by: Bogumil Pacak-Gamalski

My rocks. Rocks that were placed many, many years ago alongside the shore of a narrow channel separating Halifax and Dartmouth and connecting Bedford Basin with the ocean. Massive rocks, powerful, buttressing the shore against natural erosion.  Making the narrow but very deep waterway safe to navigate by small and humongous boats, ships of commerce and ships of war. When I moved to Nova Scotia with my amazing husband, we started living right on the edge of these rocks. That’s how they become ‘my’. Silent and soothing companions of my hundreds of walks, short and long ones, during day and at very late evenings, some right into the night.

My rocks. As they were. My support, my anchors; indeed my rocks. Perhaps witnesses to my last stage of my beautiful Canadian journey.  From the blue skies of the Prairies  and towering peaks of Rocky Mountains, through amazingly beautiful Pacific Coast and equally amazing city of Vancouver – home to many exhilarating years of my life journey with John, my husband and lover – to the old shores of where Canada begun. Atlantic shores of Nova Scotia, it’s Acadian past, it’s Celtic and Scottish past, it’s Black settlement past. As Vancouver is an epitome of future and rapid change, Halifax is it’s opposite: anchored in the past. And it would be sad and detrimental if it would change. The past is the most important jewel of Halifax, alongside the rugged beauty of the province’s nature.

My beautiful Canadian journey, or  journey through my beautiful Canada. Country that grew and aged , as I grew and aged. Don’t know – other that from talks with older Canadians and many, many historical books and accounts of history – any other Canada, neither colonial nor Dominion years. The country was born exactly as I came to it. At the beginning of the 1980’, when the late Pierre Trudeau finally brought the North America Act (basis of Canadian Constitution) from London to Ottawa. We become a new fully sovereign and independent nation and state. It’s hard to imagine and fully comprehend today – but all my Canadian compatriots of my age (and many thousands younger two decades) were not born in sovereign and independent state. They were born in British Dominion. I know only free Canada, independent. My home that never belonged to any other country. I belongs only to us: Canadians.

Canada – my rock. Country were I found my life’s love just few years after landing on a snowy evening in Calgary. My love to young Canadian with rich Canadian history reaching hundreds of years of his family’s roots exactly in Nova Scotia. I forgave him that he was born as a Dominion subject of foreign country, ha, ha.  We never suspected at that time, that we would ever end up in Nova Scotia. The West was his and my home. And the West was a force at that time. It was growing, expanding. We had the Rockies, powerful rivers that were originating right in our background, in the ancient icefields of Athabasca. These rivers – the only place in the world – fed three oceans! Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic.

From Alberta we went across the marvelous Rockies to Vancouver and lived there for quarter of a century. In the meantime I travelled all over Canada, eager to get to know my new homeland and its people. From Newfoundland to Yukon. I liked what I saw. I liked the people. They were warm and hardworking. Respectful. Tolerant.  For a guy, who came here from a Soviet-dominated country, who was openly gay (at that time being gay was not the most ‘convenient’ way of being …) – that meant a lot. I know what it means being persecuted or not tolerated. What it means trying to hide your own self or face scorn, perhaps violence. Canadians were not perfect, sometimes they were a bit … how to say … parochial? But they were trying to understand. They were good folks. All these years – they were. Good folks. Changing, learning along the way. Keeping up with changing times  and world oscillating from good ol’ tolerance to much more powerful and encompassing empathy. After all – tolerating someone is really not the same as accepting someone as equal.

Pictures above from years before 2022

Suddenly something happened. Something we didn’t expect. None really, nowhere.

In the United States – our neighbour and powerful cousin – Americans elected new president. Donald Trump. The world will never be the same. The world, not only US or (because of our proximity) Canada. Suddenly everything was possible. Every sewer, every swindle, lie, every vulgarity become something normal. The gutter moved to the bedrooms and the salons. To the highest Office.

America is said to have changed after 9/11. That’s true. But not as much as it has changed during and after Trump. 9/11 – as tragic and painful as it was – brought Americans together. Trump divided Americans.

Every self-serving ignorant, every self-absorbed arrogant, every fascist climbed out from under the rock and become important, loud, demanding. Or simply taking ‘his’ by force, with gun, with the power of a heavy boot. His and her freedom. No, not Freedom per se. His freedom and her freedom.

