With these words on August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr., at the March on Washington addressed the gathered crowd, which numbered 200,000 people or more. These words become an iconic symbol of aspiration of any people, any nation. Aspiration to peace, respect, to dignity of people.
Visibly tired, almost resigned in his sorrow, Volodymyr Zelenskiy used these words to US Congress, to all Americans. He did thank USA (and the rest of democratic world, as he did in every address to every Parliament he addressed) for humanitarian and limited military help, for their moral and financial support. I am sure these thanks were sincere and coming from his heart.
But recently, and very clearly in that address, it is a different Zelenskiy, it is a different face of Ukraine. Gone are the days of brave and very much determined people and soldiers of great victory over aggressor, of war that will be won. Oh, yes – the brave and great leaders of USA and other democratic countries still proclaim with their bravado, that Putin can’t and will not win the war, that Ukraine will be victorious, that it was the biggest mistake and miscalculation of Russia. They are brave – but they do not fight. The fight is in Ukraine. Only in Ukraine. And Ukraine put and amazing resistance, truly beyond reasonable means. They still do. And we all applauded, we watch with awe. And we helped them to continue that tragically uneven fight. Without any real chance of winning. Not with that help we offered. And Ukrainian cities lay in destruction – as Warsaw did in 1944, Hiroshima in 1945, as Sarajevo in 1996, as Aleppo in 2016.
Since 2 World War, all modern war strategies, books on it and theories, are very clear: any effective attack, defence, counter offence of ground troops must be augmented by a strong air support. What used to be an old artillery barrage before infantry attack – become an air strikes before tank columns and mechanized units. In a war with actual armies, not guerilla strikes, which have different objectives and means. And we denied and continue to deny that help to Ukrainians. Sometime in most disgusting and arrogant way, as US President and his Administration saying that planes are not an effective tool in defence of Ukraine. That ridiculous statement is backed by supposedly America’s generals. Either these generals are stupid or the politicians are lying and lacking the fortitude of honesty, by saying: we are sorry, we know you need it but decided that we can’t and will not give them to you, as we decided to avoid any possible direct confrontation with Russia’s armies.
It is a tragically wrong policy, because it gives Putin more or less a free hand in choosing his tactical approach. And he does it skilfully. His generals have learned quickly the lesson from first week of the war. When it was clear that a ground offensive is costly, not very successful and extremely difficult due to very strong defence and fighting spirit of Ukrainians – he decided to lay waste to cities, army installations, airports, important industrial centres. And he does it mostly from air and long range rockets, which batteries lay often beyond the range of Ukrainian reach. It is supplemented by terrorizing civilian population with rockets and bomb from planes on residential districts, hospitals, electricity and water supplies, food storages. It is truly medieval tactic with modern technology. To lay waste.
Volodymyr Zelenskij, a modern day true hero for freedom loving people of the world, have come to accept it, to not deny the brutal reality of it. The Russians will withdraw eventually (in weeks partially, in few months perhaps fully); serious and not easy peace conference will be assembled and peace accord signed. Very different than the one we were calling for yesterday, at the beginning of the invasion. Zelenskiy already publicly resigned himself to one of the main demands of Putin. The one we, the West, so strongly condemned and opposed on the principium of freedom of countries to make any choice of alliances, organizations: the demand of guaranties that Ukraine never joins NATO. And, honestly – I don’t think that Ukrainian people would want to now. Would you, if you were Ukrainian?
For the safety of Europe and therefore of the entire West it is to make everything possible to allow Ukraine to negotiate from the position of relative strength. That means giving them serious (not token, guerilla style, armaments) military support. Time is not on our side anymore. As it wasn’t on the side of Russians at the beginning. Time is now actually on the side of Putin. Ukrainians do not have any time left. Their country is being destroyed as we watch helplessly. And as they watch in horror. After 1990, I have never thought that I will see such war in Europe so soon. I actually thought that in my lifetime – I will be spared that experience. How wrong I was … .
If Ukraine signs a peace deal with Russia (the chances of Russia just accepting defeat are nil – because they are not defeated) it must be strong enough to save as much as possible from Ukraine before the war. Territorially and politically. That is retaining it’s full, not cosmetic, sovereignty. Only than Europe will be safe from day to day risk of new, world war. When NATO would have to take part in and our soldiers would be dying in it, our cities will be bomb.
I don’t believe even for a moment that huge nuclear disaster would happen. I didn’t and don’t believe it would have happen if we acted much stronger in the defence of Ukraine. Nuclear disaster is not in the interest of Putin. Apart from his care or disdain for Russian people – it is not a way to re-create an old Tsarist or Soviet empire. He knows it. But that’s beside the point. That is just ‘if’s’ and ‘what would or would not’. The reality is that we need a sovereign Ukraine. Again – apart from our warm sentiments, feelings for Ukraine and Ukrainians – for very practical and paramount existential reasons: our own future.
In order to achieve it we must make last and brave, rational attempt before it would be too late. Give them jets as they need them to stop the terror of total destruction of Ukraine, to make them stronger at the negotiating table, to safe a country from not being able to welcome back at least a portion of the population that escaped so far. Give them the planes that Poland offered to USA (or other), give them the ability to fight back with more than ‘arrows and sticks’. Don’t send your troops, that is already accepted by Ukrainians. Putin must come to realization that prolonging the conflict will cost him again big losses and that his rocket and air forces can’t operate with impunity. Only than Zelenskiy (if he will be still alive) can have a chance of saving what must be safe. Otherwise no one will be safe. Give peace a chance. It is not only smart. It is called self-preservation.
Risks? Of course they are! But if you can’t, if you too paralyzed to take them – what the hell are you doing chanting ‘”Slava Ukraini!’? The world has changed February 24, 2022. Accept it and act accordingly.
I will not end it by saying ‘Glory to Ukraine’. Ukraine doesn’t need me to say it – it earned it on its own. With blood. I will say: I am sorry. I’m profoundly sorry that we couldn’t do more. But still hopeful that we will do what has to be done to ease your pain, your tragedy. And what you asked for, dear President Zelenskiy, is not too much. It could be done and should be. For You and for us.
note from author: texts in English and in Polish are not the same and offer different perspective; teksty po polsku i po angielsku nie są tłumaczeniami a osobnymi uwagami na ten sam temat, uwzgledniającymi specyfikę Czytelnika
What seemed possible and sensible ten days ago, at the beginning of Russian invasion of Ukraine, is no longer enough or practical nor possible. The war has changed, its’ possible outlook has changed, the situation and reality in Ukraine has changed drastically. The situation in bordering countries (Poland, Moldova, Romania) has changed dramatically. Especially in Poland, a country that has received and continues to receive the bulk of Ukrainian war refugees – now getting dangerously close to two million. No one in all NATO countries has even the slightest idea what it means to host, within a matter of ten days, such an overwhelming number of refugees and to house them, to offer them medical support, psychological care, education for hundreds of thousands of children. Even in Canada – a country of immigrants, nobody knows (including the government) what it means. Yes, I know, have heard all the heartwarming words of Canadian government in Canada and during his recent visit to Poland – but it almost sounds like a talk from another planet. Visas will be fast-tracked, process shorten … . No, Mr. Trudeau – we need now a massive airlift of thousands of people to Canada, you can house them in government approved and run facilities (a form of refugee camp) and you can then do all the paperwork and checking for as long as need to be. Large Polish cities literary run out of spaces, similarly in many smaller cities. You can’t built camps for millions of people. The same goes for Germany, France, Great Britain an other European countries. Where is USA?
Money given to Poland and other countries do not solve all the problems – they can’t stretch these countries. It is a serious social and political problem that needs serious long term solution – but also needs a fast practical means. Even if only temporary. It looks like within day or few days time we will face another huge wave – this time from Western Ukraine and possibly Lviv itself. The bombing of the airport just miles off Polish border and bombing of city of Sluck creates a sense of panic in parts of Ukraine that felt relatively safe so far. But Putin plans obviously changed. I thought myself that he would stop around the lines of the old, pre-war Polish border. Russia has no historical or any other claim to these territories. Obviously, I was wrong. Putin is a dangerous man. Time is not on his side (the economic sanctions do bite Russia very seriously and that he can’t changed no matter what) and he invested too much, in my opinion, to just stop the offensive. He will – but only when Kiev is taken and Ukraine as a country will loose any chance to militarily oppose his armies. By attacking more massively, with full terror to civilians and bombardments of Western Ukraine infrastructure – he will eliminate (already seriously weakened) any practical means of supplies to Ukraine of Western arms and equipment.
While being fully invested in economical war with Russia, supporting Ukraine defensive effort (supporting in a limited way, too limited to effectively change the outlook of the war – but I wrote on this subject before and will not repeat it here) and – most of all – strengthening the Eastern and Northern flank of NATO – we can’t overlook social and political destabilization of frontier NATO countries that this conflict might produce. Just before Russian invasion, another madman – Belarus ‘president’ Lukashenka, created a refugee crisis on border with Poland by ‘exporting’ Syrian and Afghan refugees. Polish government (to dismay and anger of many Poles and Polish NGO’) refused to accept these poor souls. But fear of new and dangerous ‘refugee corridor’ made the European Union to support Warsaw’s government in forcefully (in a way Trump did to Mexicans and Central Americans) stopping the immigrants. They were afraid of social and political destabilization of EU. Well – there was just a mere few thousands, certainly not even 100 000 refugees. What two, three or even four millions could do now? O, yes – Ukrainians are white, aren’t they? Did I say something not politically correct? O , my… . Just please, spare me your indignation. It would have been laughable. People are people and victims of state-sponsored terror and wars are victims. Regardless of their nationality and ethnicity. Therefore, if we (NATO) are still absolutely sure that we will not offer a substantial military support to Ukrainians (yes, I do mean a short military surgical strikes against Russian missiles, planes ) – you must do something very fast and tangible to avoid social dangers by strangulating Poland and other bordering countries with that massive wave of refugees. That truly would have been unintended gift to Putin-the-murderer.
