Casting Back

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest-- Confucius

My son, who is a musician and I had a conversation about discrimination the other day, which arose when two of the other older musicians who participates in the open mike program that my son goes to started to talk about their experiences when they first came to Canada in the mid-1950's.The two people, a man, and a woman talked about how they were made fun of, because of their accents, when they arrived at school. The intolerance continued for both until they graduated in the mid 60's. 

In the conversation my son, talked about his time at school in the mid 80's and said that he did not notice any discrimination or racism in his school. I said  I was sure it was there, but it may have been hidden. I also said that I believe that by the 80's Canada was a more tolerant and open society than it was in the sixties, fifties, forties or thirties.

Both my grandparents on my mothers and fathers side were immigrants to Canada, my grandfather on my mother's side was born in Romania and came to Canada when he was 14. My grandmother on my mother's side was also born in Romania and came to Canada via the States when she was 5 or 6.  My father's parents were both born in the United States. My grandparents on my mum's side, settled in a small prairie town which others from their country and the small farming community did well, without a lot of contact with mainstream Canada. My grandparents on my mum's side became wheat farmers on land they were given when they came to Canada in the early 1900's. My grandparents on my dad's side came to Canada in the 20's and settled in another small prairie town just north of the American border and they became tenant wheat farmers.

I remember my mum's cousins having slight accents but did not think too much of this as a family is a family and I was, like many of us, raised to accept family and other people for what they did not who they were, or how they looked or talked.

 A few years ago I learned that when my mother went to high school in Regina from her hometown, she was made fun of by the other students, because of her heavy accent. So she made up her mind to lose the accent and to not speak Romanian or Russian, again outside of her home. When we were growing up and elder aunts and uncles came over, everyone spoke English. I was not aware it was because of my mum's rule that in her home you only spoke English.

So the discrimination that my mum felt when she left the small community of like-minded speakers, and the discriminations that the immigrants to Canada felt in the 50's existed into the 60's. In the 60's Pierre Elliott Trudeau, started to help Canadians reflect on the fact we were a multicultural nation and we should embrace this idea. His policies on multiculturalism changed the very face of Canada and created a country whose peoples are internationally recognised for their understanding and acceptance of peoples from other countries and cultures. I am glad that my son grew up understanding and accepting people for what they do rather than the colour of their skin or their accent. My hope is that we do not move back to this type of fear as we move into unsettling times.

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