And what is freedom? Political and personal freedom? Why was it important for Canadians in the 1980 to take the full and total responsibility of Canada in Canadians hands? Why the same Americans (really at that time absolutely the same as those settling in Nova Scotia, Upper  and Lower Canadas) rebelled against the British Crown in 1812? Why in 1980 the Poles rebelled against the Soviet ‘care’ (I am proud to have taken small, but important in my region, part for that early rebellion of Solidarity)? Did we all and separately wanted to establish our own Polands, Canadas, Americas? Built on our own, personal and individual visions? No. It doesn’t work like that. Unless you are living on unpopulated island. No, we wanted to build a country based on modern democracy with fundamental rights and responsibilities. Rights and responsibilities based on the wishes of majority. Not a majority in a village, or town, or province. Majority of the entire country.  We have established Offices and Institution independent of political parties to supervise these elections. We have agreed that yes, each election time there will be victorious groups and , yes – groups of losers. Until the next election, when every political Seat of Power could be won again (or lost again). We have also established ways that each one of us can contest the results as unfair or skewed.  Again – there are non-political bodies and Offices that will look into our grievances if they merit any action. Up to and including making the entire election void and fraudulent and calling a new one. We can’t guarantee that an armed and well organized group would not organized a coup and take political and military power in their hands. Just tried to be mindful and ready for it. The same as we can’t guarantee that anyone of us would never be robbed or even murdered. Generally speaking that’s how Canadas, Polands and Americas work.  In a democratic world.  In the America they had one big hiccup at the beginning – the South wanted to leave the Union and Civil War begun. The South lost. The Union prevailed. Period.

Huge majority of Poles, Canadians, Americans, French and others accept it. I guess, one could run a lottery for government and parliamentary seats. But majority (again the bloody inconvenient majority …) decided that the risk is too big and we are stuck with the elections. That’s how it works. Or how it worked.

Until that day. The day Trump won. But especially the day Trump lost.

Because trumps don’t like to lose. They will lie, they will cheat, they will kick and scream and never accept a defeat. Churchill once roared to the Brits: we shall never surrender! But it was a war with a foreign aggressor. And Churchill won last election, was not running for new one. He was leading his entire, not divided, nation to arms against a mortal enemy.

Trump did not faced invasion of foreign armies. He faced his own nation. A nation that told him: no, thank you. Enough. He did try all the possible legal and lawful ways to claim fraudulent election. And lost in every instance as the election was fair. But trumps accept rules only when they suit them, help them. Otherwise rules  are simply an obstacle. Obstacle that needs to be destroyed. He knew that during the past four years he has awaken the self-serving ignorant, every self-absorbed arrogant, every fascist  from under the rock. He told them so many times: f..k the establishment! you are the ruler of your own dominion, you are the master (master! – their favorite name). He gave rise to the sewers and the sewers overflowed on the Capitol Hill.  Caesar Nero burned Roman Capitol Hill. Trump covered Washington’s Capitol Hill with excrement.  

If it happened in some other small country, the world would only shrugged its collective arms. And would continue going as a day before. But it was America. Country with enormous persuasion. The ignorant/arrogant sewer was awaken everywhere in North America, in Europe, in South America. Few years later that sewer spilled in Ottawa, on our Capitol Hill. Because people didn’t like wearing masks and taking vaccines! Yes, seemingly normal people (plus highly paid US-supported trumpists) decided that they are not going to be held hostage to some inconvenient sanitary rules to save thousands of lives of other fellow Canadians. That they don’t give a s…t if they spread the virus to someone, who will die. It wasn’t their problem. It was the self-arrogant and self-ignorant Canadian. The one, who listened to the conspiracy theories instead of the best medical and scientific minds of the world. No, they were not going to be some ,Muslim terrorists’ wearing masks!  I will not comment on that awful (that I have heard personally)  racist ‘Muslim’ argument. Besides – they are suffocating in these masks! Although not a single reported incident of anyone suffocating to death in these masks was reported, but … . But it was against their freedom.

What were we saying about the freedoms and responsibilities? That one exist only in tandem with the other? Hmmm. The sewer in Ottawa flew for much longer than the sewer in Washington. It ended with Canadian version of Martial Law.  Most of the cases of arrested leaders and conspirators have not gone through courts yet. Some Canadian established political leaders wanted even to capitalize on that stench of sewer and mingled among the Brigade of Destruction soldiers. Soldiers of self-righteousness, arrogance.