Sytuacja Polski, jej południowo-wschodnich granic, przy których kłębią się czarne chmury wojny jest najtrudniejszą od czasów wielkich zmian w 1945 i zmian związanych ze stanem wojennym i powstawania zrębów nowego, demokratycznego państwa. Wymaga wysiłku, mądrości, rozwagi i odwagi. Społeczeństwo w dużej chyba większości wykazało te cechy. Zwłaszcza, gdy mówimy o monumentalnej, od czasów 2 wojny niespotykanej, ilości wędrującego tłumu przerażonych Ukraińców. W olbrzymiej większości kobiet z dziećmi, ludzi starszych. A więc generalnie w trudnej sytuacji i nie zawsze zdolnych dla podjęcia normalnych działań na rzecz mieszkania, pracy, zaradności. Morze biedy, przerażenia i łez. To jest ta część tej wojny, gdzie Polacy zdali każdy egzamin mądrości, spolegliwości. Nawet jeśli tu i tam zdarzają się (w pewnym stopniu zrozumiałe z ludzkich powodów) zgrzyty, narzekania lub hasła. Ta fala dotknęła Polskę najsilniej i ani Zachodnia Europa ani Północna Ameryka nie mają najmniejszego pojęcia, co to znaczy i jaki nadludzki wręcz wysiłek jest konieczny, by zapobiec sytuacji socjalnych tragedii nie tylko Ukraińców ale i Polaków. Władze państwowe do tej pory też zdają dość dobrze egzamin dojrzałości w postawach i realizacji tego, co władze administracyjno-polityczne robić powinny. I musi w tym być duża zgoda społeczna i balans pozytywny miedzy opozycją demokratyczną w Polsce a władzami PiS. Musi – bo wymaga tego sytuacja na świecie, wymaga tego pokój społeczny w Polsce. Podzieleni i skłóceni nie podołamy temu herkulesowemu wyzwaniu historii. Nie oznacza to zgody na konstytucyjne świństwa PiS, ani zgody na ich demontaż Polski, jako państwa europejskiego, państwa praworządnego.
Przypomnę – młodszym może ode mnie ale i starszym, którzy zapomnieli – pewnego poetę epoki przeszłej. Żołnierza Legionów Komendanta, żołnierza wojny polsko-sowieckiej 1920, w której dostał Virtuti Militari i Krzyż Walecznych, patriotę. Potem więźnia sowieckiej Łubianki w Moskwie, następnie żołnierza Korpusu generała Andersa. A, bym nie zapomniał w tej wyliczance: komunistę. Za tą działalność w KPP (Komunistyczna Partia Polski) rządy sanacyjne w latach 30-tych umieściły go w więzieniu politycznym. Surowym. Po wojnie wrócił z Zachodu do nowej Polski i poparł nowe władze. Chyba szczerze, ostatecznie był autentycznie komunistą. Ale był przede wszystkim Polakiem i patriotą. Domyślacie się, kto? Starsi już pewnie tak. Naturalnie Władysław Broniewski. Jak się zachował 1 września 1939? Miał prawo być wszak zgorzkniały, miał prawo wobec Rydza-Śmigłego i rządu Sanacji czuć wstręt. Otóż napisał wówczas słynny wiersz-apel „Bagnet na broń”. Przytoczę krótki a wymowny fragment (druga zwrotka): Są w ojczyźnie rachunki krzywd, / obca dłoń ich też nie przekreśli / … / … / Cóż, że nie raz smakował gorzko / na tej ziemi więzienny chleb? / Za tę dłoń podniesiona nad Polską – kula w łeb!
Można by jeszcze sięgnąć do – adekwatnego do sytuacji i wypadków – apelu Jana Kochanowskiego w „Pieśni o spustoszeniu Podola”. Ale wystarczy. Rządy Zachodnie nie mogą rozmawiać po prostu ‘z ludźmi’ i z nimi zawierać umowy, porozumienia. A nasze wewnętrzne spory polityczne nie powinny tego utrudniać. Uważam, że np. propozycja ‘lotnicza’ niejakiego Dudy w fantastyczny sposób obnażała dwulicowość polityki USA, a śmiech pani v-ce prezydent był dużo bardziej żenujący niż przejęzyczenie czy też zła wymowa pokracznego angielskiego tegoż pana. Który angielskiego nie musiał używać i chyba lepiej by nie używał poza grzecznościowym ‘welcome’ itp.
Stoimy wobec kolosalnego zadania związanego z ilością uchodźców. Wymagana jest współpraca, gdzie należy z administracją polityczną. Bez wybaczania czy rezygnacji ze słusznych, wewnętrznie polskich, oporów i przygotowań do kampanii wyborczej. Tysiąc, dwa czy 10 tysięcy, których litościwie zabierze Kanada i inne kraje niczego w sytuacji w Polsce nie zmieni. To kropla w morzu potrzeb. Nie zmienią też tego nawet dziesiątki milionów euro i dolarów. Nikt w kilka miesięcy nie zbuduje nowych miast, szkół i szpitali. By temu sprostać wymagana jest pewna współpraca, wzajemne wsparcie społeczeństwa i rządu. Za miesiąc, dwa nastroje Polaków mogą się diametralnie zmienić. I temu należy że wszelkich sił zapobiec. Bo może być źle. Musimy żądać od EU (tych państw, które nie leża przy granicy ukraińskiej), USA, Wlk. Brytanii i Kanady bardzo szybkiego przyjęcia olbrzymiej ilości uchodźców z Polski. Nie miesiącami trwającego procesu wiz, przesłuchań, aplikacji indywidualnych. Wszystko to mogą robić te kraje już u siebie. W sposób, jaki same uznają za najlepszy.
Russian invasion in Ukraine pretends not to be a war but ‘a military operation’ against a non-existing state defended by non-existing nation. That’s Vladimir Putin vision of the world and his vocabulary. In some way he might be not lying. In his mind it might be a true statement. Just as Hitler truly believed in the “One Thousand Year Reich” and predestine superiority of German ‘Aryan race’.
It doesn’t change at all the situation of Ukraine and Ukrainians, who live in normal, material dimension, not mental. One could say that the Russians are using not too clear definition of hybrid war and the Ukrainians are just at regular defensive war.
The United States and NATO are just bystanders. President Bidden is adamant that there could not be even a possibility of Western (by that we still mean NATO countries – of which USA is the dominant factor and decision maker) military, direct involvement in any combat or possibly characterized as combative action. To preserve larger peace in Europe, nuclear war and all other calamities. At the same time we are actively supplying Ukrainians with all sorts of arms and lethal war supplies to supplement their own, not too powerful armament. That is also a lie (or, just as in Putin’s case – a state of mind).
The USA scenario (executed by NATO) is a war. It is not so called hybrid war (Russia’s war in Ukraine) but a war be proxy. Another war theory, used by Russia and USA (or, in general – the West) for decades since 1945. That proxy this time being Ukraine. No, the West did not provoke Putin’s invasion by any means. Ukraine sympathies toward the West, especially since annexation of Crimea by Russia, are Ukraine choice. It is internationally recognized sovereign state and has a right to make its political choices. But to say that we (the West) are not party or not involved in the current war is nonsense.
In that sense Ukrainian President Zelensky is absolutely right, when he calls out USA and NATO bluff. Either admit it that you will not get involved in the war, give as much humanitarian aid, fortify your own European borders and say to your own nations, that there is nothing you can do – or the blood of Ukrainians will truly be on your hands, too. Prolonging that heroic act of Ukrainian defensive war by supplying them with enough arms to continue resistance and not enough to have the slightest chance of winning – is a macabre. It is using them, Ukrainians, as your proxy to test the abilities and strength of Russian bear.
The clearest sign of it came just few hours ago in the saga of pressuring Poland to give the Ukrainians it’s Russian-build but recently modified MiG fighter jets. Since the meagre Ukrainian Air Force is using the same jets – the transfer could be the best match (for Ukrainian pilots).
The idea started right after the invasion begun, when European Union Security Chief suggested that Poland offered to do it. That claim was swiftly and categorically rejected by Poland. Then, in face of growing losses of Ukrainians in southern (along the Azov and Black Sea coast) regions and categorical refusal of closing Ukrainian airspace by NATO – Zelensky strongly appealed for transfer of some jets to its Air Force, not just small arm held surface to air missiles. Let’s remember that Ukraine consists of steppes: relatively flat land, not a high mountains as in Afghanistan and small arms , no matter how powerful, are no match in open space against Russian air force, batteries and heavy armed mobile missiles. That appeal from Zelensky prompted the USA to suggest that Poland should (and has the means to do it) transfer it’s MiG jets to Ukraine. Again, Poland, as late as last Sunday, rejected the idea saying it will not risk using Polish airfields to fly the jests over Ukrainian airspace to Ukraine. It does make sense in light of NATO hard stance that no NATO soldier will put his/her boots in Ukraine to even appear as being involved in the conflict. Poland does not have the military might as USA – that is beyond discussion. It has been sold out by it’s allies to Stalin already once in 1945. It doesn’t want the risk of being told that it was Polish government, who flew the planes over Ukrainian airspace and therefore it can’t demand the NATO to defend its borders as the planes did not fly on NATO order. Farfetched? Perhaps. But logical in many ways. Then, suddenly today, Polish government came out with a new plan. Now it says it will fly the planes to USA base in Germany, give them to USA army and they can fly them to Ukraine from their base. Under logical assumption that USA will very soon let Poles to buy some used USA older jets (Poland can’t afford in this times to lose a big chunk of it’ own planes and planes these days – see Canada’s many long years waiting for planes from USA, that were ordered and paid for as many years ago – do not come easily. The USA scrambled to come with an answer. Suddenly the Administration was explaining that actually planes are not that important for Ukrainians, that they would not change much in the war. There is an old saying in Poland (from a popular youth book of older times): when Kali steals something from a neighbour – that is a good deed; when a neighbour steals from Kali – it is a very bad deed. That saying, in my opinion, perfectly describes president Biden’s confused Administration.
My view of the conflict, our ‘non-involved involvement’ in it, is evolving as the time passes by. As I see city by city, town by town being reduced to ruins, hospitals and schools bombed, nuclear plants exposed to bombs, millions of people on the dangerous exodus to other countries – it all brings to my memory pictures of 2 world war and the cities in Europe reduced to rubble: Warsaw, Hamburg, Wroclaw/Breslau, nations uprooted and moved somewhere else (that includes Polish population of Lviv/Lvov and Western Ukraine, which was part of Polish state for hundreds of years) by new Russian overlords.
We do have a moral but also existential right to get involved deeper, stronger in Ukraine’s fate. It is still time. And I don’t believe that Putin would risk a full-fledged war with the united West. If Ukraine fell six days ago – it might have been too late to do anything and we would have bought ourselves few more years of false peace. But it didn’t. And now we can’t afford to let Her fall. But also now, by the very strong sanctions, we have weakened him very much. He can’t afford even a short full-blown war with the West. He will be forced to negotiate. And we should. So the Ukrainians. Perhaps a solution is possible. I think it is. Might not be fully satisfactory to everyone – but that is sometime (most of the time) the only workable solution. To do that we might stop being at war by proxy. We might need to send more than ten or twenty Polish older jets to Ukraine (although that would be the right beginning). We actually might put some boots on Ukrainian soil. Not on Russian, on Ukrainian. Not with the desire to defeat Russia in some grand battles. To force Russia to a negotiating table. A conference of sort. Providing the main and deciding roles will belong to Russia and Ukraine. We just have to stop the war by proxy. I can’t see Ukraine being able to defeat Russia militarily on it’s own. Ukraine dos not need a heroic President, who dies defending its crumbling capital. Ukraine needs its heroic President Zelensky to lead the country in painful and long rebuilding. Needs its children to return to their schools from other countries, its wives to come back to their living husbands.
