plenty about war during our fathers’ and uncles’ time, a few new wrinkles awaited us. Who influenced us? It would be nice to remember a quote from my mother who, as powerful mothers before her, influenced the characters of her men. Unfortunately, my mother’s sound bites were rare. As she was subtly influential, I can only remember certain significant THINGS SHE DID when I was growing up. At age ten, I got an air rifle and my first lesson about killing. Learning that killing is not a form of entertainment, even though I might have thought so, especially after listening to the hours of glorious after-dinner “hunting” tales. During those stories, Mother was silent, but she made one of her rare and memorable remarks the time I shot the wren. “When you killed the mother, you killed a whole family of birds.” My independence of thought, my attitudes about war and probably my whole world view, can be attributed to Mother. Her ability and will to ignore traditional/conventional wisdom was unique in the combined family. Marcella invariably questioned blind or habitual adherence to traditions and principles.
After college and the Peace Corps, I was still eligible for Vietnam and it was time to escape to Canada. That was a good move. Mother liked Canadians, judging them to be a fine collection of independent thinkers, declaring Canada to be chock full of people who disagree. Shortly after me, my brother Dave came, too. His stand on wars is different than mine. He does not approve of killing humans for any reason, although killing a turkey or a deer for the dinner table, another family tradition, is one of his favorite activities, explaining why he possesses that expert marksmanship of which the family has always been proud. But Dave returned to the U.S. when they gave amnesty to draft evaders, a decision he now regrets. Being another of Marcella’s children of independent mind, he said recently, “I’d like to retire in Canada.”
Wherever in Canada I have lived, there have been as many different opinions as neighbors. Canadians disagree about the Canadian identity and just about everything else. Supposedly, their politics is based on consensus, but that’s a myth. They don’t have the “consensus gene”. The Americans seem to have a “freedom gene”. They love freedom, spending about half of their time TALKING about it and the other half DEFENDING it. Canadians spend all of their time simply BEING free.
I once felt, or even needed to feel that the move to Canada was “my decision”, but my upbringing was a benevolent form of brainwashing. Whether they intended to or not, my family sent me here. Sorting through my programming, I see I was prepared for living in Canada, the best country on earth, inhabited by the most diverse, free, and argumentative folks alive. I remember well the feeling I had after but a few days in my new country. Gone was the anxiety of being among strangers who might take violent exception to something I said. I FIT RIGHT IN. In a land where all cultures, ethnicities and viewpoints are cherished, EVERYBODY FITS RIGHT IN. In a land of independent spirits, there are millions of unique and valued identities (31 million and counting). Looking for the mortar in our mosaic, the common identity that we doubt we have, we forget those invisible strands of diversity, tolerance and independence that bind us together ever so strongly. For the sons (and grandsons) of Marcella, choosing Canada is both natural and easy.
Melissa’s story – Canadian
I choose to live in Canada because it is a place where we can choose what
choices we have before us. The world is an open place full of new people
and places and adventure yet Canada is that same place. There is no one
yet who has visited each Province or discovered the hidden secrets each
province, place has to offer. I choose to live in Canada for the choices
I have yet to make.
Cecil’s
story- Canadian. Immigrated from Jamaica
I love this country and after 30 years here, you will not find a more patriotic Canadian than I am. I am writing a book, Our Canada, One Canada and have written the meaning of O Canada, excerpted below. We choose Canada because it offers us freedom, prosperity and the opportunity to learn and use the best parts of other cultures. Soon, we will have a culture built with the best of all other |
 |
cultures, such as English, French, Italian, Jamaican, East Asian, African, Spanish, Western and Eastern European and American (USA) . What a great, near-utopian place Canada will be in the 21st century. |
|
The meaning of O Canada
Our home and native land!
As immigrants, Jackie and I have called Canada home more than twenty-five
years. It is no less a home for us, and we are no less loyal to Canada
as any person born here. We believe that and support Canada over our native
land, Jamaica, where we were both born. We are nevertheless proud of our
Jamaican heritage and the valuable lessons learned from our parents, family
and friends whilst growing up in Jamaica. Having been born in Canada,
for Stefan and Terence, Canada is their native land, as it is for all
that was born here. For the four of us, Canada is “our home and
native land”, a home we are proud to help build into a better place.
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
Patriotism is the love for our country and is not the exclusive right
of those born in that country. Patriotism is not only defending the land
from invaders or fighting to protect the values we believe in, it is working
hard everyday to produce and contribute to the building of our land. Canada
commands patriotism from all its men and women who consider themselves
Canadians. “True patriot love in all thy sons command” means
we must all put Canada first. There is only one Canadian, the person that
puts Canada first.
With glowing hearts we see the rise
For the four of us, we are very proud to call Canada home, to be Canadians
and even more proud when Canada is recognized around the world for its
leadership, the breakthroughs in medicine, space, communications; its
support for peacekeeping and peace making; its victories in world class
sporting events. Every time the flag is raised in recognition of our accomplishments,
our hearts glow with pride, proud to be Canadians, proud to see Canada
rise.
The True North strong and free!
