Like many Canadians, I was swept up in the buzz around the CBC’s recent programming creation “The Seven Wonders of Canada”. I had some favourites that were excluded (the sleeping giant), I was intrigued by and agreed with some of the inclusions (the canoe), but mostly I appreciated hearing about the various nominations called in from all parts of this country.
As much as I am a fan of this great country and its history, I thought that a fitting companion would be another one called “The Seven Blunders of Canada”.
I doubt the CBC would run it, so I’ll start it here on a blog that most people have stopped reading. Of course there are all sorts of biases involved here, but this is my list. I’d love to see people trackback to me with their own lists. Here we go:
1. Komogata Maru link
Leaving a boat full of perfectly legally arriving immigrants off shore without allowing them to land is a pinnacle of cruelty and intolerance.
2. Residential schools link
We wouldn’t be the first country to attempt to remove culture/religion from natives, but taking first nations children from their homes, allowing health to deteriorate as it did, not informing parents when their children had died, and all the other stuff make this part of our history even more unbearable.
3. Chinese head tax link
Imagine applying a tax on certain immigrants and not on others. Profiting from racism has made many countries strong, unfortunately Canada is included in this group.
4. Internment of Japanese Canadians link
Canadian citizens had their land taken away and sent into camps, almost like what our enemy was doing.
5. Renaming things
Imagine being a First Nations Canadian whose ancestors lived off of a river for centuries, when an insignificant and disoriented white man named Mackenzie paddles up and asks for your help and food. Later you’ll learn that they have named the mighty river after that man.
6. Not buying Alaska
Seward bought Alaska for almost nothing and now the US owns a piece of land that really should belong to us.
7. Not adding Bobby Hull to the Summit Series team
Okay, this one is a little less serious, but no matter how great that team was and no matter how great the accomplishment was, they weren’t the best available team. The NHL/WHA squabble meant increased salaries, an uneven hockey fan base and messed up team dynamics. There were great players in the WHA, and Bobby Hull could have helped make that team stronger.