Yes, we don’t have a war in Europe beyond Ukraine. But no, we don’t have peace, either. Is there a risk? Yes, and it want be smaller ten or five years from now if we do, as we do today. Which is too little and too late.
In the history of wars, of empires – even the most powerful armies lost to smaller ones by choosing to wait, to observe, to react instead of act.
As I stopped, for most parts, publishing professionally in magazines few years ago – this Word Press app and shorter Facebook posts are my outputs and – in a way – are continuation of my older blogging habits on earlier platforms.
The text below is, sort of, a continuation of my last post on Facebook and therefore the beginning links it to that text.
My last post was in Polish, since it would have been almost incomprehensible to write it in English without extremely long explanations. Some texts contain so many mental and historical shortcuts – they are almost like writing in some mysterious code.
I can only imagine (in horror) how the Facebook English translation looked like to perplexed English language reader.
In short, it was a personal voyage to the past of my family from the end of XVIII century to beginning of XX. In two cities: Slutsk (today in Belarus) and Lutsk (today Ukraine since 1945). Lutsk was one the cities that was bombarded by Putin’s army in the first day of the infamous invasion.
Now, a bit of mixing of extraordinary facts from the past and from today.
European Union just announced that for the first time in the history of the Union, it will directly finance buying of arms for Ukraine in their fight against the invading army. It also closed all European airspace to Russian planes, including private jets flying Russian oligarchs to their foreign destinations.
More or less it amounts to first, in hundreds of years, new European crusade against the Eastern hordes.
What is has to do with Lutsk in particular? Well – a bit of history. Lutsk was an important military outpost of Ruthenian dukedom between XI and XIII century. Since XIV century to 1945 it was part of Polish Kingdom and it’s continuation, Polish Second Republic. As a historical note it would be an omission not to mention that for about a year in 1918, for the very first time in history, it has been a part of new Ukrainian semi-state under German Protectorate. In 1919 it was taken back by Polish Second Republic. Another historical note – from September 7, 1939, during war with Hitler armies, it was a temporary seat of Polish Government, before Soviet invasion of Poland on September 17 of that year.
But – back to Europe and crusades old and modern. In XV century Europe was under constant threat of invasion from powerful Ottoman Empire. And the memories of tragic invasions of Mongol hordes of Genghis Khan and his sons were still fresh. Therefore a Polish King Vadislaus II called a great Council of European kings and dukes to … the castle in Lutsk. It was an extraordinary gathering of all rulers and spiritual powers that started on January 6, 1429 and lasted for thirteen weeks! Can you imagine, considering how long and difficult journey it must have been at that time, what an amazing organizational effort it was? Among attending there, were: Sigismund of Luxemburg, Emperor of Holy Roman and German Empire; Eric VII, King of Denmark; Grand Masters of powerful military Orders: Teutonic and Templar Knights; delegates of Pope and of Byzantine Empire John VIII Paleolog; Dukes and Princes of many principalities and dukedoms in Europe; Khans of Crimean and Volga Tatars; Photius, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Rus’; Grand Duke of Lithuania, Vitold. There was one more important figure, first time on international stage we saw … Grand Prince of Moscow, Vasily II (father of Ivan the Great, known as Ivan the Terrible). Among all these great rulers of Europe, the last name is interesting in the current ‘new crusade’ of Europe. Think of that – the Council of 1429 called to the Polish state castle in Lutsk, was trying to form a crusade to safe Europe from Islamic Ottoman Empire. The Muscovite Duchy was still the fiefdom of Mongolian Golden Horde. In 2022, European Union consisting mostly of still the same states (although all in very different borders) as the states represented in 1429 Lutsk Council – calls for defensive crusade against the successor of Moscow Grand Duchy – Russia. History is really a fascinating mix of images.
ruins of the Old Castle in Lutsk
One more note and thought perhaps should be voiced: of all great and empires that in different times dominated Europe from Moscow to Madrid, from Sweden to Athens – none survived XX century. Gone are Holy Roman Empires Germany and Austria, forgotten huge Scandinavian militaristic powers of middle Middle Ages, gone Polish-Lithuanian vast empire, gone even bordering and menacing Ottoman Empire, even British over-the-ocean Empire, French Napoleonic dream (or terror for others), Hitler’s satanic prelude of Thousand Year 3rd Reich sent back to Hell (where it came from). All but one. A state, started as Duchy on the easterly peripheries of Europe rather late in political map of Old Continent. A state that by the time of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great become an empire. The last emperor of that state, Nicolas II was murdered with his entire family by other Russians – the Bolsheviks. But the state did not fall apart. It transformed itself into Soviet Republic. New people’s empire. With the mentality of Ivan the Terrible. There was a short time, with the collapse of Soviet Union, that new Russia will become a new, first time ever democratic state. The last one in Europe to join that course. And suddenly a new, unknown, politician took the rein of power. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Former student and member of the former KGB of former Soviet Union. He likes a lot the huge halls of Kremlin – the rooms of old tsars, of Stalin. And dreams of restoring the empire. But I think that history will march on. That the times of empires in Europe is gone. That it belongs to the past, not to the future. And I don’t dream of Lutsk, or even immensely and rightfully important to Polish tradition, history and culture Lvov (Lviv in Ukrainian) returning to Poland. That time is gone, too. I would like to be able to visit it. Just as I feel very friendly and very at home in Lithuanian, not Polish, Vilno (Vilnius in Lithuanian) – city of my father’s youth and a city I am personally very much in love with. I trust that truly free and truly democratic Ukraine will fulfill its dream of having, for the first time in this nation history, a sovereign and free state. As to Mr. Putin dreams … no, I will not say what I wish for him. Let the Russians decide his fate. Maybe it is time that they too might have a chance to live in normal state, within the borders of what truly constitute a Russian nation. It is healthier to live on one’s own land. Safer, too.
(Polish version – not translation – written from slightly different vantage point, will follow shortly at the end of English text)
Cicero would say: hic sunt casus historiae, hence, a short list of historical precedencies.
At the onset of the First World War, Canadian Parliament passed a bill called War Measures Act (in 1914). It was rather draconian legislature prepared to deal with subversion, insurrectionism and all sort of anti-state activities, that could or would pose a serious challenge to constitutional order or territorial integrity of Canada. It was used twice during world wars and only once at peacetime. The war usage of the Act was an unjust (but legal under the Act) overreach of the government, that resulted in interment of thousands of mostly Ukrainians, but also Poles and other ethnic groups that came to Canada from Galicia (western part of today’s Ukraine) and some part of Volhynia. Simply, because they emigrated from territories under Austro-Hungarian rule, which at that time was at war with British Empire. Notwithstanding the fact, that all these territories were taken by force by Austrian Empire and used to be part of Polish Commonwealth since Middle Ages, therefore the locals did not consider themselves loyal to Hapsburg’s empire.
During the 2 world war similar fate happened to Japanese Canadians and, to lesser extent, German and Italian Canadians.
These were the first and for a long time only usages of the War Measures Act. Both of these legal overreaches found their conclusion many years later: in 2008 Canadian Government reached a settlement with Ukrainian community and apologised for these actions. Earlier, in 1988, Prime Minister apologised to the Japanese-Canadians for their interment during 2 world war.
In contemporary history, the last usage of War Measures Act happened in October 1970. The October Crisis, was a political independence movement in Quebec, led by Front de libération du Québec. It culminated with kidnaping of Quebec Deputy Premier, Pierre Lapporte and British Trade Commissioner James Cross. Pierre Lapporte was found murdered; James Cross was liberated. Prime Minister (father of current PM, Justin) Pierre Trudeau saw it as an act of sedition, treason and violent action to overthrow the government and invoked the War Measures Act. Army was sent to Quebec, hundreds of people jailed.
That was the end of the Act. In ensuing years Parliament passed many statutes to govern various times of emergencies in Canada during peace time but never really repealed the War Measures Act, which was a relic of British Council directive from 1914, in a manner of speaking – a colonial legislature.
It was formally replaced in 1988 by current Emergencies Act. Not ever used until now.
Now, an ingression: what sort of act is in the title of this piece, called Martial Law? No, it is not a Canadian legislature. Although, I think, many Canadians, who were adults in 1980ties, were familiar with it. It was an act established by the communist Poland in December 1981 to destroy the independent “Solidarity” movement in Poland and it’s march to freedom, democracy. I write about it here for a reader to understand my viewpoint and my experience with these type of legislations and governments reasons for assuming extraordinary powers for temporary time. And whether history view them as necessary.
Some were, some were not. In most cases – even if the reasoning was rational and caused by urgency of situation – these powers were used excessively and proved to be unethical.
If the actions of actual or perceived protesters, insurrectionists and anti-government forces were truly justified and truly popular, with massive support from entire population – sooner or later the government would capitulate or be replaced either forcefully or by forced new elections.
The case of old War Measures Act in Canada and legislation introducing Martial Law in Poland in 1981 is no longer typical for any XXI century liberal democracy. The modern concept of State and exponential advance of individual rights and freedom protections would not allow truly democratic state to have such draconian laws under any situation (perhaps during a huge war with foreign enemy such legislation could be introduced – but not during peacetime) in modern times.
On the other hand – a reasonable form of temporarily giving the State extraordinary powers in some dangerous situations is a sensible mechanism. Especially in liberal democracy, prone to weaker and constrained form of governments. Constrained constitutionally by other powers (judiciary and parliamentary) independent of Government/Cabinet. In Canada, it is even much more complicated because of our confederate form of government and divisions of powers: provincial and federal. That is the reason our Parliament introduced the new Emergencies Act in 1988, replacing the old War Measures and many temporary, ministerial powers. It is formulated in such a way, that it should be truly treated with outmost caution and consideration and the political pitfalls for government are plentiful. That’s why it was never used until few days ago. It seems a history’s fate, that it is the son of former PM who last used the old Act, the current PM, Justin Trudeau. Justin had long talks with all provincial premiers, long session of entire Cabinet, emergency parliamentary debate and finally called a Press Conference, where he and all major ministers explained it to the press and answered many questions at length. His father, Pierre, had one short answer in 1970: famous ‘Just watch me’.
