Sept 10, 2015

I was bored the other day and tuned into CNN to see what’s up.

There was a story that all the commentators were abuzz about. It seems a Hungarian photographer was tripping Syrian migrants trying to escape border control people. While I also think this was not exactly exemplary behaviour, I find it rather odd that the actions of the border guards were subtly condemned.

After all, there is even a realty TV program in the States about Border Patrol Agents rounding up Illegals. Isn’t this the same? Most of the people that are being rounded up are not actually Mexicans. They are from El Salvador, or Guatemala or Venezuela. They too are escaping draconian governments trying for a better life.

My country does something similar with migrants arriving on the west coast from Shrilanka and China in dilapidated freighters and fishing boats. Just a bit curious as to the double standard is all.

Next, I watched a docu drama called Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. It really highlights the challenges First Nations People faced during the late 19th century in North America. It also briefly passes over the major differences in how the two countries sharing the 49th parallel handled this situation.

Canada has had a better record, but still it could have been handled better. Times change as do attitudes and methods.

I met a remarkable young lady last week. She is a Russian/Ukrainian and been here about a year. Her folks are still there. Right in the middle of all the nonsense that is going on over there right now. It got me to thinking.

There are over 6 million people of recognised Ukrainian heriatage in Canada. There are also about ten million people of my ancestral back ground that came to Canada from the same area at the turn of the 20th century. That’s not including all the people that lost their lives during Stalins regime.

As in Syria today. These were not people from the lower end of society. They were highly intelligent, educated and motivated people. I have to ask myself what Ukraine and Russia would be like today if they had all stayed and been allowed to operate to their full potential. I know that they achieved great things out of nothing in the flat lands of the USA and Canada.

So, you know what? Syria, Ukraine, Russia, El Salvador, Venezuela and China’s loss is our gain.

Don’t forget everyone, including First Nations People in North America, South America, Australia and New Zealand came from somewhere else. Look what we have accomplished together.