Canadian Independence From An American’s Perspective
Things That Matter, By Dennis Rizzo
So the big weekend is here for Canada and The USA. We celebrate the foundation of Canada as a confederation and the announcement of the independence of the thirteen British colonies down south just a few days apart. As an ex-pat American adopting Canada it’s been interesting.
I watched TikTok videos of the re-enactment of the Battle of Bunker Hill this past weekend. (It’s actually, Breed’s Hill but, whatever.) The pride Americans feel in dissing the Royal forces is palpable. The determination of the Royal forces to sustain the monarchy’s hold on the resources of the continent is equally palpable. After the fact, they all shared a cold brew, probably Sam Adams beer, like things were before – well, you know, before recent events.
I used to take part in those re-enactments; forty and fifty year old history addicts making popping sounds and huzzahing. It was fun, and we did educate some youth about history in the process. Likewise, when portraying the characters from the War of 1812, we were in a position to bring events to life, demonstrate rancid rations, and educate the public (all while popping those muskets for fun).
But history holds hidden truths that need to be part and parcel of our modern celebration and remembrance. First, the difference in styles.
Confederation: a voluntary alliance of sovereign, independent states established to manage matters of common concern. It is a formal assemblage of random provincial communities under the umbrella of a federal management system to keep the various partners from killing each other. Oh, and to share the wealth. Maybe, if we feel like it, Canada is one example as is the EU.
Unitary: the central government holds most of the power. A unitary state still has local and regional governmental offices, but these are under the direct control or authority of a central government. Like it or not, the central government dictates, much like a monarch but without the gold carriages and heads on spikes at the town gate. Great Britain is an example.
Federalist: is a sharing of power between the central government and a state, provincial, or local governing bodies. The United States is an example of a federal republic. Specific powers are granted to the national government while retaining other powers for the states. And there is the constant push and pull of who told what to whom, which means it can degenerate into something akin to a kindergarten recess catastrophe.
We’ll leave despotic empires and theocracies to another tome.
In all of those three, the member states willingly bow to the central government in various ways. Whether you curtsy to the King, or salute the president, you’re acknowledging the overall authority of the leadership. Of course, when the populace is seriously stressed and dissatisfied, you have those pesky revolutions unless you build in compromise.
Fourth of July in my home country is a really big deal. Not because it celebrates the decision of some irritated landowners to defy the sovereign king, or because it redirects the conscience of an entire nation toward the principles on which it was founded. Mostly, it’s a big deal because it signals the onset of summer vacations and tourist season. Yay! Hot dogs, hamburgers, grilling, and chilling. Isn’t it great to be an American?
Canada Day is somewhat different and yet similar. To begin with, firework shows are smaller. I guess it’s a factor of the population. I mean, you can’t really sustain a show the size of the one in New York City in a town the size of North Bay or even Orillia. It just wouldn’t fly. And we don’t use this as a harbinger of summer vacations – that’s Victoria Day’s purpose. Oh, Cottage Land (sung to the tune of Oh, Canada.)
But each of these governments has hidden flaws we don’t like to see. Canada has the unsettling fact, when settling, the newcomers pushed the Native peoples off their traditional lands. Oh, they got treaty land in return – usually land with no redeeming value until critical minerals were discovered on it. Now the settlers want it back.
Despite Canada becoming semi-independent in 1867, the reserve and residential school systems were simply a furtherance of the British Empire approach to colonial governance. But we do have that pesky Charter of Rights, into which somehow the Indigenous, Metis, and Inuit populations managed to get themselves inserted. We need to remember the one and celebrate the other.
In 1787 the USA gave freedom to all – except those in chattel bondage, new immigrants, Natives, sharecroppers, Black people, and women. It was an act of political expediency that allowed the place to remain half free and half slave. The slavery compromise meant those persons owned as property were counted at 3/5 the value of a full citizen for purposes of establishing representation of a member state in congress. Each state remained independent until the end of the civil war. I’ve always found it interesting that before the US Civil War official documents stated the United States ARE and after it the United States IS. Ah, semantics.
Is Canada on its way to a similar determination? Are we to be compromised into a union randomly usurping the sovereign rights of the provinces? (Quebec, ferme ta bouche.) Is a province going to secede in a dispute over its ownership of minerals and production? (Danielle Smith, gaawesaa .) Treaty rights and culture-driven indignation have a larger role to play here than they would in the USA.
But we celebrate Canada Day anyway. Why? Because we celebrate what we hope our country to be. It’s almost like Americans celebrate July 4th because it represents what they hope their country represents.
HOPE: The sense that we will see change and improvement and achieve our common goals; further on down the road we will see the realization of our ideals. We just need to keep on keepin’ on and pushing and demanding and working on compromise (or not compromising). We need to accept the house was built of straw, but join together forthwith to build one of brick.
Looking into the mirror is often sobering, whether we see it’s a nose hair or the inequality of policies. If we bemoan having a nose hair, it will still be there tomorrow. But if we find a nose hair and remove it, we make progress.
If we, as a nation, look into the mirror on Canada Day and see the inconsistencies in policy and then ardently work to remove those, we have lived up to the expectations of the Confederation. If we look into the mirror and see the good deeds we have done for ourselves and the world, we have lived up to the expectations of the Confederation. If we look into the mirror and see the role we have to play to make the world better for our children and grandchildren … well, you get the drift.
Happy Canada Day!
(Images Supplied)
Dennis Rizzo joins SUNonline/Orillia as a columnist writing on big issues affecting ordinary Orillians. He is an ex-pat Yank from New Jersey. Orillia, Ontario. Canada is his adopted home, but he has brought along a degree of puckishness and hubris. Dennis spent more than 30 years working in the field of disabilities, with some side trips to marketing and management. He presented and keynoted for many conferences and served on a President’s advisory committee. Dennis is the author of several journal articles and booklets in the field of disabilities and work and five non-fiction books, including “A Brief History of Orillia – Ontario’s Sunshine City.” He recently republished a novel set in 1776 and a mystery set in 1860. He also enjoys sitting in on music sessions around town when he can.