There was one more element introduced by Trump to the relatively normal and civil discourse. It was greed. Achieving financial gains not as a result of work, talent, prudence, but as a result of being void of any ethics – personal greed.

The pandemic has overblown it and inflation resulted from the pandemic and war in Ukraine followed. But not only. Almost all large corporations, private and public , decided to face and combat the inflation for their personal gain. Prices went up everywhere almost automatic. Well above any inflationary rates. If an owner of rented apartment paid five dollars more for a pound of carrots – next month the owner charged the tenant two or three hundred more for the rent. Just in case the carrots went up again by a dollar or two … .  Big grocery chains made millions of profits above the pre-inflationary profits. The list goes on and on.  

Canada today is not the same Canada I knew. Not the one I love.  Maybe other countries changed for the worse, too. I don’t know. If they did, it doesn’t give me any solace. I suspect not all did as much as Canada, though. The social/welfare state is much stronger in majority of European countries. Always was. Therefore I suspect the  poorest one there are still being looked after better than here. I see homelessness and downtrodden everywhere in Halifax. Much more than three or four years ago. Almost left totally to their own devices, which they have very little for obvious reasons.  With rise of poverty – other vices rise too. They affect the more fortunate also. It affects all of us. Mentally, physically. At a time, when help is very scarce.

What it has to do with my rocks? A lot. They changed too. Often, I pretend I don’t notice it. Turn my head the other way. Pretend they are as supportive as before. That they are still my buttress against the forces of nature.

I used to go on my walks always with my camera ready. Hence, on my social portals you probably have seen hundreds of photos of similar views of Halifax, bridges and Bedford taken from My Rocks. Always a bit different angle, light, detail.  But from the same trail. Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. Five years.

Well, today the camera took different pictures. From the same trail. Post-trump time. Time of self-indulgent arrogance, ignorance. Time of poverty, homelessness. And time of simply: I don’t give a s…t, it isn’t my problem. Sad.

Until it becomes your problem, until you start again giving a s…t, until you notice that personal greed does not make you richer but poorer as a person – it will not get better. There is not enough money in all of Canada to satisfy completely everyone. Just as there is only one winner in every election. 

I miss my Canada I fell in love with many decades ago.  Can we please  try to bring some of it back …

I just lost my most precious, personal love of my life. It is hard to wake up every day. But when I do get up, it would be so nice to go to my Rocks for a nice walk.  To admire the rugged beauty of the shore, the vistas of Halifax, our bridges, to reminiscence the beauty of Pacific and Vancouver, the peaks and valleys of the Rockies. Most of all to remember and admire the good people of Canada, our Canada. My folks, good folks.

Of course – sunsets, sunrises, shapes of air and water, shadows of land are important. Who knows? Maybe they are the most important or even the only things important, when everything is counted and done? Who knows?

But time and again, we are reminded that politics (local and national and international) do have a power (often used) to invade our pristine soulful life.  And I am reminded that I am a political animal. Always was. Since the time I was fourteen or fifteen and typed on a manual typewriter (with  carbon papers to fill as many pages as possible) anti-government (at that time it was anti-communist) slogans. Later I would personally visit as many as possible press clubs in Warsaw (they were called Empiki –  clubs to read free of charge national and international newspapers) and insert these subversive texts  between pages of popular periodicals. They didn’t use cameras at that time in public spaces as they do now everywhere, LOL. I was not afraid that someone might denounce me – that work was mine alone, a lonely wolf. Organized anti-government work came few years later, in the “Solidarity’ movement.

For the past forty five-odd years I do the same. But openly, under my name. In press, on social  (as this one) channels, in various organizations, different roles. But mostly as the lonely wolf again. Don’t trust governments and politicians. But do trust independent judiciary and legal system. Independent, public commissions, inquiries.

For some weeks now, I observe with full attention the Federal Inquiry on the recent use of Emergency Act (what used to be called War Measurer Act).  We all lived through it. We all were (to a point) traumatized, when it happened and traumatized by the events that led to it. I will not list events that led to it. At that time, as majority of Canadians, I strongly supported it and believed that all possible other resources and actions failed to bring resolution to the situation and it could not be allowed to continue anymore.

photo by Brett Gundlock for CBC News, from Wikimedia Commons

That it is not to say that I was happy to see it used. It is a tragedy, when a government is forced (or otherwise makes that choice) to suspend certain (or possibly most) freedoms of citizens.  According to what we all witnessed through TV channels, all mass media, pictures, videos, live reporting – all regular levels of security and policing (local, provincial and federal) failed and were powerless to stop the anarchy. Stakes were extremely high on national and international levels (blockades of extremely important border-crossings with USA). Tensions were raising.

