A Reflection of Canada at Easter 2014
Yesterday in Alberta, Canada, my wife Juliet and I spent a few hours enjoying the sights and sounds of the Easter weekend crowd at the West Edmonton Mall.
This mall, once the largest mall in the world, was brimming with children laughing, kids screaming on roller coaster rides, people chatting while shopping and window shopping, and elders quietly whispering as they strolled slowly along.
While I enjoyed the sounds, I was enthralled by the mosaic created by the faces of the people.
Canada truly is a multi-cultural country.
The faces of the people reflected the many races and cultures of the world that have come together to form the diversity that is Canada.
Also reflected was their hopes for a new start, for new opportunities for themselves and their families and for the dream that is Canada.
Yes, we, the people of the two founding cultures will always be proud of our role in the building of this great nation.
However, we now embrace peoples of many cultures that enrich our nation with their contributions every day.
Love and respect for rights of all people is both our written and unwritten creed.
Except for a few radicals, our new Canadians respect and uphold the rights we cherish in Canada.
The radicals, however, bring with them all their cultural biases, their disrespect for the rights of women, the little value they put on human life and the tribal conflicts that have made life in their home countries intolerable.
These few continue to wallow in their petty hatreds and lose the opportunity to enjoy the real essence of Canada.
For the sake of contrast, let us look at what is happening in Ukraine today! Although they tout their country as being democratic, the people of Ukraine chose not to wait for the next election when they felt their government was taking their country in the wrong direction.
Instead they chose revolution.
And regardless what you might think of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, he was forced from office in a coup.
The Ukrainian people may have been well-meaning, but the result has been the opening of Pandora's Box.
The Ukrainian Pandora's Box contained all the old biases, cultural differences, ethnic hatreds and anti-Semitism that has festered just under the surface for years.
Knowing that he could capitalize on the ethnic distrust among the Ukrainian people, Putin used the opportunity to get control of Crimea.
Despite the fact he was the architect, it would not have happened if the people of Russian ethnicity had not voted to separate.
This is in contrast with the Quebec people who just gave a resounding no to separation from Canada.
Some time ago I wrote that democracy is a condition of the heart.
As long as the hearts of the Ukrainian people, like the people in many other of the world's trouble spots, are guided by suspicion and old hatreds, they will never rise above the turmoil they are presently experiencing.
A call for respect for the rights of all their people must be their chant.
Things will never change as long as their mantra remains, "I hate you because of what your great-great -grandfather did to my great-great-grandfather.
" Seems silly doesn't it? But you would be surprised by how much this fuels the present conflict.
The most troubling thing out of Pandora's Box is what appears to be a rise in anti-Semitism.
According to reports, Jews are being asked to register or they will lose citizenship, property and risk expulsion from the country.
This raises the specter of the tactics of Nazi Germany.
Just imagine being a holocaust survivor and receiving this kind of notice.
Remember this is happening in parts of Ukraine in 2014 while we are being asked to help! Is this your idea of democracy? Should this be the actions of a people who are trying to convince the world they have a genuine desire for freedom of self-determination and that the principles of democracy are in their hearts? I think not! So my fellow Canadians, as I reflect this Easter weekend, I realize we have so much to be thankful for in this great country of Canada.
Yes, compared to many people of this world, we are fortunate to have an abundance of wealth and opportunities.
But of more importance I believe we have an ideal of fairness, tolerance and respect for the rights of all people regardless of race, gender or creed.
That is the essence of our country, Canada-people putting aside their differences and working together to realize the dreams and aspirations of themselves and their children! So, on this blessed Easter season, I am proud to say 'In Canada democracy really is a condition of the heart.
'
This mall, once the largest mall in the world, was brimming with children laughing, kids screaming on roller coaster rides, people chatting while shopping and window shopping, and elders quietly whispering as they strolled slowly along.
While I enjoyed the sounds, I was enthralled by the mosaic created by the faces of the people.
Canada truly is a multi-cultural country.
The faces of the people reflected the many races and cultures of the world that have come together to form the diversity that is Canada.
Also reflected was their hopes for a new start, for new opportunities for themselves and their families and for the dream that is Canada.
Yes, we, the people of the two founding cultures will always be proud of our role in the building of this great nation.
However, we now embrace peoples of many cultures that enrich our nation with their contributions every day.
Love and respect for rights of all people is both our written and unwritten creed.
Except for a few radicals, our new Canadians respect and uphold the rights we cherish in Canada.
The radicals, however, bring with them all their cultural biases, their disrespect for the rights of women, the little value they put on human life and the tribal conflicts that have made life in their home countries intolerable.
These few continue to wallow in their petty hatreds and lose the opportunity to enjoy the real essence of Canada.
For the sake of contrast, let us look at what is happening in Ukraine today! Although they tout their country as being democratic, the people of Ukraine chose not to wait for the next election when they felt their government was taking their country in the wrong direction.
Instead they chose revolution.
And regardless what you might think of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, he was forced from office in a coup.
The Ukrainian people may have been well-meaning, but the result has been the opening of Pandora's Box.
The Ukrainian Pandora's Box contained all the old biases, cultural differences, ethnic hatreds and anti-Semitism that has festered just under the surface for years.
Knowing that he could capitalize on the ethnic distrust among the Ukrainian people, Putin used the opportunity to get control of Crimea.
Despite the fact he was the architect, it would not have happened if the people of Russian ethnicity had not voted to separate.
This is in contrast with the Quebec people who just gave a resounding no to separation from Canada.
Some time ago I wrote that democracy is a condition of the heart.
As long as the hearts of the Ukrainian people, like the people in many other of the world's trouble spots, are guided by suspicion and old hatreds, they will never rise above the turmoil they are presently experiencing.
A call for respect for the rights of all their people must be their chant.
Things will never change as long as their mantra remains, "I hate you because of what your great-great -grandfather did to my great-great-grandfather.
" Seems silly doesn't it? But you would be surprised by how much this fuels the present conflict.
The most troubling thing out of Pandora's Box is what appears to be a rise in anti-Semitism.
According to reports, Jews are being asked to register or they will lose citizenship, property and risk expulsion from the country.
This raises the specter of the tactics of Nazi Germany.
Just imagine being a holocaust survivor and receiving this kind of notice.
Remember this is happening in parts of Ukraine in 2014 while we are being asked to help! Is this your idea of democracy? Should this be the actions of a people who are trying to convince the world they have a genuine desire for freedom of self-determination and that the principles of democracy are in their hearts? I think not! So my fellow Canadians, as I reflect this Easter weekend, I realize we have so much to be thankful for in this great country of Canada.
Yes, compared to many people of this world, we are fortunate to have an abundance of wealth and opportunities.
But of more importance I believe we have an ideal of fairness, tolerance and respect for the rights of all people regardless of race, gender or creed.
That is the essence of our country, Canada-people putting aside their differences and working together to realize the dreams and aspirations of themselves and their children! So, on this blessed Easter season, I am proud to say 'In Canada democracy really is a condition of the heart.
'
