charter.rights

Wrong! Culture is static. Traditions change but culture is the same. There is no such thing as "Canadian culture" independent from adoptive cultures. There is Quebequois culture. A Native culture. Even a Metis culture. But there is no such thing as a distinct "Canadian culture. And no you cannot take other cultures, blend them together and then call it Canadian culture. It is just that simple.

You're not realistic at all.... native genocide, with more than 50,000 dead missing children's blood on the hands of government and churches; Japanese internment during WWII, stealing their land and livelihood because of racial fear; stealing the Dionne quintuplets and putting them on public display for profit; land rape and pollutionthat makes the Love Canal look like a small oil spill compared to us; the boys of St John who became the sexual playthings of perverted priests....these are the historical legacy of Canada, the Canadian government and its people. And these not isolated either since they could as easily happen today as they did in the last 100 years IF the perpetrators believed they wouldn't be caught.... There are lots of reasons for not wanting to assimilate into Canadian society. The first and most important is that there really is no such thing as "Canadian culture". Second is that Canadians are generally speaking very lazy and inept people. Third the country wasn't built by WASPs but it was uncovered, cleared and built by immigrants. The WASPs came along after and stole if from them by hook or by crook. In my view there is nothing to make Canadians anything more than some mythical characters in a fantasy movie about Groundhog Day repeating itself over and over again. Most immigrant cultures are what make Canada unique and attractive.

Your original premise is wrong IMO, in that you assume that the WASP male is the only founding member of Canadian society, and that immigrants must somehow adapt to that mentality to be part of the Canadian fabric. If that were true there would be no enclaves for immigrants in our towns and foreigners would come here trying to emulate a western yawl in their voices. The reason IMO that immigrants do come to Canada is that they can participate in the western economy AND maintain their cultural identity. If they wanted to assimilate, (as if Canadian society is a superior ideology..which it is not IMO) then they could emigrate to the US and lose themselves there. Instead they are guaranteed their cultural base under the Charter (in that no one can discriminate against them on the basis of that culture or creed or race) and therefore can become "Canadian" without having to subject themselves to that poorly identified and somewhat ethereal culture. This has nothing to do with corrupt and tax-throwing politicians, which in itself is a red herring to your arguments. It is the "Canadian way" that exists not only in spite of incompetent politicians but also in spite of blue bloods who think they built and therefore own this country and who far too many times are too ignorant to realize that Canada was built on the backs of immigrants while the lazy WASPs for the most part sat on their butts while it all took place.

In terms of this discussion, what does it matter? We could say that God is our Higher Power, Our Great Mystery, The Experience of All. God could also be the Connecting Link, The Binding Force or The Idea. Or God could be anything or nothing. Outside of our limited ability to think and understand God is both outside of us and within.

Thinking and knowing are still limitations even in the most creative sense. Our thought is based on a reality that we believe exists, when in fact it does not. Everything else is derived from a belief that we exist apart from everything else. Yet we are bigger than the molecules that make our bodies, and no more separated from each other than the sand is separate from the water atthe bottom of the ocean. A schizophrenic has less limitations than most thinking men - not because we define them as insane, but because their thinking knows no boundaries.

"So, chief, what did you call this place before the European explorers arrived?" the reporter asked. "Ours," he replied. -- Anonymous

ah...but the spark in the primordial soup that created biological life is still a miracle worthy of there being a God behind it all.... Thinking is limited. Knowing only comes from the limitation of thinking. So at the end of the day what is known is minor. What is unknown is God. No one has to prove God just like no one needs to prove the unknown. But once experienced, both God and the unknown become the spark in our lives....

If one looks at the fall of the Roman Empire it is easy to see that the collapse of their institutions preceded the fall. If one looks at our institutions it is plain knowledge that they are in a state of crisis - from health care to education to justice to government, all are failing the people. The collapse of this civilization isn't something that can happen....it IS happening now and it is getting worse.

Is it just me or is Charles Anthony on a power trip lately? Perhaps it is the Conservatives telling him to quash the opposition to government policy? Or perhaps they just don't want sensitive subjects discussed? What ever it is CA seems to be a moderator on a power trip censoring titles, deleting threads of relevant discussion and complaining that posters are making too many threads on a a subject while woefully ignoring the duplicity through-out the forum? I we were to hold an election today, I doubt that I would vote for CA as moderator. Perhpas his time has come to step away and let someone else with less sensitivity hold the reigns?

The entire New Testament belongs to Christians. Jews and Muslims don't include it in their Bible and Koran. Saying the Lord's Prayer is an act of confirmation of being a Christian. So you are unequivocally wrong.

The Lord's Prayer is a Christian act. It was delivered to the people by Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount and forms the basis of Christian affirmation. It is not "innocuous."

Actually, the problem lies in the fact that racism is rooted in ignorance and racists are ignorant that their xenophobic attitudes are not socially acceptable. Of course the guy doesn't see himself as a racist. If he did and still held the poorly contrived ideas, then he would be considered a bigot. Sensitivity training should be an annual event for all public officials. When racism is institutionalized - such as in a school board - then those policies can hurt an entire society. Good that the school board censured him. I also think the board should suspend him until he has taken some needed sensitivity courses. He needs to learn either that his views are based on his own ignorance, or that he truly is a bigot.

