Pass The Thought… Eh?

The Immigration Act of 1910, I argue, gave power to the people who followed Coleman’s notion of “white civility” as it further enhanced the discretionary powers of the government to control the incoming immigrants into Canada, as it reinforced and expanded the exclusionary provisions outlined in the Immigration Act of 1906. Why I argue that, the Immigration Act of 1910, follows Coleman’s notion of “white civility” is because of the cruelty and unjust power that the government had over immigrants. In the Immigration Act of 1910, a new provision specified that the governor-in-council could arbitrarily prohibit the landing of any immigrant deemed “unsuited to the climate or requirements of Canada.” This discrimination was unjust, and gave power, to people who had no reason to have it. To exclude people, who weren’t perceived to handle the cold climate, is absurd and ignorant, as to reject people who couldn’t possibly conform to a “Canadian” expectation, follows Coleman’s notion of “white civility.”

The act also introduced the concept of domicile, or permanent residency, which an immigrant could obtain after residing in Canada for three years. Until domicile was granted, an immigrant could be deported if they became classified as “undesirable.” Under the new act, political dissidents advocating for the forceful overthrow of government and those attempting to create public disorder were also subject to deportation. This notion of superiority gives way to Coleman’s white civility as to deport people who didn’t follow the notion of “white civility” were deported, as cruelty was ensued if the person, didn’t  embrace “Canadian” values or wasn’t the “ideal” Canadian. Coleman’s notion of “white civility” is supported in the Immigration Act of 1910, as immigrants could be rejected citizenship if they were undesirable to the notion of “white civility” or couldn’t embrace “white civility”, in the eyes of people who did embrace “white civility.”

Works Cited

Sugars, Cynthia. Civility at the Gates. canlit.ca. Canadian Literature, 8 Dec. 2011. Web. 26 June 2015.

“CMIP 21 Pier 21.” CMIP 21  Pier 21. Web. 26 June 2015.

In an article called “A Map That Roared”, Sparke’s analyzes a statement made by Judge McEachern when examining a map that was proposed by the Gitxsan and Wet’swuet’en’s first nation groups. The map detailed their former land that had been taken away from them during Canada’s colonization of their land. Sparke’s analysis of Chief Judge McEachern’s, statement “We’ll call this the map that roared” referring to the new map proposed by Gitxsan and Wet’suwet’e nations, has two different interpretations. Sparke first interprets McEachern’s quote as McEachern giving strength and significance to the proposal. The second interpretation, though, is that the Chief Justice’s referenced Peter Seller’s 1959 movie satirizing Cold War geopolitics, The Mouse that Roared. This second interpretation is more accurate as McEachern added restructured colonial fixtures to the proposed map, which upset both first nation groups. Sparke’s analysis of Judge McEachern’s statement is that while the map should have depicted a bigger voice to the first nation people, it didn’t, and instead belittles them. This incident gives insight to the ever ongoing battle of giving voice to the less privileged.

Also please mark for assessment: The two short stories and this post as well.

Thank you very much.

Discussion post#5

When I read the “First Contact as Spiritual Performance,” by John Sutton Lutz, I do assume that he speaks of a Western society context. When the assumption of Lutz, of which it is more difficult for a European to understand Indigenous performances – than the other way around, I find the statement to be attacking the notion of imperialism of Europeans during colonial times. Lutz states that Europeans don’t have” insufficient distance from our own and our ancestors’ world view.” (32) To me, our views of Western society, do not allow us to experience different cultures and spiritual performances. With western culture, we do not experience other cultures; instead we try to make other cultures conform to our ways and beliefs. So for Lutz to state that it is more difficult for a European to understand Indigenous performances – than the other way around is a fair statement to make, as it shows the lack of compassion and willingness for Westerns to explore other cultures.

Every year, after the winter semester ends, I typically ride home in my grey Nissan Sentra, from Kelowna to Coquitlam. It takes around four and half hours to get from Kelowna to Coquitlam on the almost deserted highway, and along the trip, as I approach closer to home, memories flood the mind. I see signs of the amount of distance it takes to get to a city, and every time I see Coquitlam and the amount of kilometers it takes to get there, becoming fewer and fewer, I think about the excitement and thrill of seeing family and friends once again. I think about the concrete plans me and my family and friends have already planned out, and to build on the relationships, I’ve lost strength on.

Kilometer by kilometer, landmark by landmark, town by town, I think about how to make my visit back to Coquitlam, even better then it will already be; and as the years go by, and as I grow older, I think about the dwindling of opportunities for visits like this in the future. Seize the opportunity, I’ve been told, and I fear, when I look back on my visits to Coquitlam, that I did not seize enough of the opportunity. I want a lifetime of memories and experiences that when I grow old, and unable to live life to the fullest, I want to look back on the days in which I was younger with a life ahead of me, and not have regrets. I don’t want a few good memories; I want amazing stories, for almost every day for when I was in Coquitlam. It’s unrealistic to think that the next day, will better than the last one, but I can still aspire for this.

As the turn off approaches, and I reach the end of my trip on the highway, and onto to familiar neighbourhoods streets, a sense of home sets to kick in. My journey, to travel back home approaches its end, and now a new chapter in my life begins. While it is a brief chapter, that has next chapter on the horizon, it still however, is the most anticipated chapter. It’s the chapter that hits the reader home, and connects the reader with a sense of identification. I begin to remember familiar streets, just like I was a child again, riding in the back of my mother’s car. I remember visiting familiar shops and stores with my friends and family and seeing the houses that almost look untouched since last time I visited. The memories and experiences of being home and seeing where I grew up, rush to the mind. Every turn, every light and every road, is one filled with familiarity and comfort. I’m not in a town, away from my family and friends, as I start a new life, a new chapter, but instead I’m home again, a place where as long as my family and friends still live there, I’ll be sure to come back to.

As I approach my parent’s driveway, and ease the car behind my parent’s car, I finally reach home. I see the short cubic like front yard, the brick-layered walkway, and the tall hedges that gives privacy to around the house. Sights and familiar cars pass by the house, and it feels like I’ve never even left. When I finally walk in with my suitcase and greet my family and cat, and say my greeting and receive my welcoming does the embracement of home overcomes me.  Jubilant celebration and inclusion overwhelm me. As I walk up stairs and put my suitcase away in my un touched room and with all my childhood memories still kept in my room, does the feeling of love, family and home touches me.