Oh Canada - How Vast a Country

Sky over Lake Huron


Wind Farm along a highway in ON.



Roadside Cemetary


Highway 129, ON

Canada Day 2007

The Pursuit of Happiness - I had tea with my dear friend Sidura and her new-born baby Dahlia in Toronto the other day. Our conversation focused on what our dreams and aspirations are for our children and if we had achieved our own dreams. After almost three hours of chatting about where we thought we would be by this time our attention was shifted to Dahlia who awoke to have something to eat. I asked Sidura what she hopes for her daughter and what she thinks other mothers wish for their children. Without hesitation she said, "The freedom to pursue that which will make them happy." Sidura and Jason have a little boy Boaz as well. For her, she is laying the foundation so that her children can take advantage of the opportunities that Canada affords its citizens.

But are all citizens treated equally? The Day of Action took place the other day. This directly impacted those living along highway 400 and those needing access to the train route between Toronto and Montreal. The reason for the protest was to draw attention to the plight of Canada's Aboriginal community. I am not sure if their actions have had a positive effect on their situation. The more I talk to people about what we have in common, the more similarities there are between the European descendants and Canada's First Nations. Perhaps if our governments, both federal and aboriginal started talking from the same page instead of from highlighting the differences the issues like poverty and mismanagement of finances will be addressed more effectively. I know that this seems like a simple statement, but if we are all wanting our children to succeed; the opportunity to put a roof over our head; access to education and health care and to be able to celebrate our achievements then why don't we start with those values and build a solution instead of trying to find a solution through conflict? There is really not much difference between me and my family's roots and those of Canada's Indians. Building a human bridge between our communities is critical for addressing the social crisis that is facing our Aboriginal communities.

Canada Day was spent in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Fireworks were spectacular (I forgot my camera... no pics). This Canada Day was that much more meaningful because I just driven 3600 KM and I am on my return trip. I have to say, the trip out I took my time; now I am just aching to get home to my family and dog... Oh, and my own bed. I have only done a small bit of Canada this trip and while I have done this drive before, this is the first time that I have purposefully taken the backroads and stopped to talk to people. Next time I want to see the sights (I will probably need a couple months!).

Photo taken outside of Espanola, ON

Deep Fried Curried Perogies

This is a one-woman show by Michelle Todd about growing up in Edmonton and trying to figure out how she is going to raise her son.

What do you get when a Jamaican Filipino and a Ukrainian Brit start a family? A Jalipinukranibritinadian? A Deep Fried Curried Perogy? Definitely a legacy full of stories, hair trauma and certain indigestion. Touching, funny, smart - a show for anyone who is black, white, Ukrainian, Asian, European, flat-chested, short, breathing…

Michelle (Canadian, Philipino, Jamaican) and I met for drinks one night prior to me seeing the show. Her beautiful son Justin, the product of a loving relationship with her boyfriend Bob (Canadian, British, Ukranian) is the inspiration for this retrospective look of growing up in a visibly ethnic community and what does being an ethnic minority mean in Canada. What identity is she going to share with Justin? How will Justin define his Canadian"ness"?

Without giving too much away (if you are going to be at the Calgary, Edmonton or Toronto fringes you have to see this play), Justin's name is after Justin Trudeau - Pierre Trudeau's son. Can't get much more Canadian than that... If that is one of the measurements for Canadian identity.

Michelle has some interesting insights on what we have in common. Most of them stem around how our families raised us and what she as a mother and what her parents wanted from her. This seems to be a theme - successful and happy children. The only defninition of success that I have managed to get, however, has been pursuing happiness.

In order to be happy and therefore successful (based on the above measurement), do we have to know our cultural roots and heritage? My roots stem from Eastern Europe, Germany and the United States. How far back do I go? When people ask me about my background my first answer is Canadian. The next question is, "But you are Jewish, so where did your parents come from?" Well... my dad was born in Germany but my mom is Canadian. This is promptly followed by, "Okay, what about your mom's parents?" At what point is just saying Canadian going to be enough of an answer? Is it that our country, Trudeau's Mosaic, is still too young to have Canadians, we have to have been from elsewhere; or perhaps that it is this very mosaic that is preventing us from just being Canadian? Don't get me wrong, I much prefer the mosaic to the melting pot.

