Canada Day CBC

I was excited to sit by the TV for our annual Canada Day celebration. We moved from Ottawa two years ago, and have fond memories singing in choirs on Parliament Hill, hearing the RCMP band, and watching and listening as other Canadian performers sung of what it means to be Canadian. In the old days, of course, were the old songs, “Canada, proud and free” and songs written for the massed choirs that lauded Canada, written by Canadian songwriters such as Paul Halley, who were commissioned to write such pieces.

Traditionally, families go down to Parliament Hill to watch the festivities. The kids have their faces painted, and adults have fun, bring picnic lunches and lawn chairs. They watch the changing of the guard that preceeds the arrival of the Governor General in the horse drawn carriage. There are flags flying, banners waving, people in brightly coloured red and white. It is quite a joyous celebration.

Living far away in Muskoka cottage country I thought I would tune in to see the big event on TV. I was happy to see a children’s choir singing an albeit slow march-time of “Oh Canada”, and the exciting group, Drum, that integrated the drumming of four different cultures all influencing these Maritime musicians. The country musicians were fun, I know that the western influence brings a whole new flavour to our collective Canadian soul. Our aboriginal peoples were represented, and they shared some of the sadness in their songs as they mourned a way of life gone by. Thankfully, we have noved into the new millennium and can honour the spirit of the ancient cultures that forged a living, a society, and a population of founding native peoples who helped the white settlers conquer the climate of this difficult land.

What was a disappointment were the subsequent musicians who seemed to be flaunting their artistic interpretation of time-old teen-aged with songs that depressed and unmotivated me, as a middle-aged Canadian. While many musicians dressed up in the colours of the land, they chose the colours that were least reflected in our flag. What has happened to the construct of this annual show? The older woman with the delightful (?) flowers in her hair, attired in a suit, singing what felt to me to be a morose song in French.(I do not understand enough French to understand her apparently poetic allusions to flowers and, perhaps, Canada. I just felt sad listening to it! She looked rather bizarre and I did not know how to interpret her performance.

I forget what the Prime Minister said, but recall his honouring and approval of our new respect for aboriginal peoples. In rereading the speech, it occurs to me that the democracy was fought for with the blood, sweat, and tears of our aboriginal peoples, as well as the war and weapons that served to secure said democracy. I is amusing to be reminded of the anniversary of Quebec City, and yet he did not mention any of the other people and places. He left that to be done in the GG’s speech, obviously directed by the government anxious for Quebec approval in the next election. With so many people from our provinces and territories in the land, it is embarrassing yet predictable that the Governor General’s message, written for her, would mention so heavily the contribution of the French. So many people fought so long and hard to create this land. Champlain’s group was comprised of a multi-cultural group of men, yet Quebec fights so hard against the influence of its aboriginal people and new Canadians. I was sad to listen to this speech in its narrow focus.