Changing Canadian Mood, Very Troubling
“Canada
will not forget the less fortunate countries and the people who really
suffer – people that we left behind us, either from Africa, from Asia or
from Europe. Remember they exist.” – Thomas Saras
By
William Doyle-Marshall
Canada
Day marked the 145th anniversary of the formation of the
Dominion. But to many it was a chance to amplify their concerns about the
changing attitudes and ponder about what kind of future is in store for
Canadians. At the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada’s
celebration, they were urged to continue to ensure the message they spread
to readers, viewers and listeners are always accurate,
current and relevant.
Jim Karygiannis, MP for Scarborough Agincourt is troubled by what
he termed the disappearance of true Canadian values that brought many to
this country. “The values that drew us here are unfortunately not there
anymore,” Karygiannis declared.. “There
is a lot of people that are dictators in this world and the Arab Spring
taught us one thing: we got to change the channel, got to tune (dictators)
them out; we got to make sure they are not there anymore,”Karygiannis
continued..
“It is up to all of us to maintain the principles of the Canada
that he immigrated to. Give me the Canada that my father came over to.
Give me the Canada that we knew then (when I was 12 years old) and give me
the Canada that our kids will have tomorrow.
Give me the Canada that is truly ours – everybody at the
negotiating table; everybody at the decision making table and absolutely
nobody left behind. Give me the Canada that is represented in this room to
be represented in the House of Commons. Give me the Canada that is
represented in this room to b e in all the political parties and give me
the Canada that tomorrow is going to stand up and speak to the people that
are dictators and speak to the people that don’t believe in human rights
and speak to the people that think it’s okay; they are Christians or
Muslims depending on what country they are or they are a different sector
of Islam and we are going to persecute them – the Canada that speaks out
and give me the Canada that says we are going to enhance, we are going to
make sure that freedom of the press belongs to everybody.”
Armand
La Barge, retired Chief of the York Regional Police Service reflected on
what happened 145 years ago when Canada attained its independence and
concluded that adults and children alike, are all very lucky to be in
Canada today.
Addressing members and their guests the former top cop for York
Region recalled the mood nationally when this country became an
independent dominion. “It was a dazzling sunny day unlike July 1st
2012 and there was a reverberation of brass bands in all of the towns and
cities across what was then Canada and in Toronto children were given the
Union Jack to wave and they actually roasted an ox in front of St.
Lawrence Hall and they distributed it to the poor,” La Barge reflected.
In Ottawa, he reported, there was a military review on Parliament
Hill and they fired a salute; only when they fired the salute, the
soldiers forgot to take the ram rods out of the rifles and the iron rods
arched over Spark Street. The Prime Minister who was the new prime
minister of this new dominion and his wife wrote in their diary that the
new dominion came in noisily into existence on the first and the daily
newspapers looked hot and tired with the weight of announcements and
cabinet lists.
As La Barge complimented the National Ethnic Press and Media
Council for the tremendous work its members are doing for more than a
quarter of a century by encouraging ethnic communities to achieve
excellence and helping them participate fully in Canadian society, he
reminded them this is a much different Canada today than 145 years ago.
NEPMCC President Thomas Saras acknowledged that Canada Day is
special as council members were celebrating their new lives and all the
good things they were fortunate to meet upon arrival in this country.
Saras called on his media colleagues to remember that beyond the
paradise where they live, beyond their borders there is a lot of misery.
“People are dying daily. Some cannot find food their children and others
don’t have medicine,” Saras stressed.
As soldiers of the social status, Saras counseled, always remember there are some MP’s and MPP’s today who should be encouraged to always, as representatives of the people, make sure that Canada will not forget the less fortunate countries and the people who really suffer – people that we left behind us, either from Africa, from Asia or from Europe. Remember