Vanity Fair recently published an Africa Issue. There is an article about written by Spencer Wells on the Genographic Project. The basic premise is that, "Somewhere between 80,000 and 50,000 years ago, Africa saved Homo sapiens from extinction." The Genographic Project is charting the DNA shared by more than 6 Billion people and it all started in Africa. "You may be from Cambodia or County Cook but you are carrying a map of your wanderings of your ancestors as they moved from the savannas of Africa to wherever your family came from most recently." The markers on your DNA indicate that you share an ancestor with someone else... in essence this project is creating the family tree of homo sapiens. There are several reasons for the migration (you will have to read the article). So perhaps when people ask me where I am from and Canada doesn't suffice as an answer I should just say I am from Africa...

Talismans

We had several watchful eyes on us as we drove through the Canadian Shield. There were Inukshuks along the rock overhangs that bordered Route 17 between Thunder Bay and Perry Sound. These guardians got me thinking about other talismans that we have protecting us, and in fact, what are these special objects protecting us from? Why would somebody take the time to erect these icons? Why, for that matter, do we need them? Is our survival based upon talismans and luck, and if so, how do we distinguish between the luck of the talisman and the man-made manipulations of our environment? I'd like to think I know the difference between being lucky and being well-organized to influence positive outcomes in my life... But perhaps, I need the Inukshuk to guide my way just as much as I need my daytimer.

As I was thinking about our highway angels I met a guy by the name of Chris. Chris is from White River (around the Wawa area) and was in town from Michigan for a family funeral. We discussed what it was like growing up in a small town in Northern Ontario and then moving to the United States. Chris is a Robotics Engineer and shared with me some of his experiences growing up. Hunting, fishing, enjoying the outdoors. I asked if he missed that, now that he is living in the States and he said that he has chosen to live in the country-side because he needs the open space. SPACE... OPEN SPACE, is another thing that many of us have in common. There is something about knowing that we have the "freedom" to just go outside an breathe.

Chris showed me some photos of a couple bears that had been encroaching on the neighbourhood. They ended up shooting the bears because they were threatening the people (going right up to the doors of the houses). SURVIVAL is another thing that we all have in common. If we are threatened by external forces, like bears, how much of our reaction to that threat based on survival instinct, and how much is forethought? Is there a way that the Bear and the Villagers can live together without resorting to mauling or shooting? What if we were to extrapolate that example to individuals at conflict. At what point does the base instinct of survival get over-ridden by the need to look for longer lasting co-existence? Options would be: Exterminate all bears... I don't think that is a very viable option. Transport nuisance bears out of the area... Proven to not work (they just keep coming back). Shoot problem bears... But does nothing to solve the problem, just addresses the symptom. Educate people on bear habits and habitat in order to work around the problem... Long-term problem solving with no proven track-record... Can man and bear survive together?

What does survival mean? For the past five days I have been taken out of my comfort zone by camping in a tent, cooking over a fire, showering not nearly as often as I prefer and yet I have managed to survive. Identifying the difference between our needs and wants is what makes some of us more adaptive than others. What happens when our needs and our wants conflict? Does this mean we are no longer able to "survive"? How much less can we live on without impinging on our survival? Where would I draw the line? Why should I draw that line to begin with?

Again, another day with more questions and fewer answers. But what an interesting journey to be on.

The Audacity of Hope

I just started a new book... The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama. Mr. Obama is an Illinois Senator (D) who is running for president in 2008. I want to share one quote from his book which sums up the focus of this trip, "... a simple idea that we have a stake in one another, and that what binds us together is greater than what drives us apart, and that if enough people believe in the truth of that proposition and act on it, then we might not solve every problem, but we can get something meaningful done." (pg. 2)

Day 3 – Brigden Family Farm 100th Anniversary

Pat & Bob Brigden along with their entire extended family celebrated the 100^th anniversary that their family has been farming the same plot of land in South Western Manitoba. Just outside of Melita, MB. a gathering of the local community along with family and friends raised a glass to the Brigden family for their dedication to the family farm and Canada’s agricultural heritage. Bob’s thick Purple Hills accent rang through the crowd as he shared his family’s history and honoured his ancestors. His speech started off by saying that everyone in attendance had a shared HISTORY, whether directly with the Brigden family, or with their connection to the land. This sense of history is another thing that all of humanity has in common. It is our histories that ground us in the present and provide an orientation for moving forward.