Was the Declaration necessary in February 2022? It is not for me to make that distinction in an objective and knowledgeable way. I can only answer that as a citizen of Canada and acute observer of political processes. I think it was. Was it politically a rational move? That we will know in a few days’ time. Especially in a minority situation. The government Declaration is only legally binding for seven days. After that time the Parliament must vote it in or out. If it does – the Government will prevail, if it fails – the Government will most likely fall. After the Emergencies Act ( 7 or 30 days maximum) stops being modus operandi, there will be Inquiry about its’ necessities, rationale and achievements/failures. And history will judge, regardless of contemporary verdicts.
There is few totally exclusive and excluding each other narratives to that protest/occupation/insurrection. Let’s look at some of them.
The first one lies at the very heart of the dispute if Emergencies Act must have been declared.
It is a democratic protest – and in a democracy people have a guaranteed rights to political protest. Granted. With one exception, sort of glaring and decisive, the word ‘peaceful’ is omitted. And ‘peaceful protest’ lies at the core of this right. There is a multitude of ways to have and maintain peaceful protest.
Just because one doesn’t shoot or drive a military tank, brings a cannon to that protest, doesn’t mean that it is peaceful or that it is not violent.
I listened intently to one reasonably looking, properly dressed, without horns on his head, protester at the border at Coutts in Alberta. Just few hours after police sized a truck full of military grade heavy guns, ammunition and arrested leaders of a group, who brought that truck. Not one or two crazies. No, organized group prepared and advocating the use of power to overthrow government.
The young man was resigned, sort of sad, his dream of his freedom has just died. He claimed not to have any knowledge of that paramilitary group that was part of the convoy. It is possible he was telling the truth. I hope so. And, in a tragic voice, almost like Hamlet, he said: ‘we came here in peace and we will leave in peace’. Like I said, he didn’t look like a crazy populist, Trump lover or evangelical devil. He even talked properly, in good literary English, suggesting that he possessed some form of proper education. And it fails me to comprehend how such a person cannot understand how he came to that protest. It was not peaceful act, by any means. He came with one reason and determination (apart from any ideological or idealistic convictions that he might or might not have): to prevent access to international border crossing to commercial and private drivers. Not by persuasion, by argument of a speech to those willing to listen and follow. No, he came to physically block that border with a large vehicle used as a barrier. That’s a definition of violent act – to stop someone against their will and right to go about their business. Bodily harm is only one of many acts that could be described as violence. I hope that he was allowed to leave in peace. It doesn’t give me any pleasure in seeing people thrown in jail. But that pleasantly looking young man was lying and lying purposefully: he did not came in peace. He came aggressively, with violence as means to achieve his goals. I choose this man and his sadly misleading statement as description of sizable portion of the insurrection in statu nascendi – an attempt at insurrection.
The second is hard to describe in a short piece (as this one) in a clear chain of actions leading to a goal. It is a religious component, shown very clearly by many members of the protest. The very common usage of words and terminology (‘God’s right’; supremacy of ‘God’s commandments’ over any state laws, et ceatera) coming straight from very orthodox Christian ideology and most visible in American-style Evangelical Churches. It is a terrifying message for any freedom-loving modern democrat. It terrifying for any descendant of European philosophy of Enlightenment and Reason. In short, it represents the Christian version of Islamic jihadist movement. It goes beyond any reason or any attempt of coming to some mutual agreement, some negotiations. It is only ‘us or them’, no middle ground. Orthodoxy defies logic and reason, is not flexible to any argument – hence no common ground could be found. One part of it though, particularly the American style Evangelicals, does require counteraction from democratic State and from society at large: it is the element of white supremacy and racism, central to some of their beliefs. It strikes at the core of modern liberal state of tolerance and inclusion. When the protesters on Parliament Hill starts the day (way too many days now) with their Jericho March – the symbolism is not lost on anyone. The Parliament, the heart of our democracy and state, is being viewed as “Jericho’ – biblical fortress and city that needs to be destroyed and (according to Bible) will be destroyed.
The third part – the most innocent and naïve, perhaps – is the no definable but understandable array of people tired of pandemic restrictions, of being told what and how you should conduct yourself, the medical restrictions. You name it and it is there. Some of it is (specially the medical, scientific facts and undisputable – albeit hastened and somewhat risky – research) difficult to understand for many. Others could be prone to smartly devised and distributed messages contrary to official federal, provincial and Public Health authorities policy. If these restrictions were for month only, even for a year – it likely would not create such a strong opposition. Because the virus doesn’t care about our policies or how people feel about them – it lasted much longer. Huge group of people in Canada, finishes the pandemic (still existing) poorer than it was prior to it. Yes, it is very true, that a sizeable group of lowest earners during the first wave of COVID19, was treated by the federal government with much more generous cheques that their pre-pandemic income. But by the end of 2021 – that generous amounts got smaller, more difficult to obtain and encroaching high inflation left them much poorer than earlier. At the same time – thanks to modern, aggressive capitalism, which is the scourge of liberal democracy – almost all corporations, their presidents and top executives made huge financial advances. Which was like a slap on the face of ordinary citizen. That group and their emotions are the easiest to understand, to sympathize with. The problem is that, for lack of clear distinctions, they were swallowed by the other groups and messages. Just by sharing the same ‘spot, time and pot’ – they co-signed the rest of the convoy insurgency. They never attempted to distinguish their grievances from other, more nefarious messages.
The fourth part is the most dangerous. One that truly pose the greatest risk to the stability of state, perhaps it’s survival. One that existed for many years in Canada and many times posed that threat. It is based on Western separation from Canada, living our Confederation and forming separate state. It is strongly rooted mainly in Alberta (to a smaller extend in Saskatchewan and very small parts in BC), with long tradition. The fundaments are based on Christian faith of evangelical persuasion, unfettered free enterprise, self-reliance, minimal role for state powers, antisemitism, Anglo-Saxon superiority. To name a few. Politically is to the right of the right. Part of their scenario to achieve its’ goals is clearly a slogan, that the road to freedom is marked by hail of bullets. True for most religious zealots and for French and Bolshevik revolutionaries alike.
One of the most prominent activist in that movement is no one other than Pat King. Yes, the same Pat King, who was arrested today in Ottawa. The same one, who was one of the main organizers of the Truck Convoy; who daily personally provided directions and directives to the huge group that occupies Ottawa; who regularly posted podcasts calling for harder stance until full victory. And one must assume that the victory would mean the abolition of the democratically elected Government of Canada, with Royal Assent from Governor General granting the Convoy leadership a new government/directorate introduced by Senate. At least those were the terms in an official letter to Governor General and Senate.
If this does not constitute a formal insurrection and sedition – I am at lost to what does.
In summary I have no clear answer to the question if the Declaration was necessary. Or, to say it more precisely if it could have been avoided. I think it could have been avoided by strong and decisive actions at the very beginning of the protest. Before it truly become insurrectionists and seditious. But nobody did. And by doing so, forced the hand of Federal Government.
I have listed here four main scenarios and narratives of the movement called ‘Truck Convoy’. These that are visible by naked eye, without the use of a microscope. There could be one more. Very sinister and far-reaching. I am sure one that is (or should be) contemplated and studied by national spy agencies and services. Not only in Canada. Here is my sinister, imaginary (?) theory of true conspiracy or unprecedented heavenly coincidences:
many years ago (therefore well remembered by me, as age gives the advantage of the vantage) Preston Manning launched in Alberta a movement to kill the old Progressive Conservative Party and return it to more western-based, Christian value-induced, fundaments. At that time the Conservative party was truly a pan-Canadian institution represented by staunchly pro-federalist leaders on national and provincial stages. They were the descendants of Charlottetown birth of Dominion of Canada.
Manning successfully wrestled the conservative movement in Western Canada from the hands of the progressive wing to more traditionalist, western-based and Evangelical bedrock. That split meant that there would never be a next federal conservative government as the two different factions of conservative movement would split the national vote giving victory to their arch-enemy – the Liberals. Reform Party was born.
Stage was set for young, intelligent and ambitious politician, Stephen Harper. He proposed that both party should form a new one, combining forces together. Thus a new, Conservative Party of Canada was born. Over time, the new party tended to start moving to the West and to more Reform style of politics and policies. The progressive element lingered in Eastern and Atlantic provinces. Strong regionally, weak federally. In 2015 Harper lost his re-election. He could have loose it, very possibly according to polls, to NDP. But a new star was born in Canadian politics. Son of no other than Pierre Trudeau – politician hated in the West with a passion. Justin Trudeau. His victory was stunning and overwhelming. He won subsequently two more elections – but none as huge and impressive as the first one. That means that Conservatists lost three elections in a row. Some understood the simple math – if the party does not move more to progressive policies it might become government-in-waiting permanently. Hence a flirt of last leader, Erin O’Toole, with more centrist policies, less of ultra-right. Unfortunately for the party, O’Toole was not a strong leader nor visionary. The Reform wing of the Western protest grew. Knives were sharpened. Leader, who just won leadership battle (but lost a national election) of the party, met his deathly fate. The date was February 2. Twenty days later a Convoy of Trucks starts driving toward Ottawa… Coincidences? In politics there are very few. The Interim Leader, Ms. Berger and staunchly ultra-right and first candidate for national leader, Mr. Pierre Poilievre, showed friendly and supportive gestures to the Convoy in Ottawa. Poilievre even broadcasted a message: “I’m proud of the truckers and I stand with them”. Perhaps a chance that the trucks would become his vehicle to leadership victory? Maybe my fantasy soars to high … but Machiavelli did not invented politics based on lack of ethics – he just described them in his book. Just read how many Russian tsars died of natural causes … . Just musing, that’s all.
Eh, speaking of tsars and Russia. The Convoy gathered huge financial support from many sources. Mainly from the US. No, not the federal government. From you-know-who and his camp. And gathered enormous international coverage. Some tried to have it repeated in Europe. Very seriously. Yes, during this February, February, when Russian armies congregate en masse on Ukrainian border. First as a serious military threat to international order and peace since the Cuban Crisis during Kennedy’s presidency. That would be convenient if capitals, railways and border connections were to be occupied by convoys, would it be, Mr. Putin? Yes, you Mr. Putin, you, who helped so much Mr. Trump to win the presidency. Just musing, that’s all.
