What Every Canadian Needs to Read

I was flummoxed by an e-mail I received this morning. The statement at the top informed me that the message within was so important that every Canadian with a computer needed to read it. (Canadians who don't own computers aren't in need of this information apparently.)

"Now what," I said to myself, "does every Canadian need to read??

Well, here are a few of the things this Canadian would like to read:

1. I would like to read that the first women physicians graduated from medical school in Afghanistan because Canadian troops were there to ensure their safe education.

2. I would like to read that Terry Fox's mother announced that a cure for cancer had been found.

3. I would like to read that the Leafs won the Stanley Cup.

4. I would like to read that someone finally found the identity of the Mad Trapper of Rat River.

5. I would like to read that the Yukon became a province. (Actually I'd like to be there when it happens.)

6. I would like to read that Clifford Olson passed away in his sleep and was no longer an evil presence in our land.

7. Ditto Paul Bernardo.

8. I would like to read that the HST has been cancelled.

9. Since I've never met a First Nations person who attended a Residential School and could talk about it , I would like to read that they had the courage to speak out, that we listened/learned and that we all moved on together.

10. Finally I would like to read that people with hidden agendas had quit writing idiotic e-mails.


For your edification here is the latest subtle effort to increase bigotry and hatred against visible minorities in Canada. This is what arrived on my computer screen this morning:

This one needs to circulate. I think this is one email that needs to be forwarded until every Canadian with a computer receives it.

The year is 1907, one hundred and 3+ years ago

Sir Wilfrid Laurier's ideas on Immigrants and being a Canadian in 1907.

'In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes a Canadian and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet a Canadian, and nothing but a Canadian...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is a Canadian, but something else also, isn't a Canadian at all. We have room for but one flag, the Canadian flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language.. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the Canadian people.'

Sir Wilfrid Laurier 1907

Every Canadian citizen needs to read this!


I'll say we do. In my opinion this message from the first French Canadian Prime Minister - toadying to the English Canada of his time, has no relevance to the reality of our multi-cultural nation of 2010.