I recently heard a piece on CBC radio entitled “I Believe…” hosted by Preston Manning and guests reading short essays that start with, “I believe…” The episode that I am referring to had Izzy Asper’s son, talking about what he believes. He drew upon his Jewish heritage and the celebration of the Passover Seder where there is a prayer that is read stating that the welfare of all of mankind is the responsibility for everyone. This is especially true in the context of the Passover celebration where strangers are welcomed and expected at the table. A tradition where Jews remember their history of whence they came, and an opportunity to look forward to where they are going. The notion that this religion instils in its participants a sense of global responsibility is that much more important in today’s day and age when the world is getting smaller and strife is getting larger. The Asper essay rings true with the way that my family celebrates our Passover seder, where we bring in modern examples and issues that we as a collective can strive towards. Issues like extreme poverty, sustainable lifestyles, women’s rights have all been discussed around our table. Perhaps next year, we should take a page out of Asper’s essay and broaden our Passover experience to look at that prayer specifically and make a commitment, not only to recognizing our past during the seder, but to answer the call to action and adopt a more global understanding of our history. I wonder how we will achieve this without focusing on the “us/them” context that history seems to categorize social groups in…

Day 2, June 15 - Like Mother, Like Father...

We finally made it to Saskatchewan by way of Cereal, AB. This is a neat little town. We ended up camping in a playground just off the highway. Cereal is a town of 100 with a decreasing population. So much so, that the local school closed this year due to lack of sustainable population. Sara spoke with the Water Works manager of the town who decided to fix the water pump that was in the camp ground. The funny thing about this pump was the fact that it had run dry a few years ago, and then recently just started flowing water again. He ended up shutting the water off just when we were getting ready to brush our teeth in the morning... Oh well, it wouldn't be the first time that I didn't get to wash my face or brush my teeth before breakfast... Shhhh... Don't tell me my dentist.


The Water Works man was saddened by the fact that people were leaving Cereal. But as he pointed out, there is nothing there for them to stay. The farms are being sold to larger agri-businesses and children do not want to stay working on their family farms. This is a 180 degree turn around from my experience in Moleta, MB where we celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the Brigden Family Farm... More about this later... (See Day 3).

We drove just south of Saskatoon stopping at Lake Manitu just outside of Watrous, Sask. for lunch. There we ran into a wonderful couple and her parents. Scott is from Regina and his wife Shen-ai is from Korea. Her parents are in Canada for a whirl-wind 9 day tour of the WHOLE COUNTRY! They started in Vancouver and made their way through the Rockies then flew to Toronto to go to the Niagara region before ending up in the middle of the country. Scott's family is going to take them up north to go fishing. How's that for a cultural experience???

We got to talking as we shared a picnic table under a gazebo overlooking the salt-water lake. We talked about the roles that parents have in influencing their children and if there are commonalities between the way that Shen-ai was raised and the way that Scott was raised. One of the commonalities is that parents want THE BEST FOR THEIR CHILDREN. We all want our kids to succeed, and the way that we support their success is very similar. We endeavour to give our children the building blocks to higher education, we endeavour to provide security, shelter, clothing, food and general basic needs, and we endeavour to teach our children right from wrong.

Knowing all this, I asked a question along the lines of, "At what point does our environment over-ride the influences of our parents?" We discussed when children "rebel" and what that looks like between Canadians and Koreans. Scott and Shen-ai both said that while the expectations of success are the same, the route to that success are very different. North Americans value the material goods more-so than the family in that Shen-ai's family supported her through her studies because there was an expectation that she would receive top honours and follow the path that they have laid out for her. Scott's parents supported him through his studies but there is an expectation that he will be financially successful in his own right. The pressures between the two families are very different. I wonder how they are going to raise their kids coming from such different approaches to parenting? I also wonder that if we all measure success through the success of our children, is there a commonality of that success measurement? Would a child in a Korean family be considered successful if she dropped out of college and became an artist? Would a child from a Canadian family be considered successful if they chose to have their parents move in when they were too old to care for themselves?

