N.S. Pardons Civil Rights Pioneer

[Shady]

Pardon and apology: Poetic justice for Desmond

When she was dragged from the whites-only section of a New Glasgow movie theatre, then briefly jailed for her trouble in 1946, the accidental activist struck a blow against discrimination, although it was not fully appreciated at the time.

On Thursday — 64 years after the infamous incident and 45 years after she died — Ms. Desmond was acclaimed by one and all with nary a hint of controversy. In a ceremony at the legislature, with her relatives looking on, the Dexter government issued an apology and a free pardon — one that recognizes Ms. Desmond was innocent all along of the absurd offence she was convicted of (defrauding the province of the extra penny it cost to sit in the whites-only section).

Link

Perhaps after learning of incidents such as these, we as Canadians should be a little less smug when it comes to other country's racial problems and/or history. I hadn't ever heard of this particular incident. And frankly I didn't know anything like this had or could have taken place. It makes me wonder how many other stories exist, that are similar in nature. I'm also suprised we had any "whites-only" sections of anything in Canada in the past.

[msj]

Perhaps after learning of incidents such as these, we as Canadians should be a little less smug when it comes to other country's racial problems and/or history. I hadn't ever heard of this particular incident. And frankly I didn't know anything like this had or could have taken place. It makes me wonder how many other stories exist, that are similar in nature. I'm also suprised we had any "whites-only" sections of anything in Canada in the past.

I like your smug tone, especially while admitting your ignorance of our history. It's quite charming.

Granted, I did major in history in my university days so can't say that I'm surprised by this specific incident.

[Wild Bill]

Perhaps after learning of incidents such as these, we as Canadians should be a little less smug when it comes to other country's racial problems and/or history. I hadn't ever heard of this particular incident. And frankly I didn't know anything like this had or could have taken place. It makes me wonder how many other stories exist, that are similar in nature. I'm also suprised we had any "whites-only" sections of anything in Canada in the past.

Oh, we had some problems. Still, nowhere near the degree of our neighbours to the south.

After all, the Underground Railroad did deliver blacks to Canada. If we were in the same league of bigotry as the country where the rails started, why would they have bothered?

[punked]

NS has had a lot of these incidents. The Demolition of Africville being another one of them. I am just glade we finally have a government willing to not brush them under the rug and pretend they didn't happen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africville,_Nova_Scotia

[Shady]

Oh, we had some problems. Still, nowhere near the degree of our neighbours to the south.

I didn't say that. But sometimes we act like we're as pure as the wind driven snow.

[BubberMiley]

But sometimes we act like we're as pure as the wind driven snow.

Speak for yourself. I'm a jerk and I act like one!

[Machjo]

Oh, we had some problems. Still, nowhere near the degree of our neighbours to the south.

After all, the Underground Railroad did deliver blacks to Canada. If we were in the same league of bigotry as the country where the rails started, why would they have bothered?

We had slavery in Canada for a short time.

[Wild Bill]

We had slavery in Canada for a short time.

Yes we did. So did many other countries, including Britain. My point is, we abandoned it far sooner than the Americans and did not practice discrimination nearly as severely as in the American South.

Of course we have had some problems, Africville being only one. I'm just calling for some perspective. American blacks have never forgotten Canada. My father was a sailor and used to tell me stories about tying up in Buffalo, New York. They would hail a cab driven by a black driver and ask to be taken to a "coloured" bar. The driver would ask them "What ship and what time do you have to be back?" He would then take them to a bar where the black folks would buy the Canadian sailors drinks and show them a great time. At the end of the evening someone would always make sure the sailors got to their taxi and back to their ship in time! My dad and his shipmates thought the world of those people and their hospitality, all for an Underground Railroad of a century before!

Just another reason I'm proud to be Canadian!