We believe that Canada will gain strength from its people, its technological
advances, and its social conscience to become strong, with a people that
are free to pursue their hearts’ desire. Located in the northern
hemispheres, with its harsh winters, Canadians must be strong and free
to live a full life.
From far and wide, O Canada, We stand on guard for thee.
With its huge landmass, and its people spread far and wide, all Canadians
must be vigilant in protecting the interest of Canada as a country and
Canadians as a people. That protection must include repulsion of external
forces that may harm Canada; protection from people who would want to
conquer us with their culture and belief system; protection from our own
people who would build protectionist walls around our borders; protection
from people who would incite hatred and bigotry; protection from people
who would divide us into rich and poor, haves and have-not's; people who
would deny us the basic necessities of life. Clear across Canada, we must
stand on guard against those would want to destroy Canada in favour of
short-tem material gain.
Over the centuries, we came “from far and wide”, the far reaches
of the Earth, to create Canada, to be Canadians and must continually “stand
on guard” to defend our land and our brothers and sisters.
God keep our land glorious and free!
It is the right of every Canadian to have their own belief system; whether
that is in a Christian God, an Allah, and a Mohammed, some other deity
or none at all. The action of our leaders will be guided by his beliefs,
whether he is devoutly religious, an agnostic or an atheist. A leader’s
beliefs system will always be paramount in his mind when deliberating
before making a decision. Those beliefs will influence his decisions and
he must be considerate of the multitude of belief out in the land. The
affairs of state cannot be separated from the religion. In my belief system,
all things live by the grace, and under the influence of God or the Devil.
Our belief in, and guidance from God will help us to keep our land “glorious
and free”.
Melody’s
story – Canadian who travels frequently and lived in England
Often, it is not until we're in another country that we realize what it
is that makes our country so special. I remember being in London, England,
on Canada Day. Over 4000 of us backed a small Canadian pub, "the
Maple Leaf", overtook the street in celebration of our day. And we
felt like we all knew each other. We took photos with others wearing "Saskatchewan
Roughriders" shirts. We held our mini Stanley Cup high in pride.
And we all stopped when someone started singing "O Canada" and
joined in to boast of our country. It still gives me goose bumps.
Having traveled abroad to Europe, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, made friends with others from South Africa, India, Japan, Denmark, Israel, Pakistan, and Samoa, I smile fondly when I think of Canada.
As a teacher, I enjoyed telling stories about Canada to the children in England. Their wide eyes reflected my enthusiasm as they listened to stories of wheat gum making, Saskatoon berry picking, tiresome tobogganing, and snow blinded squinting. They asked to hear again and again of how my grandparents learned to make butter in a jar, and how far my dad walked to school everyday. Their minds painted pictures of wheat fields as far as you can see, of hills covered in snow, of curling rinks and street hockey games. Everyday these children shared their country with me, and I shared my country with them. We shared what it was that makes us proud of where we come from.
Canada is a land that offered opportunity and fortune to my ancestors. Traveling from the Ukraine and Hungary, my great-grandmothers took the same boat to Canada. They traveled as young girls with sense of adventure to a new land. They worked harder than I ever will to make a life in a new place. They built a first generation Canadian family. A family that spoke with accents that still linger today. They built homes, cleared the land, endured a wind that blew dust for kilometers. Planted a garden to provide vegetables, raised chickens for eggs, and milked cows for that delicious fresh cream. They visited over the fence with their neighbours, even if it meant a two kilometer walk to the nearest fence. I wish I knew what it was that made them choose Canada. Did they see something similar to their own homeland? Did they feel welcome? Did they feel the "kindred spirit" of a land that offered friendship? As their lives unfolded, why did they choose Canada as their home? Did they have to recommit to that choice again and again?
After being abroad for two years, I chose to come back to Canada. When asked why I came home, my heart smiles inside. My spirit smiles knowing that it was time to do just that. To come home.
Iva’s
story - Canadian
We are 3rd generation Canadians--& proudly so! My husband & I
are both of British ancestry. Now both seniors, we have traveled extensively,
both work related as well as for pleasure and are always very happy to
return to our home in Winnipeg or our cottage in the beautiful Lake of
the Woods in Ontario. Yes, we choose to live in this wonderful country
as do our 4 children, their spouses & are soon-to-be 8 grandchildren.
Why?
- the gorgeous and varied landscapes across the country
- four distinctly different season. Who can be bored?
- Lots of sunshine and glorious clear skies, much of the time
- for the most part, cheerful, friendly folk
- freedom - to speak; to vote; to live as we choose, within the law; to
worship if or as we wish;
Hopefully, we will retain our recognition as a peace making country;
our decision to refrain from pursuing law suits excessively and to increase
our efforts on behalf of our concerns for our environment.
In 1940, my father, a talented surgeon, was compelled to join the RCAMC
to do his part in defending this Country that he loved. Unfortunately,
he was one who did not have the chance to return & is buried just
outside of London, England.
We also choose to travel and visit more extensively within Canada and
are most impressed with the new "treasures" that we have discovered
- east and west. How very fortunate we are to live in this free, beautiful,
geographically varied country.