This conversation raised more questions than we had time for. It seems that all the people that I have met along they way have raised more questions than provided answers. But I do know that everyone has mentioned the role that their PARENTS have played. We all have had parents at some point along the way, whether biological or adopted. I know that for me, when I was travelling and living far away from my own parents, it was the parents of my friends that became my pseudo-family unit.

I am having some challenges with the photo link... Pictures from the last couple of days will be forthcoming.

Day 1 – June 14, 2007 - The Road Less Travelled

This first day put the trip into context for me. We drove along highway 9 to Drumheller, through the Alberta Badlands, taking us back to the “beginning of time.” The Horseshoe Canyon highlights the millions of years that animal life had been living in this area. At one point, all of the Canadian prairies were under sea. As the sea evaporated, the tectonic plates shifted and the climate changed, the animal life evolved as well. Robert Wright’s book, outlines this multi-million-year shift in very concise detail.

Going through a part of the country that depicts the beginning of what we now know as North America set the stage for the questions I was asking my fellow travellers and those that we met along the way.

Before leaving Calgary, while we were loading up the car, I asked Kyle and Sara (who had just met each other) what they had in common. The first thing that was said, (I believe it was Sara who said it), is that, “We all have NAMES.” This got me thinking. Is there anyone that doesn’t have some sort of name? As Shakespeare wrote, “What’s in a name? A rose by another name would smell as sweet.” Our names make us individuals, and yet, it is the uniqueness of separating ourselves with an identifier that makes us the same.

In Drumheller we made two stops… Canadian Tire and a diner called Yavis (established in 1917 and still owned by the Yavis family). Sara and I wandered into the Canadian Tire store in search of an air-pump with a car adapter. While this might seem insignificant, while we were looking for said item I was reading where all this stuff that we buy comes from. For example the air-pump with the car adapter was made in China. I have never been to China (thought it is on the list of places to see), but I can guess that the majority of people in China have absolutely no use for an air-pump with a car adapter. I recognize that this is a generalization, but that is not the point. The point is, why are paying a country with known human rights violations to manufacture a product that we have the technology to produce locally, the materials to produce locally, and the resources (human and financial) to produce locally? My guess is a large part of the $23 expense went to offset the gas prices of shipping this item from China to Canada and then across land. So, given that we have to keep borders open and we are so far into a trade agreement that getting out is not feasible, is there a way that we can start influencing positive change on this very large manufacturing machine called, “Made in China”? While I might have generalized about the Chinese needing an airpump for camping alongside ones car, I think it is safe to say that some North American companies are trying to improve working standards in the plants that they outsource to in order to create this change. I had a professor at Brandeis University where I received my MA who always said, “Change is hard.” Taking this on a global level he couldn’t be more right, and yet, with enough voices imagine the positive change that could be made!

After finding the item we were searching for, we went to Maria’s check-out. She is a woman probably in her mid-fifties (my appologies Maria if this in incorrect) with a very practical outlook on life. Her practicality was reflected in her clothing, haircut and thoughtful reflection on my question of, “What do we have in common?”. I was drawn immediately to Maria because of her smile. SMILES, that is another thing we have in common, but I digress. Maria’s no-nonsense approach to my question was simply stated, “We all have a mother and father at some point. We are all STRIVING to live in PEACE and be able to have a house (I read into this shelter).” Her friend Doreen was waiting to purchase some flowers for her garden.

Doreen is around the same age of Maria, but shorter and these blue eyes that sparkle when she speaks. Doreen had been watching this exchange with interest and I could see out of the corner of my eye she was nodding her head as Maria spoke. So I asked Doreen about what she and Maria have in common. Doreen shared with us that she and Maria have been friends for a very long time. They have several things in common including selling Avon together. What Doreen made a special note of is how they enjoy EATING together, “…especially when Maria’s husband treats.” So breaking-bread together is another commonality between us. In my travels, whether it be to the poorest parts of Africa or the wealthiest neighbourhoods in London, sharing a meal together is something that builds community and solidifies relationships. Why else do people go out for dinner (or lunch) on dates? There is something about conversing over a plate of food that brings people together.

