Although, at times,
I have speculated the possibly of western separation, whether it be just
Alberta, or any of the western provinces, it is only because I allow myself the
time to explore all the aspects of any issue, that I still believe that
separation is not in the best interest of Canada nor it's citizens, including
those in the west.
Divide and Rule is a
political tactic that has been entrenched into Canadian politics for decades.
Looking at current national trends, I would even say it has now become the
foundation of Canadian politics. What we used to call "mud-slinging"
between parties has now become mainstream. Citizens "mud-sling"
against each other more so now than ever in our history.
No political party
in Canada is innocent. Many of our divisions in this country can be traced back
to the words, policies and actions of every party that has even been in power
or struggled to get there. Even those divisions founded outside political parties
are capitalized on by those seeking to promote or demonize nonpolitical
movements and beliefs for political gains.
Our political state
has allowed Alberta and Quebec to draw a line in the sand. It has demonized
Saskatchewan, Ontario and a growing number of provinces for creating alliances
and take a stand against a Federal declaration of only one option for environmental
salvation. It has pitted Christians against Muslims.
Today, we have the
opportunity to prove this as hundred's of thousands of Canadian citizens don
yellow vests and demand only one thing...To be heard.
Some are quiet, some
are loud. Some are downright obnoxious. One would be hard pressed to find two
individuals who hold exactly the same reason to wear the yellow vest. Some want
a pipeline built, some don't. Some want adherence to our existing immigration
laws, some want no immigration.
This lack of a
central reason to don the yellow vest is exactly what provided our own
government, the mainstream media and our own fellow citizens to create one for
us. The demonization of the Yellow Vest movement was too easy. In a country
that is clearly divided already, the movement that called for solidarity among
left, right and the middle threatened the status quo.
If you are against
the carbon tax, you are labelled a climate change denier. If you object to the
UN Migration Compact, you are called a racist. These words have been so
blatantly abused that they no longer carry their true definition and even to
the point that they are used to describe your political party leaning. If you
are racist or a climate change denier, you are now a right wing extremist. If
you protest pipelines and want more done to save the environment, you are a far
left Liberal.
A right wing
conservative could not possibly support Liberal values at all. You must pick a
side.
This, folks is the
division that is sinking our country to it's knees and handing the absolute
power to any party who's only achievement is to capitalize on our multitude of
divisions. They call it "party platforms".
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said "there is no core identity, no mainstream in Canada"
It is sad that the
leader of our own country does not even know it's citizens well enough to
recognize what our core identity is.
Identity is a
distinguishing character and core identity are those characteristics that are most likely to remain constant over time. Canada has one distinguishing character we are
known for through out the world, one that has remained constant over time. Compassion. The entire world has acknowledged
our most important defining character so vividly that you would be hard pressed
to find a country that hasn't poked fun at "nice" Canadians.
In the
utmost irony, that same prime minister has used that very characteristic
against us, to label those who's views he feels are lacking in that compassion as
"un-Canadian". In doing so, he
confirms that compassion is our identity.
But that identity is
threatened, and divide and rule is the threat. The very compassion that drives
us to protect our nation is being twisted and manipulated. Our own government has used our compassion to divide us. Even those who worry our First Nations, our veterans and our poor are being pushed aside, in favour of global aid to foreign countries, are labeled racist for the very compassion that defines our nation.
When we allow our
country's rulers to use religion, beliefs, economics and provinces, and now our
very identity, to divide us, we hand them absolute power.
We must not allow that. We must not let them continue to divide us.
------------
Rajmohan Gandhi,
historian and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi,
tells a cautionary tale from the Indian subcontinent about divide and
rule. DIVIDE & RULE:
Rajmohan Gandhi