Capitalism in itself isn't bad. But we have been overwhelmed in the west by Corporatism and that has pitted big business aginat governemnt even to the degree that corporation usurp the power of the citizen to hold the government accountable. The bottom line of capitalism is the co-operation of the workforce to produce good products and serices and the flow of cash. The bottom line of the corporations is profit at any cost, return to investment and the greatest amount of credit. Corporations don't care about workers, or even the administration of the business as long as it is producing returns on investment and it can be leveraged for more credit.

The links were related to rapes and abuses within the Canadian Armed Forces, in general. They detail the reports that were made,and that many more go unreported because the CAF does not treat its victims well. Rape is NOT higher among First Nations. There are communities that have a high incidence of abuse, incest, and domestic / alcohol related crimes, they are not hidden and protected by the communities. However, there is a clear link between the socio-economic problems of these communities and the forced colonialism on the indigenous populations. On the other hand, the CAF is a national institution where abuse, rape and murder are not only more common among the rank than the mainstream, but that the command and administration routinely covers it up and protects the perpetrators. It is time for you to do some intensive reading about the institution you put your faith into instead of relying upon the indoctrinated patriotic opinions you have unknowingly adopted.

C'mon FTA. You of anyone should know that the Justice system is only accountable to the Crown! It is always in the best interest of the Crown to hide these things away from public sight. Any hint that there might be corruption in the justice system would lose the trust of the commoner. And if that happened, you would likely be out of a job.

Go back and read the link I gave you earlier....CAF +rapes. The answers are all there. Too bad you refuse to see it. As Dr. Phil likes to say..."You can't fix what you refuse to acknowledge...."

Kyle Brown was the one taking the pictures. But we'll never know about Matchee's guilt or innocence. We do however, know that Brown was convicted. Whether you like it or not Brown is the only one found responsible. Other than that we have seen the photos and while Matchee was posing for the camera, Kyle Brown was taking the pictures. In the end I suppose that only one of them had a conscience. The other went to court marshal and was convicted. Bloody and contemptuous images What you don't seem to get is that is was just the tip of the iceberg. The entire CAF was complicit and this was not the first (or the last) of such events. This was only one they got caught at.

There is no such thing as a "Canadian view" and colonialism is still very much alive and integrated in society and government. The focus in school on colonialism views is negates the fact that there is much more than British prowess that built this country. The contributions of others is constantly overlooked. You do realize that there are lots of ~white~ Jamaicans now living in Canada who would benefit from that same point of view? You seem to miss that fact that this is about addressing a disparity among kids from different backgrounds to get an education. Learning about something one is interested in is far more valuable than being taught about something that is completely foreign.

Because Jews and Christians are part of the world power structure. Neither Jews or Christians need to defend against that power for freedom.

Lame. One cannot be a bigot by accusing the Army of being full of incompetent spurious soldiers. .....Clayton Matchee? You know, the guy who actually killed Shidane Arone. Wrong. Because Matchee did not stand trial the only one that was determined to have killed Arone, was Brown. And until a court marshal determines Matchee was guilty, we must assume he was innocent. You have no credible proof otherwise and in this light your accusation is just an inconclusive opinion that needn't be considered further.

We still won't have a "race based" school. To suggest that is a lie. It will be an Afro centric focused curriculum. Obviously Jamaican and other black ancestry would be considered. We all ready have plenty of ethnic based schools in Ontario. The majority of them cater to British descendants, and they do fine. First Nations also have culturally modified native-centric programs and they are highly successful models. The bottom line is that an education counts in this world. And it doesn't matter how one gets it, coming out of the system having completed a curriculum with a diploma or degree helps individuals become successful. And without an education, those who do find work either end up in McJobs or in a life of crime. The solution is getting kids to stay in school. And yes to whomever asked the questions. ANYone can attend. Being Afro-centric doesn't mean they won't learn the three r's or arithmetic, or science. It just means that when they do learn these things they will be flavoured with examples from an Afro / Black point of view and not peppered with meaningless colonialism shoved down their throats.

Right. Rhetoric. The proposal isn't for "racially segregated" schools. It is for ethnic Afro-centric, meaning that anyone can attend and the lesson will be taught from that ethnic Afro-centric point of view. It is a form of liberal teaching where it has been proven in other experimental learning situations that kids learn best if they have an interest or a connection to the information being taught. It is pretty hard for a kid whose family history was rooted in slavery freed by the underground railroad to relate to some pristine British Monarch having tea and crumpets with Lords. By teaching them history, culture, current events that focus from their ethnic background, they are better able to learn the critical thinking they will need to succeed. The fear of segregation and black only protests does scare white anglo boys , no doubt. But it has nothing to do with "Black Power" rising in Canada (which seems to be most people's greatest fear) and more about keeping kids who are destined to become drop-outs in a system that is biased against them. Of course the alternative would be to modify the curriculum so that Black history, culture and politics are incorporated into every school but the hold-out of dogmatic religious socialite marms would have none of that, now would they....?

No I'm talking about Kyle Brown and the rest of the scum-suckers that tried to cover up the castration and murder of an innocent Somali boy. You know the one. You said you were there. Are you one of those scum-suckers that tortured the boy and many others? Never the mind. ALL the CAF are perverted pissant misfits as far as I'm concerned. I sorry if you might resemble that remark, but in the end it is difficult to separate the chaff from the wheat.

Just for the record and future reference AngusThermopyle, I'm talking about the drugged up and drunken, women-beating, child-abusing scum-suckers called the Canadian Armed Forces. I certainly wouldn't want you to think I have such a low opinion of First Nations people but I do loath the scum-suckers that make up the forces.

Jeez...I know some who resembles that. You might have met him too......