Main Artifact: Truth and Reconciliation Commision - Calls to Action - This is the most significant artifact for my memory box. This artifact represents Canada’s shameful past, but more importantly it provides evidence of the ability for the country to reconcile its past and move forward. The calls to Action include: Child Welfare, Healthcare, Education, Culture & Language as ways to help indigenous people who suffered and lost their identities in the Residential Schools across Canada.
“Canada’s Hall of Fame” 1914-1929: The Battle of Vimy Ridge April 9-12, 1917 (Canada’s greatest victory during WW1) 1929-1945: Person’s Case in 1929 -Women won the right to recognized as “persons” The famous five are Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby. The famous five contested the meaning what the definition of a person was 1945 – 1982: Expo 67 was held in Montreal, drawing people from all over the world. Canada was on stage 1982-Present: The Truth and Reconciliation Commision presents 94 Calls to Action which include Health, Child Welfare, Language and Culture, Education etc.
Artifact #1 “The Battle of Vimy Ridge, during the First World War, is Canada's most celebrated military victory — an often mythologized symbol of the birth of Canadian national pride and awareness. The four divisions of the Canadian Corps, fighting together for the first time, attacked the ridge from 9 to 12 April, 1917 and captured it from the German army” (The Canadian Encyclopedia). The brave men fought together and sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/vimy-ridge/
Artifact #2 The Persons Case 1929 The famous five are Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby. The famous five contested the meaning what the definition of a person was. On October 18, 1929, it was decided that women could sit in the Canadian Senate. By winning, women were then recognized as a “person”. Emily Murphy never received the chance to sit in Senate, but one year later the first woman, Cairine Reay Wilson, was appointed to Senate. Nearly 80 years later, all five women were posthumously voted honorary senators. The importance of this case had a lasting impact on the rights of women in Canada. Today, we enjoy freedoms because of the brave women like the famous five.
Artifact #3 Expo 67 - Montreal, Canada Expo 67 was held from April 27 to October 29, 1967, in Montreal, Canada. It included 62 nations that participated and was considered the most successful World’s Fair of the 20th century up to and including that date. It put Canada on stage for the world to see and in doing so, drew attendees from around the globe. It is an important artifact because it showed that Canada could successfully host a world class event that boosted the economy and tourism alike.
Artifact #4 The Truth and Reconciliation Commision Calls to Action In order to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission makes the following calls to action: Legacy: Child Welfare - Education - Health - language and Culture - Justice This document is so valuable to Canada because it not only points to the problems that took place with residential schools, it also reconciles the issues leaving a legacy of important calls to action. The 94 calls to action are too many to list but you can find them at this link I have included. ww.cbc.ca/news/politics/truth-and-reconciliation-94-calls-to-action-1.3362258
Canada’s Hall of Shame 1914 – 1929: Komagata Maru incident – highlighted discrepancies in Canadian immigration laws. 1929 – 1945: Not permitting Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany to find sanctuary in Canada -many returned to Europe and perished in concentration camps during the Holocaust 1945 – 1982: Residential Schools and the legacy of horror and abuse they left behind 1982-Present: Too many people are homeless/struggle to make ends meet, post-secondary education costs too much – students have a hard time getting out of debt
Artifact #5 Komagata Maru Incident The Komagata Maru was a coal ship that was converted into a passenger ship by Hong Kong business-man, Gurdit Singh. The ship set off from Hong Kong in April 1914 with 376 passengers on board, most of them Sikh like Gurdit. The ship sailed into Vancouver harbour a month later and after a two month standoff it was sent back to India. Some of the passengers were killed upon returning to India. The policies set in place were there to slow the flow of indian immigrants as white European or American immigrants were preferred. This is a dark shadow in Canadian history as it once again points to xenophobia and racism in Canada’s past.
Artifact #6 Refusal to Allow Jewish Refugees into Canada The tale of the ship, the St. Louis, that sailed from Germany with 907 Jewish refugees seeking asylum from Nazi rule gives a portrayal of Canada’s shameful past. The ship was supposed to sail to Cuba, but due to unforeseen problems in Cuba, they ended up sailing along the Caribbean and then to towards the United States where US ports closed their doors to them. Canada also refused to allow them entry and they eventually sailed back to Europe. Some were sent to Great Britain and other to countries around Europe. In the end, over 200 refugees perished in concentration camps during the Holocaust.
Artifact #7 Residential Schools Residential Schools were established by the Canadian government and Christian churches to convert indigenous children and integrate them into Canadian society. The last residential school closed in 1996 and since then, former students have pushed to have restitution and recognition for their suffering. Many children lost their names and identities. Children were isolated from their family and even siblings that were at the same school. Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse have all been associated with the schools. Food was scarce and clothing was considered shabby and not appropriate to protect against the winter elements of the harsh Canadian winter.
Artifact #8 Canada’s High Student Debt http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/average-student-debt-difficult-to-pay-off-delays-life-milestones-1.2534974 The average student debt in canada is $26,819.00 - that is way too high for students that are coming out of school. Many of these students don’t have a job secured and yet the debt is required to start being paid back within six months of completing school. Students are up against some pretty big challenges. Canada should look into free education.
Artifact #8 -Canada’s Poverty https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/2012/12/06/the_solution_to_homelessness_is_in_our_hands.html Canada has a large homeless population within its borders. It is estimated that at least 150,000 Canadians a year use a homeless shelter at some point. Canada also has a hidden homeless population of approximately 50,000. This population is considered the “hidden homeless” as they stay with friends, sleep in a car or stay somewhere else because they have nowhere else to go. Canada needs to address the homeless issue and create policy changes that will help make homelessness a problem of of the past.
Works Cited 2016. "A history of residential schools in Canada." A history of residential schools in Canada. CBC News, March 21. Aleksandra Sagan. 2014. "Average student debt difficult to pay off, delays life milestones." Brittany Verge graduated in 2008 with Canada's average student debt load—and has paid off $2K. Toronto: CBC News, March 11. BUREAU, AARON BESWICK TRURO. 2015. Canada turned away Jewish refugees. November 17. http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1174272-canada-turned-away-jewish-refugees. Desmond Morton, Hiram Mills. n.d. Significance of Vimy Ridge. Accessed January 25, 2018. https://www.vimyfoundation.ca/significance-of-vimy-ridge/. n.d. Expo 67. Accessed January 26, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_67. 2015. "Homeless survey gets underway in Winnipeg." About 300 volunteers counting city's homeless in shelters, transitional housing, on the streets. Winnipeg: CBC News, October 25. 2011. "homelessness." Toronto: Targeted Individuals Canada, April 1. Levitz, Stephanie. 2017. Canada to apologize for refusing entry to Jewish refugees fleeing Holocaust in 1939. September 27. Accessed January 25, 2018. https://globalnews.ca/news/3772323/canada-apology-jewish-refugees-holocaust/. National Online Journalist, Politics Global News. 2016. What was the Komagata Maru incident and why does it matter? May 18. Accessed January 26, 2018. https://globalnews.ca/news/2708235/what-was-the-komagata-maru-incident. n.d. Residential Schools. Accessed January 26, 2018. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/residential-schools/. n.d. The Famous Five (Canada). Accessed January 26, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Famous_Five_(Canada).