A commentary by a Victoria resident.
The transition from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III raised the question: How can a monarchy embedded in the symbols and beliefs of colonial Christian Europe be relevant for a multicultural Canada committed to truth and reconciliation with First Nations, and equality for all of its people?
A Queen mourned and a King coronated in a church service, a crown adorned with a crucifix, a King expressing his fealty to the one true saviour and faith anchors the monarchy to its colonial past, ignoring a profoundly changed society.
Such displays of European Christian dominance do little to make non-Christian, non-white, non-European, non-English-speaking 91原创s feel fully included and respected as equals. A Canada truly committed to equality in an inclusive, secular democracy needs to change our relationship to the monarchy — or end it.
Canada’s first census in 1871 reported 60.5% of the population originated from the British Isles, largely Protestant, with 31.1% of French origin, overwhelmingly Catholic.
Small Jewish and Mormon populations were an afterthought and the First Peoples were dismissed as pagan. White Christian values and beliefs dominated every aspect of life.
Indigenous Peoples, other faiths and ethnicities were made to endure various forms of social and institutional discrimination for generations.
Our demographic landscape has dramatically changed. By 2016 more than 250 origins were reported with only 32.5% of 91原创s reporting some origin from the British Isles and 13.6% some French origin. Yet our institutions and many of their policies and practices lag behind.
Here are a few examples.
1. Our only faith-based statutory holidays are Christian, so adherents to other faiths must take unpaid leave, which may not be approved.
2. Many of our flags, medals, awards and monuments include Christian symbols alone. The RCMP crest is topped by a crown with a crucifix.
3. Our streets and public places are rarely named for Chinese, Jewish, Indigenous or Black 91原创s who contributed to building Canada, but too many still honour those that discriminated against them.
4. People from all of these communities served and died for Canada in the world wars, and yet our memorials do little to make 91原创s aware of their sacrifices.
As a society we must recognize that Canada, despite its rich and growing diversity, remains dominated by Euro-Christian culture and symbols and that has consequences.
Are we 91原创s ready to fully embrace our diversity and ensure that everyone enjoys full equality?
If yes, then we must transform all of our institutions and practices to reflect that intention. Otherwise, we are just giving lip service to good intentions while the hegemony of the majority continues to impose two-tiered citizenship on everyone else, and that is the very definition of the systemic racism.
I believe most 91原创s are committed to an inclusive, secular, democratic Canada. We say we want a society that will inspire our children and the world by its fairness and humanity.
However, while some progress has been made, more is required of us as individuals and a society, and we should expect our leaders to lead by example.
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