But, when the dust settles, one needs more answers. More than just news reports and live coverage. Were all possible resources used, were all policing and enforcing applied using regular laws and Acts? Just because a politician say so – is not good enough.   The Inquiry itself is a good thing and it is very good that the Inquiry has to happen whether the government or Opposition wants to or not.  Such Inquiry is part of the Act and has to happen every time the Act is invoked. That is very good. It speaks volumes of the maturity of our democracy in Canada.

Until now majority of witnesses were police commanders or high ranking police officers from city (Ottawa), Province (Ontario’s OPP) and neighboring similar agencies. It proves to be interesting. The police officers tend to be … hmmm, full of themselves. Probably a mental professional luggage. We had a good plan! It could have worked! The other (read: Ottawa Police) force was disorganized, not us (read: Provincial Police)! If we had more time or intelligence we would not failed! Yes, the Act was helpful, but telling the truth we could have achieved the same using existing, regular laws! At times I have hard times to comprehend their statements. Is is possible that their memory is so fragile or do they portray another reality? Only when pressed by questions of legal counsels, the self-assurance weakens, softens. Or crumbles altogether.  This time a recorded history of events, cameras and reporting helps. You could have had … but you didn’t. That is a fact. Not an opinion. It is possible that you would have finished it. But when? After a fire bombs would start exploding? Remember that each of the huge trailers were full of gasoline, not water. After street fights between terrorized citizens of Ottawa and bands of ‘freedom fighters’? After someone would have died? There was a plan but … . But it didn’t work Mr. Commander or it couldn’t work. Otherwise there would be no Emergency Act and no Inquiry.

I find it very disrespectful of Canadians that premier of Ontario, Doug Ford refuses to testify. There is a legal battle now, whether he can be forced (as the Inquiry demands). One of the most important politician, premier of the province where it was happening. One, who endorsed the Act. But now it is inconvenient politically to enrage fellow right-wingers?

Politicians should testify as it is the politicians, who make the decisions, not the commissioners of Police Forces. Looking forward to hear from PM Trudeau and other federal ministers. They already said that they will absolutely testify. Hopefully other ones, too. In order to learn, to avoid unnecessary use of the Act in the future.  It should always be the last resort, not a convenient way to settle political discontent. Despite my own understanding that the Act was at this time right answer (perhaps it should have even be used earlier) to the situation – I am also open to the possibility that it wasn’t necessary, that other solutions existed. And as a citizen I have a right to know it. After all, any extraordinary suspension of any freedom is a very dangerous proposition.

That the ‘Freedom Convoy’ was a disgusting  display of arrogance and an assault on Canada, our democracy, our institutions is clear to me beyond any doubt. But whether a right tool was used to squash it – is not a forgone conclusion, yet.

by Bogumil Pacak-Gamalski

There is very few Canadians, who remember in their lifetime, any other Canadian Queen. Our monarch and constitutional Head of State. Elizabeth II – the only monarch I had, having been born and raised in a country that was a republic. At that time no less than a communist republic. That was also long ago.

There is millions of Canadians now, who have no special connection to the monarchy. They or their parents came here long after the 2nd world war. The last time Canadian soldiers actually fought for king and believed they did so not for Canada alone, but for the king, too. It was important for them, had an actual meaning. Canada in 1939 was actually still a Dominion, not even a fully sovereign country.

However, when I took an oath to become a citizen of Canada – I took an oath of a sovereign Canadian State and I pledged my loyalty not as a Dominion subject to a British Monarch. No, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau must have been aware that I would not have like it.

I landed in Canada in frosty evening on February 1982. A month later, in March, Pierre Trudeau passed a Bill in our Parliament establishing a full repatriation of our Constitution from London and full sovereignty of Canada. Elizabeth II proclaimed this sovereignty in April of that year. That meant a lot to me. I do take oaths and pledges seriously. I wanted to live in Canada, not in a dominion of another country. And if Canada was a constitutional monarchy, I wanted to have a Canadian monarch. That our monarch, for undeniable and absolutely valid historical reasons, is also a British monarch and resides permanently in London (the one in Britain, not in Ontario) doesn’t bother me. I’m satisfied that the monarch’s General and Lieutenants Governors do represent the monarch well and are willing to constitutionally stop elected politicians from forming autocratic or tyrannical power. And every Canadian prime minister and provincial premier is well aware of it.  Therefore the appointment of every Governor should never be treated as political patronage and ‘pay out’ for old political parties hacks, as was the most cases in our recorded history (in Dominion and in independent Canada). It takes away from the dignity of that position, therefore takes away from dignity of the Sovereign. Last  appointments broke from that ugly tradition and three of them seemed very excellent: Michaëlle Jean in 2005, David Johnston in 2010 and current, Mary Simon in 2021.