February. Strange month. Exactly on February 2nd in 1982, I landed in Canada. Forty years ago. As a result of Martial Law in Poland. The day of the proclamation of it, I was no longer in Poland. Few months earlier I went to London (had to borrow 100 US dollars from friends to get the visa, and a 100 dollars was a huge amount for me) to study Polish Marshal Jozef Pilsudski documents preserved in London’s Institute by his name (the only military and state leader, who defeated the Soviet army and won war with them in 1920). Being there I was aching to go back to my work in ‘Solidarity” in Warsaw. But my contacts in Polish pre-war constitutional government-in-exile in London and constant talks with friends in Poland were clear that something terrible might happen at any moment. My father, who spent part of his youth in Soviet camp, implored me not to come back saying that one more dead body will not help Poland. I think it was a bit too dramatic, but I was only 20 years old! Dramatics work at that age. In a way he was right, though. Right after the declaration of Martial Law the communist police came for me to my parents’ apartment. But at that time I was already in Italy, waiting for my refuge ticket to Canada. Over the last 40 years my feelings and attachment for my new country grew immensely. I don’t know if they are stronger or even as strong as my feelings in 1982 for Poland. Probably not. When you are twenty years old, your love and passion is not comparable to any emotions in later years. But my love for Canada is a love of an adult, mature man. It is based on observations, judgments, even calculations. Emotions and logic combined. Ethical and practical. It grew much stronger in the last twenty years. Thanks to our strong commitments to tolerance, because of beautiful mosaic of more and more visible races, colours, shapes and traditions. Sometimes irritating, because we are creatures of habit and it is not easy to open oneself to different experiences. But I love it: the array, the choices, the multitudes. If humanity is to survive, I think that our model is the one to follow. Yet, I know that things like that do not happen by accident. They are result of policies, laws. Of choices. Polish national symbols, the flag, the White Eagle are forever enshrined in my soul. And so is the Maple Leaf (with colours was very easy: both are the same – one horizontally, the other vertically). But February is a strange month. In February 2022 I am sick of seeing Canadian flag and Maple Leaf. Of constant parades of this symbol next to vulgarity, next to hateful messages, on trucks glaring at night under the apartments of tired residents of my capital; on trucks and on shoulders of people blocking our border crossings and causing hundreds of millions of dollars losses and lost wages to countless victims of these actions, on back of hooligan dancing on grave of Unknown Soldier on Parliament Hill. In my Canada the Flag is treated with respect it truly deserves. My Canada earned that respect. Earned it the hard way, after many painful mistakes. And no achievement is worth more, no respect more admirable than the one learnt on own mistakes. It is the same emotion as the one young person feels, after getting the first earned wage. Not given but earned. I do hope that by the time most of you will read it – that Canada will be on its way back. We need Her.
Are we a nation divided, as some politicians are trying to tell us? Because nation truly divided has no alternative – it has to listen to one another and it must find solution, compromise, common ground. Otherwise, it has nothing. Mountains, rivers, plains, forests, oceans are not Canadian. Nature has no concept or need for ‘nationhood’ and ‘statehood’. If there is one for Nature – it is Earth, planet: a place to be, to exist. Mountains in one country crumble, its icefields melt and huge rivers in another die. The borders don’t change or protect anything. But not so for people. We need to depend on one another. That’s all that is required at the end. We might argue, might get angry at each other but deep down we do care for each other. If it is all just individualistic, just many I’s – it is perfectly good cosmopolitanism. Which is OK, as far as I am concerned. I like to hope and believe that I could live in any country, any that shares or displays my set of values. But in some I would do terribly. Therefore, my cosmopolitanism is not all encompassing, maybe even very narrow. My age, experience (I lived for short amount of time in two countries: England and Italy, for much longer and very formative – childhood and youth – in Poland and most of my adult live in Canada), being a member of very distinct minority, which was persecuted for a very long time, even during my youth makes me (I think and hope) a good judge of what country I could live in and share the responsibility for that country.
Therefore my cosmopolitanism is not all encompassing, maybe even very narrow. My age, experience (I lived for a short amount of time in two countries: England and Italy; for much longer and very formative – childhood and youth – in Poland; most of my adult life in Canada), being a member of very distinct minority, which was persecuted for a very long time, even during my youth makes me (I think and hope) a good judge of what country I could live in and share the responsibility for that country. There are countries, societies I would not do well in and would not want to add to their well-being because their well-being would add to my ill-being.
‘My’ country is like a garden – it requires care and some labour, some watering, pruning. Doesn’t have to be perfectly manicured like old French jardines royaux. That labour should bring you pleasure and allow later for time of idle relaxation. Otherwise, it could become a menace of overgrown weeds, branches. Something that scares you more than brings a smile.
But even in a country like that, there could be serious disputes, times of opposing visions, right to protest. Because what is the shortest definition of modern democracy? It is the government of majority that protects the rights of minority. Rights of majority are protected by the law of inertia, so to speak. Unless the government consists of suicidal maniacs, of course. Naturally, that tenet of democracy implies by itself that any minority does not mistake the protection for a right to forcing its view on the majority. A right to abortion, for example, does not imply that every pregnant woman must have an abortion. A right to marry by same-sex couples does not mean that heterosexual couples can’t get married. A separation of state and religion, even secularism of state, does not imply that citizen does not have a right to hold and practice his/her religious beliefs – it does imply, though, that she/he can’t impose these beliefs on others. In a word: a tree, flowers, grass and shrubs can grow and will be watered and cared for tenderly but it can’t become a jungle and overtake our house. Simple.
A minority can feel at times that their views are not protected or guaranteed. Thus, it has a right to ask for better protection, it can argue it in court, during political debates, during protest, demonstration – finally: during national or local elections. But it can’t and should never be allowed to disregard elections results and the rule of majority. It should never usurp the supreme right of Parliament and constitution. Actions like that are called revolution, insurrection, sedition. If these actions were to be successful it is an end of democracy and what would ensue is terror. The only way you can exercise power and control of majority by minority is through terror, sheer physical power. There is no other political possibility. You can’t persuade the rule of minority over a majority without the fear of persecution. End of story as old as any civilization of humankind.
This is exactly, without any unnecessary flowering of words and dancing around issues, what’s happening in Ottawa, in Coutts in Alberta. When a small minority of truckers and their supporters invade and occupy the centre of Ottawa – with huge trucks that are as menacing as military vehicles, when they make the residents feel like hostages in their own homes and places of work, worship and social gatherings, when the Mayor of the city pleads with them for days to leave, when the top City Police commander admits it is beyond his and his force’s capabilities to remove this illegal occupation of city’s core – it is not a protest. When big part of Alberta-US land crossing for business and commercial travel is shut – it is not a protest. When the demands are not for allowing for some accommodation and resolve of grievances but to reverse the policy of all levels of government (federal, provincial and municipal), policy supported by huge majority of Canadians, such as the public health regulations during pandemic and vaccination – it is not a protest. Finally – when the demand is to attempt to overthrow the government legally and lawfully elected in a very recent national election – it is not a protest. It is an attempt at sedition. No more no less.
I will not allow myself to get into an argument about pro or contra vaccination, about businesses closures or shut-downs. These issues were clearly discussed during federal election and during many provincial elections. The platforms offered clearly stated what the wining parties were prepared to do. They won and they did. End of story.
A federal politician, Member of Parliament of any party should be ashamed to offer support to these actions of the Truckers Convoy, which is so clearly not about truckers at all. It is a politically manipulated movement of extreme right wing groups, in cohorts with racists, trumpists and foreign, US-based Trump followers.
Therefore, when a Conservative party MP tells me that we must understand these people, we must listen to their arguments and find a solution because Canada is divided – my answer is that Canada is not divided at all. Huge majority of us followed the recommendations of provincial and federal leaders and health experts. We social distanced, we got vaccinated as soon as we could, we curtailed our social life. For two years almost. Awful, terrible years. I hated every day of that. But I understood, and so did most of my compatriots, that it was necessary. That, yes, I do have a responsibility to others and their lives. That it is the garden I agreed to tend to. That I have a social, binding contract.
It is not Canada that is divided. It is the conservative movement and Conservative Party that are divided. It just, in the middle of the huge occupation of Ottawa, revolted against its own leader and in a secret ballot ousted him. It is divided between more progressive, modern forces and extreme elements. And the extreme, to the right of the right groups staged a coup within the party. But the final word will belong to their own National Convention, not to 129 members.
No, Canada is not divided. We are united in our silent, strong majority. And we just about had enough of the antics. It is very telling that the Conservative members of Parliament – after kicking out their leader, choose as an interim leader Ms. Candice Bergen, known for publicly wearing a “Make America great again” hat in support of Donald Trump.
Ms. Bergen – did you have a dream that the Truck Convoy would really repeat the infamous January 6 insurrection on the Capitol Hill in Washington, this time on our Parliament in Ottawa? And with a success? Thanks, but no. We don’t want Canada ‘great again’. We just want it better than before.
After many years of refusing to apologize to First Nations of Canada – the Catholic Bishops offered their ‘sincere apology’. It was neither an apology nor was it sincere. Actions speak louder than voice, dear bishops. You came short on the ‘action’ side by milestones. And years too late. You, who made the most money on that scheme called ‘Residential Schools’ of all others. You, who committed the most of all the heinous and unspeakable acts perpetrated against these children, forced into your ‘care’ by barbarous law of the land. No other entity (other than Canada as a state) came even close. All other Churches, much smaller and poorer than you – accepted their guilt, apologized and paid agreed upon compensation. You should have paid for, depending on the sources, between 60 to 70% of all the Churches, who run the schools, since you operated 60 to 70% of them. The United, Anglican and Presbyterian Churches paid their share years ago.
Let see how much you actually were assessed by the Courts to pay. Was it close to the 60 or 70%? And did you actually paid the survivors for the their pain and suffering?
Dr. Mike DeGagne, president of the Nipissing University in Ontario and recipient of the Order of Canada researched that problem rather well and that research become to be known as the “The Catholic Church Math” – an innovative ‘school of math’ very different from that taught at schools and universities. I would call it, appropriately, heavenly math. Very different from Earthly math known to humans from times much older than Catholic Church.
It first started as a normal math and logic. Through consultation and court rulings it was agreed that out of all reparations owned to survivors the Government agreed that since the Schools were established by Government – it assumed responsibility for 70% of all damages. The Churches were assigned 30% of the settlement, out of which, logically, close to 70% was assigned to Catholic Church. All parties involved agreed. Again, logic was, as it should be, the prevailing argument. No, the State (Canada) did not committed such heinous, criminal acts as the Churches. Yet, the State gave the Churches almost a free rein in running the schools and therefore it’s culpability is and should be the largest. The State was the proverbial gate guard, who let the fox in and gave it control of the chicken coop. The ‘fox’ , of course, being the Christian Churches.
After the reaching the agreement, the Catholic Church begun a big scheme. That would amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. Poor Catholic Church, despite being one of the richest institution in the world, could not stomach it.
XVI century, The Pope in triple crown, emperors holding his horse and kings as a vanguard at the front
Thus the Heavenly math begun.
Since this compensation would amount to hundreds of millions of dollars the Catholic Church argued their case. They brought in their fancy lawyers from the Vatican, who argued that the Vatican Holy Catholic Church as an organization did not exist in Canada. Even though the Vatican is one of the richest organizations in the world and have amassed trillions and trillions of dollars over the years, the Catholic Church refused to pay any compensation to First Nations Residential School Survivors. Instead the Church (the Vatican) left the blame to fall on the small components or entities of the Catholic Church that operated within Canada. In short the dioceses and parishes. The Vatican then shielded itself from these entities by insisting that these entities operated outside the Church so therefore the Vatican was not legally responsible for the actions committed by these entities.
