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Remember Canada’s whole truth

Robert Burns said, “O would some power the gift to give us, to see ourselves as others see us.”

Robert Burns said, “O would some power the gift to give us, to see ourselves as others see us.”

That is precisely what President Obama offered to the human race in his eulogy for Clementa Pinckney. I would encourage everyone to read it from beginning to end.

What has been happening in the U.S. since the beginning of the slave trade, has been happening in Canada since 1763. The basic difference is that we have been doing it more subtly. And yes I mean right here in Salmon Arm.

We settlers are living on traditional Shuswap Nation territory, with the people from three reserves – Neskonlith, Adams Lake and Little Shuswap. We are neighbours living as if we were two solitudes. There are more than a dozen so-called Christian churches who it seems have a strange understanding of “love your neighbour as yourself.” Could it be, that nobody told them that you have to practise what you preach?

Alcoholics Anonymous encourages those addicted to alcohol to admit they are alcoholics. That is the first step in the process of recovery. Could it be that we settlers are addicted to a lie, i.e. “This country belongs to us.”

In the wake of Canada Day, let us come clean by admitting the whole truth about how Canada came into being as is outlined on the Canada in the Making website, ‘Aboriginals: Treaties & Relations.’

Rabbinical Wisdom: How do you know when the night has ended, and the day begins? “You know, when you can look into the face of your neighbour, and see there a brother or sister; until you can do that, whatever time of the day it is, it is still night.”

Peace, Dan MacQuarrie