At Yavis' we met Darlene. She has been a waitress for over 35 years!!! Age aside, I can't picture anyone from my generation staying in the same type of job for 35 years... It is a true testiment to her character. Yavis' Restaurant is your typical small-town diner just off the highway. We walked in and it was as if we had walked through a time warp... at the enterance was the cash and above the cash were shelves of cigarettes... Who knew eating establishments still sold cigarettes???!!! Darlene is in her 50's and wore a lavendar sweatshirt and jeans. The lavendar was a beautiful shade and offset her smile. I told her about the project and we began talking. I could have listened to her for hours, she had some interesting stories to tell. I asked her what she felt we had in common and her answer was that we both like people and that is reflected in the fact that we both talk to complete strangers and try to make them feel welcome. She also reiterated the comments that Maria and Doreen shared about everyone wants to live in peace.

The commonalities between their comments makes me think that perhaps I should ask my questions differently.

Inspiring People... Inspiring Change...

Paul Hawken
Thomas Homer-Dixon
Ray Anderson
Richard Steckel

These four authors and academics paved the way for part of this investigation into our commonalities. I hope you enjoy their writing as much as I do!

I am supposed to be getting ready for the trip, but thought I should take a moment and introduce the "Cast of Characters" that are coming along for the ride.

Dr. Sara Korsunsky - Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine recently moved to Calgary to open her practice. She is a dynamic woman who draws people in with her charm and whit. When I first told her of my cross-country trip, she asked if she could come along as far as Gimli. It turns out that her family's homestead in Moleta, MB is celebrating its 100th Anniversary so we are going to join the town of Moleta in the celebration on Saturday night. I look forward to finding out more about this multi-generational Canadian family who settled on the plains and made a go of it. I have never been to a Homestead party before, and I hear there is a barn and a band... I think I will dust off my cowboy boots for this one!

Kyle G. Brown - Freelance journalist and world traveller returned to Calgary en route to finding inspiration in a larger setting (read - Toronto or Montreal). Kyle needed a ride out east and I obliged. You might have heard Kyle's stories on CBC's Dispatches or read his pieces in the Globe & Mail. Kyle brings insight and alternative views to pretty much everything...

I guess I should get packing. Next entry will be from the road.

The Human Venture - Or What We All Have in Common

I am about to embark on a cross-country road trip that will be taking me from Calgary, AB, Canada to our nation's capital - Ottawa. I originally thought this was going to be a trip that was just going to get me from point A to point B with a friend or two along for the ride.



Then I got to thinking...



What a perfect opportunity to start a conversation with fellow Canadians about what our commonalities are. Ultimately, in the hopes that this will build onto a larger project of creating a Global Accountability Agreement. Or perhaps, as my friend Dan is suggesting, a Global Constitution.



So I am posing the following self-reflective questions:

1. What do we have in common?

2. How are we evaluating our commonalities?

3. Are certain things weighted heavier or lighter in the commonality comparison chart?

4. For that matter, what would that chart look like?



I am leaving on June 14, 2007 from Calgary. My first stop will be Kindersley, Sask. From there I am heading to Saskatoon, Sask. then on to Estavan via Fort Qu'Appelle. I will be joined by friends for part of the trip and we will be celebrating a homestead's 100th Anniversary in Moleta, MB. From there it is on to Gimmley before heading east into Ontario. Ontario's stops include towns and cities such as Emvale and Orillia. Along the way I will be asking those whom I meet about what they think we have in common, what Canadians and the rest of the world has in common and if there was a global document that was recognized by all, what would that document look like to them.



In part this has been inspired by conversations with classmates in Leadership Calgary. Reading Thomas Homer-Dixon's book "Upside of Down" on catagenisis, Ray Anderson's collection of speeches in "Mid-Course Correction" and Paul Hawken's first book "Ecology of Commerce". I think the world is at a point of major catastrophe, and if TH-D is correct, then the genesis that might come out of this spectacular downfall is the creation of some sort of organic and evolving document that recognizes life and humanity above all else and is respected by all life and humanity.



I encourage people to share their comments, their stories and suggestions. This is a platform by which we can all start influencing change, not only on a local level but on a holistic global level.



I look forward to having you along for the ride!



Gena