Even though these so-called Catholic Church entities in Canada are controlled by the Vatican and send the majority of their money to the Vatican, the Vatican insist they operate outside the Church. Basically what the Catholic Church did was cut off their arm to save the body knowing that these entities in Canada would end up bankrupt before they could pay any substantial compensation to the Residential School Survivors.
Since the Vatican freed themselves of any damages suffered by First Nations people in Canada, any compensation would therefore have to come from these so called Catholic Church entities. After much debate the Catholic Church ‘entities’ in Canada argued down their contribution to the compensations for damages, and in the end the Catholic Church ‘entities’ agreed that they would pay $70 million in compensation to the Residential School Survivors. The Federal Government stated that the Catholic Churches contribution of $70 million should go to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. This $70 million would go towards the healing aspect of the process.
$70 millions – $20 million (In Kind Contribution) = $50 million
However, before paying any of the $70 million, the Catholic Church in Canada argued that $20 million should come off the top for any and all services that were already provided by the Catholic Church across Canada since the Residential schools closed. These services, the Church argued, included funerals, baptisms, first communions, Sunday service, bible study classes, weddings etc., services that the Catholic Churches would have provided anyways. However, the Church now wanted to be compensated $20 million dollars for all the work they provided within Aboriginal communities across Canada. The Catholic Church called this $20 million, “In Kind Contribution!” This was accepted by the Court and therefore left $50 million of the original $70 million the Catholic Church had to pay to Residential School Survivors. Never mind that this amounts to publicly admitting that all sacraments should be treated as a business commodity with affixed price tag. But this comment I should leave for catholic consciousness to weigh.
$50 million – $20 million (best effort) = $30million
Next, the Catholic Church in Canada argued that they should have an opportunity to raise $20 million of the $50 million and promised they would make their best effort to raise the $20 million dollars. This was titled “Best Effort” and was accepted by the Court. However, the problem with this is that the Catholic Church’s entities in Canada have a hard time raising even one million dollars, let alone $20 million.
80% of the money that is raised by these Catholic Church entities through contributions and/or fund raising etc. has to go straight to the Diocese. The Diocese is basically the administration part of the Church run by Bishops, who in turn send a majority of the money they receive straight to the Vatican. Even though the Vatican argued the Catholic Church did not exist in Canada and left blame to the Canadian Church entities, the Vatican still continues to collect money from these entities. In the end zero dollars of this so-called “Best Effort” $20 million dollars were raised by the Church and thus sadly the Catholic Church never paid one single dollar of this $20 million of $70 million dollars they agreed to pay to the Residential School Survivors.
$30 million – $8 million (Previous Court Settlements) = $22 million dollars
Of the remaining $30 million, the Church argued, that $8 Million dollars needed to come off the top for previous court settlements that resulted when private individuals took the Catholic Church to court for wrongs that they as individuals suffered in Residential Schools prior to the class action lawsuit.
$22 million – $6 million (Future Services) = $16 million
Now, of this $22 million the Catholic Church argued that 20% needs to go to any future services the Catholic Church may provide for First Nation communities in Canada. These future services include funerals, baptisms, first communions, Sunday service, bible study classes, weddings etc. Although these services are services the Catholic Church would have provided anyways, the Catholic Church wants to be prepaid for these services they may provide. Furthermore, the Catholic Church wanted to have these so called future services subtracted from what they had to pay to Residential School Survivors, despite the fact that these services are paid for by the First Nations themselves since many community administrations include Church services within their budget. So even though the Catholic Church would receive payment for their future services through contributions made to them by First Nations, the Court allowed this 20% deduction from the remaining $22 million.
So here is the math. 20% of $22 million is $6 Million that will come off the top for future services the Church may provide in the future even though they provide these services anyways.
More legal skirmishes
After all these deductions, only $16 million dollars was left from the initial $70 million that was supposed to go to the Aboriginal Healing Process to help with the healing process of Residential School Survivors. However, before the Catholic Church handed over any of the remaining $16 million, the Church demanded that they have representatives on the board of the Aboriginal healing Process. These representatives, the Catholic Church argued, should have control over where the money is spent or where it is allocated. The Aboriginal Healing Process refused this demand, but stated that they would allow the representatives from the Catholic Church to sit on their Board. Moreover, the Aboriginal Healing Process would decide where the money is spent.
In response, the Catholic Church refused to pay any of the remaining $16 million of the original agreed $70 million to the Aboriginal Healing Process. The Catholic Church started campaigning other Indigenous organizations across Canada, offering the $16 million dollars to any organization that would allow the church to control where the money was spent.
Most of the Aboriginal organizations refused the Church’s offer. Finally the Assembly of First Nation (AFN) under Phil Fontaine agreed to accept the $16 million under the Catholic Church’s terms. However, Phil Fontaine resigned before AFN could receive the $16 million and when Shawn Atleo became National Chief, he immediately reneged on AFN’s previous agreement and refused to accept the $16 million. Instead, Shawn Atleo openly insisted that the $16 million must go to the Aboriginal Healing Process. When the Church again refused, the Canadian Federal Government finally intervened and forced the Catholic Church to pay the Aboriginal Healing Process.
However, the Catholic Church only paid $14.4 Million and kept $1.6 million. The Church insisted this $1.6 million was for administration cost. After evidence came in showing the Church lied, the Courts stepped in and forced the Catholic Church to pay the remaining $1.6 million. Finally, in December 2015 the Catholic Church paid the remaining 1.6 million.
There you go – according to (and approved by Canadian Courts and Government) ‘heavenly math’ of the Holy Roman Catholic Church (or the Canadian ‘independent entities’ of the Church) the unspeakable crimes of cultural genocide, rape, physical and mental abuses and finally death of many, inflicted on generations of First Nations Children is worth 16 million dollars.
Have you ever visited any of wonderful cathedrals of the Church in Canada? These ornate, grandiose buildings in all type of architectural styles, adorned with rich tapestry of art? To any of its basilicas, oratories? Have you? No, not your local and often poor wooden church of your local parish. Have you seen the vastness of land the Catholic Church owns in Canada from sea to sea to sea? The properties in the middle of most expensive cities in Canada like Vancouver, or Montreal, or Toronto? Not even churches or other sacred places. There are hospitals (like St. Paul in downtown Vancouver), schools of all levels, businesses. I would not ask if you have visited Vatican City and seen the grandiose, stunning and overwhelming beauty and richness (bot spiritual and also very much material) of this place. There is not a single Imperial or Royal Court, Palace or castle anywhere in the world that can compare to Vatican’s splendour.
And that Church, that Religious Institution was able to gather only 16 million to pay as reparations to survivors of the hell called Indian Residential Schools. 16 years after many years of court battles and legal challenges. it took years for its Canadian bishops to utter ‘we are sorry’.
Your Eminences – I don’t trust you and I don’t believe you. As religious leaders, as shepherds, as administrators you have not only mislead First nations in Canada, you have mislead your flock – you mislead Canadian Catholics, who honestly believe in your message, your service and your honesty.
The chorus of voices behind each of the chosen answer is deafening. And probably each equally wrong. For – in my opinion – the answer is simple: neither. And that opinion is not based on moral, ethnic, philosophical or political reasons. I base it on … demographics.
Just few years after my arrival in Canada, in 1986, European immigrants formed huge group of roughly 70% of all people born outside of Canada; second group, far behind, were immigrants from all Americas (15%); close to them were immigrants from Asia at 9%; people born in Africa represented 4%.
Now jump thirty years to the future, to 2016. Immigrants born in Europe were 33%; from Americas roughly unchanged, at 16%; born in Africa double in size to 9%. Asian born immigrants placed at record 40%, becoming the dominant new Canadians born outside of Canada.
Mind you, this numbers do not count Canadians of European, Asian or African heritage, who were born already in Canada. These are just first generation Canadians. Like me. Did you notice the huge change, though?
Yes, Canada is – and will become even more in coming years – a different country than it was when you were born here, definitely different than the country of your Canadian parents and grandparents. That also has a statistical effect on how all Canadians perceive our Canadian past, our judgment of that past. Our expectation for the future.
We will never know it, but I will risk assuming that if in 1982 (the year I arrived in Canada) some Royal Commission or National Inquiry discovered and truly showed to the public the story of Residential Schools, the huge damage it has inflicted on First Nations – there would have been no Parliamentary or Government acknowledgment of the crimes, no national ‘we are sorry’, as it happened in 2008 Apology delivered by PM Stephen Harper. Why would I assume it? Because in 1982 Canada was a different country as far as the fabric of our society. In that country it would have been wiser politically not to fully accept facts and issue ethical response. Settlements probably would have been paid (probably smaller) because the courts and independent Commissions would have established beyond doubt the harm and guilt of Canadian government and our Christian Churches. But the affair would have been called an old policy mistake, reparation paid, few still operational schools closed and that would have been the end of it. It was a different world. I remember it well. Not only in Canada.
But times changed. And so our country and the people, who live in here. This is not a judgment on descendants of French and Anglo-Saxon original settlers. Their values and their knowledge and sense of history was different, too. Their stories told by their parents and grandparents were the stories seen by their eyes, their understanding of the world around them, not by objective view. My story of my homeland, Poland, was different when I was 10, 15 or even 18 years old. Very different then my story of Poland now, 40 years later. Even those, who finished universities and colleges were taught from history books of previous generations. History glamorized, made heroic. It was needed to build and to make strong a very young nation. Nation, which just went through horrible experiences in First and Second world wars. How a nation that just sent thousands of young boys to die for freedom of nations far away, across an ocean, could have itself commit a crime against tiny nations of poor Indians?! That was beyond comprehension for many. It doesn’t change the facts of that terrible crime, doesn’t absolve the astonishing lack of morals of politicians and governments and Churches in good first half of XX century. But it was a time, when news and facts were not as easily noticed or reported as today. It does make it easier to understand the ignorance of that crime among general population.
And now, in 2021, on July 1, I am ashamed of the past of my history. My, because, as a Canadian, I have accept as mine also the history of my country. My country – Canada. I have never stopped being a proud Pole. Who is ashamed of some parts of Polish history. Parts of very anti-democratic and xenophobic temporary, today’s Poland. Because of that old knowledge, I can say as a proud Canadian, that any form of xenophobia is the worst national feeling that can be. That we should always fight it within ourselves. That feeling of being better than others is not a good feeling. It is a poison that seeps into healthy patriotism and makes it bitter and sour. Having these two alter egos – the Polish and the Canadian – makes me very aware of it.