I have never personally seen Elizabeth II during Her visits to Canada. To think of that, I have never seen here any other Royal Family member. Being hardly a person to line up streets and wave little paper flags is not my style. Not that there is anything wrong with that – but I have a particular aversion to it from childhood and very early adulthood during communist times, where it was often required. I preferred watching Elizabeth on TV, reading articles about Her visits. But I did see Her, Diana and Charles (our current Monarch) and beloved Queen Mother in London, England. Lived there for almost a year in 1981, walked by Kensington Palace almost daily and, of course, ventured few times to the gates of  Buckingham Palace. Did not know than that She would become my Queen. Martial Law in Poland in December 1981 and a communist police looking for me at my parents flat near Warsaw changed everything. Few months later I was in Canada.

I can’t say for sure when and how I become a strong proponent of constitutional monarchy. I was always astute and serious observer and participant of political life. Never missed a single provincial or federal election (did miss few municipal ones). Never been a member of any political party but have very strong political views. Voted for all main political parties according to their platform: for old Progressive Conservatives (not a single time for new Conservative Party and doesn’t look that I ever will, as I detest and don’t trust any populists parties); for Liberal Party and for New Democrats and never regretted my vote. That political astuteness with passing years clarified my views on the institution of monarchy. I looked also to other – mostly European – monarchies. It all lead me to strong opinion that constitutional, modern monarchy offers the best protection for democratic (or, using old British term: responsible government) institutions, works strongly to deter overgrown ambitions of elected politicians to become tyrants and autocrats. Our, Canadian Monarchy offers the same to us. And that should be at the heart of our, Canadian, consciousness. Our country, for better or for worse, is a result of British colonization and that forms obvious and historically correct tradition, even if no longer as obvious present reality. Apart from French/Acadian/Quebec failed attempt at New France (and we do recognize their distinctiveness), Canada that exist is a result of British tradition. And traditions (including also not the best ones) are part of a soul of any country.

This is my tribute to our late Sovereign, Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada. She did serve us good. With grace and reverence we, as a country, deserve. The Crown served us good. Britain not always, but the Crown did.

Generally speaking, the British Canada started here, in Halifax, in Nova Scotia. I know, there is hardly a city in Canada that looks more and screams “England!” louder than beautiful Victoria (yes, named so in honour of Elizabeth II great-grandmother, Queen Victoria) on Vancouver Island. Love that city and had countless visits there. But as far as true historical political roots of British Canada is concern, it is here – on the shores of Atlantic, not Pacific. In Halifax.

Today, the same day as ceremonies in Westminster Abbey, a special service will take place in Anglican Cathedral Of All Saints – an enormous neo-gothic structure, next to monument of Scottish national poet Robert Burns. On Saturday I took my walks through the old Halifax. The one that remembers times of beginning of Canada and times prior to Confederation. In the four years since I have moved here, Halifax has changed, too. Specially old, waterfront Halifax. Become (except for very narrow streets…) more modern, with new tall buildings. To the detriment of the old patrician city. It is harder and harder to see the waterfront even from Citadel Hill. I tried, though. I tried to walk the streets that look the way they looked, when Elizabeth become monarch, when her great- grandmother Victoria reigned, from where her great-great-grandfather, George III (the third longest reigning British king) sent his general John Burgoyne to the fields of Saratoga, where he lost America. Here, in local old cemetery lay soldiers , who where shipped from Halifax to the Crimea War in 1854 to the bloody Battle of Sebastopol (today called Sevastopol) to fight Russian occupation of Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria (a déjà vu of current Russian war on Ukraine?). I visited the old Government House (that’s how the seat of British governor where called at that time), an official residence of Nova Scotia Lieutenant Governor, and signed the Book of Condolences for our Queen. That was my private, personal homage to Elizabeth II. My Queen. Queen of Canada.

God Save the Queen.

God save our new King Charles III.