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To mark the 150th birthday of Confederation, we asked local residents from a variety of backgrounds to share their wishes for the future of the capital or the country. Today: Tony D.
On Nov. 4, 2016, I sat at Halifax Harbour looking toward Pier 21, where my family entered Canada for the first time in December 1968. I was on tour with my band, MonkeyJunk, and earlier that November day, my father had passed away. I recalled in sentimentality our coming to this country. Experiencing winter for the first time and I remember going to school and seeing Black, White, European, Asian, Jewish, Christian and Muslim all in the same classroom. I knew that we were in a good place, a mosaic of diversity and tolerance.
This year, the 150th commemoration of Canada’s Confederation is something all Canadians will want to observe. However, there still sits an elephant in the room. This ideal of equality and tolerance is not the case for Canada’s Indigenous Peoples. Having toured this great land many times from coast to coast, I’ve seen the deplorable and irreparable conditions in which some of our aboriginals have to live; the effect of the theft of an entire culture’s identity through displacement from their communities, a loss of their traditional way of life, broken treaties, empty promises … our indifference. My hopes and aspirations for this country are to see our aboriginal people sit at the bargaining table with all government and have an equal voice in the shaping of our future so that, perhaps one day, a young child may look across the classroom and truly believe that Canada is the nation of diversity, tolerance and equality it boasts and promises for one and all.
— Tony D is the lead guitarist of the Juno award-winning band MonkeyJunk, and a recipient of the Order of Ottawa (2013)
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On Nov. 4, 2016, I sat at Halifax Harbour looking toward Pier 21, where my family entered Canada for the first time in December 1968. I was on tour with my band, MonkeyJunk, and earlier that November day, my father had passed away. I recalled in sentimentality our coming to this country. Experiencing winter for the first time and I remember going to school and seeing Black, White, European, Asian, Jewish, Christian and Muslim all in the same classroom. I knew that we were in a good place, a mosaic of diversity and tolerance.
This year, the 150th commemoration of Canada’s Confederation is something all Canadians will want to observe. However, there still sits an elephant in the room. This ideal of equality and tolerance is not the case for Canada’s Indigenous Peoples. Having toured this great land many times from coast to coast, I’ve seen the deplorable and irreparable conditions in which some of our aboriginals have to live; the effect of the theft of an entire culture’s identity through displacement from their communities, a loss of their traditional way of life, broken treaties, empty promises … our indifference. My hopes and aspirations for this country are to see our aboriginal people sit at the bargaining table with all government and have an equal voice in the shaping of our future so that, perhaps one day, a young child may look across the classroom and truly believe that Canada is the nation of diversity, tolerance and equality it boasts and promises for one and all.
— Tony D is the lead guitarist of the Juno award-winning band MonkeyJunk, and a recipient of the Order of Ottawa (2013)
Related
- Canada 150: Complete coverage
- A user's guide to Canada Day in the capital
- Canada Day 2017: Complete guide to road closures and transit information
- More Capital Wishlists
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