I like stories. Often tell them myself. Do you know the difference between ‘telling a story’ and reminiscing? Both involve past and often are of personal experience (although story could be of other people’s experience, known to the teller, or even be of fictional characters and place). The main difference is that a story has an informative and educational message. What it used to be called: a moral. Reminiscing is mostly of sentimental value and reason.
My story of today takes place in time long ago and of time present. A visit to an Indian Reserve in the middle of 1980’ and visit to reserve on July 1st, 2021. On Canada Day.
In the 80’, after working for few years I got restless with my job (well paid unionized position in Catholic School Board) and quit. Needed something new, more challenging. It was first and only time in my almost 40 years now in Canada, that I was unemployed. Still knew very little of the system, of how it all works. Being young and a bit of a ‘smart Alex’, I felt above asking anyone for good advice. I will find my own way! Or so I thought. I found some intriguing ad about some insurance/financial/investing company looking for new ‘ambitious’ people. Knew nothing about that field. Zilch. After all investing and finances in communist system were really a totally different concepts from another planet. And that’s where I grew up and educated myself. What an opportunity to try myself in a truly capitalist field, I thought seeing that add. Of course it was an absolute scam, as I learnt quickly. The ’firm’ was telling us that the best to start and learn is through sales. Sales of anything. If you learn how to sell any product, you be good in selling serious product and services. Let’s go to do some ‘field work’. The manager and his assistant noticed that I have a new , good size car and suggested that they, myself and another promising applicant will drive to that experimental field. Right away I didn’t like the fact of using my, not the company’s car for such trip. Perhaps that was also part of the test and building of trust and finding an unorthodox way? Who am I to judge? My trunk was filled with heavy bags full of stuff. We drove just outside of city limits in Calgary and parked by the gates to Sarcee Indian reserve. The manager instructed us that once we park inside the reserve, each will grab a bag and spread out to find any single (the best) or group of young people and sell our product. Radios – 30 bucks, flashlights – 15, cassette players with speakers – 40. All the best imported from USA and Japan. Who sells the most – wins a special gift and an offer of employment. Let’s go! My head was spinning as I started the car and crossed the gate. We parked in central place, close to the entrance. I opened my bag – full of cheap and flashy Asian electronic junk. What the hell?! Did I move back in time and going to be traveling salesman with flashy junk to sell it to poor Indians?! I put the bag on the ground. The manager yelled at me – come on, faster, we don’t have much time before the Chiefs kick us out! That was enough. I threw the other bags to the ground and yell back: get the f… out of my car now. I am not a f… colonial trader in XVII century Africa. I am leaving now. He was shocked and confused. Locals started looking at us hearing my yells. He tried to calm me down and resigned said – ok, let’s go back to the office, we will talk there, I will explain it to you. I said that I am leaving. But alone and I don’t give a s… how they will get home. And I left.
That was my first encounter with Canadian Indian Reserve and Canadians perception of them. Today the Sarcee nation is known by their own historical name Tsuut’ina Nation. Since that time they have become powerful and resourceful tribe with strong social, economic and educational base. Instead of scamming traveling salesmen with cheap watches and other junk they are visited by Calgary’s mayors, premiers and economic ministers of Alberta, reps of powerful corporation, who want to deal with them and offers of contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. But there are still, further form large urban centres, small secluded tribes living in abhorrent conditions. And still being subject to indecent and dishonest deals.
Few days ago I went again to First Nation Reserve. This time by myself, to celebrate Canada Day. How better to celebrate this country if not among it’s first, original inhabitants, guardians?
That decision came easily for me. Should I just pretend than nothing is happening, that there is an uproar of sadness, anger and discontent on this Day? What to do with it/ Some were cancelling the celebration, some were planning to organize protest, some wanted to say “I’m sorry”. But sorry doesn’t cut it anymore. Burning old churches doesn’t cut it, neither. Just get together and talk. We leave together, on the same land, none of us will disappear anywhere soon. Get to know each other. Specially Canadian, who are not from First Nations, should really try to get to know indigenous people. Don’t be ashamed, or to afraid. We can’t re-write history but we sure can write a better, respectful of each other, future.
Went to the largest reserve in Nova Scotia, located between Halifax and Truro. What used to be called Indian Brooke Reserve, but is actually Reserve of a tribe called Sipekne’katik, that is a part of people called L’nu (popularly called Mi’cmaq). All this names, starting with the stupid name “Indians”, is also an effect of our total ignorance and arrogance, lack of basic knowledge. All these tribes have names, they have history, language. Canada is a continent, for havens sake! People in Europe are called sometime Europeans – but each nation has its own name and language, sometime more than one! German is not a Pole and Italian is not Swede. Just as Korean is not Vietnamese. Our Haida people on Pacific shores are not Prairie Blackfoots or Maritime Mi’cmaq. It is really not that complicated. No more than the difference between ‘British’, ‘English’ and ‘Welsh’.
top left – author in front of L’nu Sipuk Kina School; entrance to the Village from Robinson Rd. ; Community Centre and Administration on Church St. ; bottom – St. Kateri Tekokwitha statue by the RC Church; view of Church Street toward Tuff St. and Sport Complex. (pict. by the author)
The Sipikne,katik village is large and well developed. Big church, large cultural and civic centre, beautiful school, few stores and businesses, relatively well maintained properties. One main road and few smaller ones interconnecting the territory. That special day was a huge motorized parade to remember the lost children – these days subject on everyone’s mind and weighing heavy on hearts. There was a special gathering on sport grounds with music and children. Specially the beautiful children, all (as adults) wearing the dark orange shirts, were making me very happy and extremely sad at the same time. Just as, when I went later to visit the grounds of former Residential School to pay my respect. I watched from a small hill, were the school used to be, as one family were leaving their car: parents in their twenties and three small children. And I imagined how the RCMP arrived with some cars and were pushing away the screaming, horrified parents and taking away the crying children in a wagon to some far away school. For many years to come. Some never saw the parents again. That image brought tears to my eyes.
site of former Indian Residential School on the banks of Shubenacadie River (main building no longer exist, what’s left are three residential wooden buildngs of nuns, priest and caretaker). From top left – signs erected in of the old Nuns residence (#16 Indian School Rd); top two right pic – ad hoc prepared spot for burning of incent and sweet grass to honour lost children; next row – a place on the ground where you leave your offering and prayer; next three pictures of a post sign with arrows directing toward different locations of schools with recently discovered unmarked graves – notice the sign to Carlisle in Pasadena in USA, where number of boarding schools and number of Indian children confined to them is many times larger then Canadian numbers, yet the US Government never attempted a national investigation and full report of atrocities committed against US Indigenous People – ; bottom row: the only remaining part of the school building, a steeple from the school with one small room filled with children’s knickknacks; view from the hill were the school was toward the three remaining (unoccupied and in a state of disrepair) buildings; a young Mi’cmaq family on the nearby field (pic. by the author)
Back in the village, in the sport grounds, local young guys were sitting by a huge band drum. We exchanged few words, they gave me ‘v’ sign (when I was their age, we, “Solidarity’ activists in Warsaw, were giving ourselves the same sign full of hope and determination) and started playing the drum and sing. Amazing concert, so powerful, so touching. I didn’t need to understand the words – they were so plain in emotion. As you listen sometime to some amazing operatic aria sung in a language you don’t know – yet, you understand it so clearly. Because emotions: pain, happiness, sadness, longing, caring, love and friendship need no translations, no explanation. That moment I shared their pain and their hope and their pride. Therefore yes, I can say that I felt proud as Canadian on Canada Day. By sharing and understanding very raw and very clear emotions of my fellow Canadians from Sipekne’katik tribe.
pictures form the diamond sport field and the band drummers and singers; flag in front of the School
I don’t know if I ever had a such good and really proud Canada Day. It was mixed with sadness and hope. Like a true, on epic scale, story of human condition. All humans. From the beginning of times.
A nation that can accept it’s dark past is on a good way to bright future. Feeling sorry for wrongdoings of one’s ancestors does not equal assuming personal guilt. It equals understanding of harm done and naming a crime – a crime. Making sure that nothing like that will happen again.
notes to ponder …
Every social unrest, every protest movement, call for justice, for equality, is a long and arduous way. None are easy and easily achievable. Even when the general political atmosphere is amicable and open to find a solution. If the political will is antagonistic – it could lead to skirmishes, prison terms, police and even army interventions, bloodshed. It could take years, decades to achieve measurable change. In a short time it could lead to worsening, persecution. Even provocations. Just look at the Black Rights movement in the USA. It started in the 60. of last century. And is still not finished. If not for people like dr. Martin Luther King and his non-violent philosophy (based on Mahatma Gandhi movement in India during their struggle for independence) there would have been rivers of blood flowing like a torrent. King’s and Gandhi’s movements take years, are slow and based on moral superiority of argument against the argument of brute force. They seek not retribution but recognisance, equality not superiority. And even that slow and non-violent way does not guarantee success. Or the success would be bitter sweet (India ‘s independence ended up in breaking up the country, mass exodus of Muslim citizens, their persecution and executions from fellow Hindu majority – despite the fact that both groups have similar ethic heritage). There is always a more radical, more impatient or revolutionary segment of disadvantaged group: Black Panthers versus King’s movement in US; Fathah versus Hamas in Palestinian cause; and one of the oldest scourge of social hatred: traditional white Christian antisemitism in Europe and countries where European powers established new colonies that later become new, independent states. Yes, main Churches in last almost hundred years, specially after the horror of Holocaust, denounced the old tradition. Popes decried it. But old official Church policy and doctrine doesn’t change easily. It always lurks in the dark places and dark souls. People were shocked, when few churches were burnt in Canada. I wasn’t. Did not support it but wasn’t surprised. Apart from the State, which is responsible for setting up the system of these horrible schools and is responsible for not checking regularly how were they run by religious authorities – the Catholic Church acted the worst in the way they run it and are the worst in the way they responded and responding to Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. Not by what the bishops and clergy are saying in public but in what actually are they doing. So I was not shocked that probably some angry young individuals or organized group set the few churches ablaze. It is still possible that it was even done by not Indigenous persons but by provocateurs seeking a strong negative reaction from general public. Roman Catholics still form a majority of religious denomination in Canada. Yet, I didn’t sensed a strong negative reaction to the news. To the contrary – a muted understanding. Of course, if actions like that persist – the feeling might change. I don’t thing we will see more of these burnings, though. A statement was made and was understood. As for the the so called ‘profanation’ of church walls by painting on them hands of young children – I am shocked that the press and news even used that term ‘profanation’. Harming and killing children was profanation. The act of paintings their hands on church doors and walls in my view is totally acceptable and has a very deep, just meaning. I applaud it. Building in Saskatoon a huge new cathedral for quarter million dollars, while arguing in front of court (successfully, sic!) that the Church can’t afford paying 24 millions dollars as reparation to First nations is a profanation. It is worth noting that despite all of it, the Indigenous people are very religious and by large part Catholics themselves. But that’s entirely different subject.
Residential Schools and modern day placement of native children in the care of non-native families and system (provincially mandated but with tacit support of federal authorities) is a drama without comparison to none other in Canada’s history and Canada today. It affected and affects everything that happened and that is happening to all First Nations. Abject poverty, lack of resources, lack of education, high unemployment, pervasive alcoholism and drug addiction. All of it was almost (an argument could be easily made that it was indeed) planned, arranged by local colonial powers and even more so, by the new Canadian Confederation. The country we call our own. To say the truth, I am having a lot of doubt if that system of full cultural genocide would have happened if Canada remained a fragmented colony for fifty or seventy years longer. Separate entities of Upper Canada ( present day southern Ontario), Lower Canada (Quebec and Labrador) and three Maritime Provinces. That would mean no creation of unified confederation and no strong federal executive and legislative power. With much stronger oversight and decision making from Great Britain and it’s Colonial Office. The precursor to our constitution and the still important core of it, the British North America Act would have not happened.
Our renewed national discussion of our past ignited again the controversies of whom we admire, who is the hero of Canada’s history. More or less, who is the Father of the Nation? And centres very much so on the person of John Alexander Macdonald. Was he or wasn’t he? And if he was the Father – was he a good, wise father or a bully with drunken rages? Smart and competent to achieve his goals but bully nonetheless? Let’s go back a notch to remember what happened circa 1867.
Of course, as we know very well – history could be re-written many times but historical facts can’t. Yes, there was a Maritime Conference in Charlottetown called by Tupper and Howe from Nova Scotia that was going to discuss possible unification of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. But delegates from Upper and Lower Canada asked for permission to come and observe. Such was granted and those guests quickly posed a question: why only Maritime Provinces? Perhaps we should unite all of Canadas into one confederation? And that, ladies and gentleman, was the night that the conception of Canada happened.
Why do I bother writing about the obscure tidbits of history if the text might suggest to be about the effects of Residential Schools and in general the planned and executed action of destroying political, economic and cultural base of First Nation? Also their biological existence, if not totally, than in numbers greatly diminished and easy to control.
The very recent discovery of hidden bodies of children buried deep in the ground by Residential School in Kamloops surprised and shocked many Canadians. Shook the nation to the core. A lot of us. Except … the First Nations themselves. They knew that many such hidden graves exist. They knew because that’s not an ancient history and old tales and myths. That’s now, very recent. Their uncles, maybe even brothers and cousins, great aunts and great uncles. Those that everybody in the community knew they existed, were forcefully snatched by raids from their petrified and crying parents, placed in the Residential School and never came back. Were never seen or heard of. They were not the children of proud tribes sought of, as a powerful allies, in the great struggle between the French and British empires and later in the struggle to maintain British territories during the US War of Independence. Those nations and tribes the King and Queen in London signed treaties with. No, by the end of the first two decades of XIX century they become an obstacle to plans of the new settlers. The colonists, who wanted to wrestle more local control from the imperial Colony Office in London. These colonist had neither desire nor respect for the spirit and letter of these treaties. The settlers wanted more land and control of natural resources and the religious leaders of these settlers couldn’t stand the savages, who would not recognize the new Christian god. The native gods and beliefs needed to be destroyed and the administration and interpretation of the Treaties needed to be wrestled from London political master and given to local legislative and executive powers in the new colonies.
Finally, the War of Independence, won by the new United States in 1812, forced the British and their Colonial Office to push for some form of political unity, some sort of federalism between separate colonies, hoping it will better protect the British territories and interests against the republicans from the south. That push came in the form of uniting Upper and Lower Canadas into one Canada Province west of Maritimes. And in New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island an attempt to unify them as one Maritime province or federation. Both interests – the Empire and the Colonist in North America – converged at convenient time at the very moment of history in the middle of XIX century.
On Canadian and Maritime side there were many politicians, regional or local leaders, opponents and proponents of unity in what become the Confederation. Almost all of them could be called Fathers of Confederation. Generally we call it the Charlottetown Conference. But that was only preliminary discussion. It was followed by Conference in Halifax and Conference in Quebec, which by far was the most important. The Quebec accord spelled and crystalized the boundaries of political powers, the separation between British Parliament (and Colonial Office) and new confederation legislative, judicial and executive branches. And the ambition for importing from Britain the tenets of ‘responsible government’. If Charlottetown and Halifax gave some general architectural idea of the new political structure – it was the Quebec Conference that produced first concrete drawings of the design.
All of it would have been in vain if there wasn’t a push for some sort of unification of the Provinces in Britain itself. The Colony Office in London could have and would have scuttled it at the bud. Probably without even a need for Parliamentary debate either by the Commons or by the Lords.
There were very few main architects of the entire project. Many others that helped and whose support was indispensable. But the main architects remained the true Fathers of Confederation. Some of them, like Joseph Howe and notably John A. Macdonald, were strong opponents to the idea at the beginning.
Other truly great leaders were George-Etienne Cartier from Quebec, George Brown from Ontario and Charles Tupper from Nova Scotia. It was mainly thanks to strong support of Tupper, that Macdonald rose to prominence and took the reins of the debate (aside from Macdonald personal skills as shrewd politicians on almost Machiavellian scale). Tupper did not like George Brown (who was one would say the anti-thesis of Macdonald, as Brown believed in a democratic and ethical government) and neither liked nor understand Cartier and the intricacies of Quebec (Lower Canada) French culture and politics.
I would suggest that if not for the support of Tupper, it would have been very likely that Macdonald would never rose to the prominence that he achieved and that led him to become the first (and lasting) Prime Minister of the Canadian Confederacy. In comparison to Cartier and Brown and their leadership – his star was of second category. Although it shone as superstar in category of shrewdness, lack of morals, thirst for power.
Enough of the annals and internal battles, debates of the articles of Confederation both in Canada and later in London, where the final birth of Canada happened. They were done, cooked and signed. New Federal Government of new (almost) independent state-dominion was formed. And victorious Macdonald become the first Prime Minister of Canada. With the passing of times he become a legend. Monuments were build, streets and buildings of prominence named after him. If there is a conscious afterlife – I am sure that John Alexander Macdonald soul is smiling in the glory. But it probably gets a bit angry in the last decade or so. Some begin to lose faith in that heavily colorized portrait.
After studying his life and carrier a bit more in detail and less from propaganda pages of some school texts and popular government pamphlets – I have some opinions and a bit more clear picture. Not a scholarly one by any means. I am not a Canadian historian by any stretch of imagination. Just a history buff at times.
Here is my sketch of Macdonald in a few movement of a pencil.
He was a very intelligent and shrewd politician. Hungry for power. A good lawyer with ability to concentrate on minuscule detail to achieve the greater goal. Good debater with the talent to steal the moment and force others to notice him and pay attention to him. A drunkard, who could function rather well with his alcoholism. Scheming on the level akin to dangerous courtiers from a time of absolute monarchs.
His government introduced bribery, nepotism, patronage on a scale never repeated again in the history of Canada. I would dare to say and dare to argue in any debate, that if John Macdonald won a majority in any general election in Canada in the past 30 years – he would end up in prison. Or, at the very least – be kicked out into oblivion from political life. Even in the circles of Conservative Party. His great admirer recently, Jason Kenny of Alberta, would most likely scream in the Legislative Assembly in Edmonton: get him out of here right away!
Macdonald didn’t risk winning elections by giving people a chance to make their mind, by a true debate (in which he was very skilled after all). No. That’s like playing a roulette. A politician should not play roulette. So he would appoint every little government (state) position only to people, who would understand where their sympathies must stay. From every tiny post office, every railway station, everywhere that state employee or commissioner would and could affect the daily life of a citizen.
He would have been horrified of the Office of Election Canada and the fact that it is not stuffed from top to bottom with party patronages. In 1885 he forced a legislation that gave him (or any other Prime Minister at that time) the power to appoint (by strict party patronage) a federal Revising Officer to supervise elections in every riding! No wonder he could be seen by some modern prime ministers as a hero and saint – they could have only dream of it. He himself called it ‘the greatest triumph of my life’. Not the Charlottetown Accord and the British North American Act – but the obscene patronage that goes against every principle of good democracy. That also paved the way for party discipline and the death blow to parliamentarians independence. The golden standard of the day (in many ways still existing in many parliaments, including Britain) was a relatively broad independence of judgment of a single Member of Parliament . Governments did and do fall, when Cabinets fail to persuade their own party parliamentarians during a debate in House of Commons. Not in Canada anymore, thanks to Macdonald. Party leader is almost like a monarch itself. Members form the line or face political death. Some still valiantly protest. But very few survive the consequences.
With one exception – Macdonald did resign as Prime Minister after the eruption of the details of enormous bribery scandal in giving the licence for Canadian Pacific Railway company. The amount of bribes his party and MP’s received and the bribes he took for himself is of no comparison to any other corruption scandal in Canada before and after.
Many bad traits of today executive and parliamentary branches of Government in Canada could be traced back to John Macdonald. As one British newspaper reported in 1891: “ For twenty three years, Sir John and his party had maintained themselves in power … by a colossal system of bribery”.
And since the Rapport of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission many years ago it become painfully clear that John A. Macdonald was the man responsible for creating the infamous system of Indian Residential Schools in Canada. Now we are just learning of even more horrid facts of these Schools.
Yes, the worst transgressions, crimes calling to Heavens, were perpetrated by the Roman Catholic orders and clergy (overseen by Canadian bishops). While Catholic institutions were the worst, other (United and Presbyterian Churches) committed crimes, too. At least the others offered uncontested and unreserved apology and responsibility – the Catholic Church failed again. From the very top in Vatican to every diocese. In a way we are used to it – from scandals in Ireland, in Quebec in the 30., 40. and 50; in Newfoundland; in Poland; in the USA and many, many more countries. But here, in this article, I deal with the secular, the power that gives consent and institutes policies and rules. And one particular, most powerful politician of that time. The one, who factually could be called the Father of Indian Residential School System. John Alexander Macdonald. Politician, who for a long time enjoyed the status of national hero, nation-building leader. Father of nation. Was he?
In my opinion not at all. In neither of these titles, epithets. He does have a very prominent role in our history. Was a very skillful politician. But neither a hero nor a father. I will not miss his monuments, educational, cultural or administrative buildings named after him. He has a solid and permanent place in Canadian history. In history books. But it is not a place of great leadership and definitely not a place of public celebration.
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