O Canada. You are the country that raised me and gave me a huge part of who I am. I love the life I have because of you and you've given me so many good memories. You turn 148 today, but Dear Canada, this Canada Day I have to say that you've broken my heart.
I know I'm pretty late, but I just found out about Bill C-24 and I can't tell you how upset it makes me. (For those of you who don't know about this bill, you can find more information on it here and sign the petition to stop it here).
*Note: I am aware that Bill C-24 also applies to those with dual citizenship, I've written this from the angle of someone not born in Canada because that is my experience. Much of this likely still applies to those that are compromised due to their dual citizen status/qualification.
Dear Canada Bill C-24 makes me feel unwanted, and dehumanized. You're telling me that because of who I am, I am less worthy of rights, and in turn, dignity. That the truth of who I am, my identity, means I am not and can never be a "true", "proper" Canadian.
Dear Canada, you have literally made it so that certain people are considered "better" by birth. I thought we'd realized that was not right a long time ago.
Dear Canada, why does the fact that I was not born here make my citizenship mean less? Why is it okay to single me and people like me out and make it so we have less rights? How can you persecute us for who we are? (I won't get into it, but that's getting into dangerous territory, you know. Many of the worst tragedies in human history started because of this.)
O Canada. Why do you think that we wouldn't stand by you when we are the ones that chose you. We wanted you. And every day it seems you want us less and less.
O Canada how could you do this to us?
O Canada do you not know how hard it already is?
It's hard giving up everything you've ever known.
It's hard having to walk around knowing that people see and judge you immediately as "different".
It's hard feeling left out because there are always those that don't make you feel wanted (there's a reason we tend to stay with those of similar background and not completely mix into society you know).
It's hard having to wonder if it's wrong that you've given up pieces of your culture, if you've given up pieces of you that you shouldn't have.
And still you push on.
Because you have to.
Because you're changed now. And if you go back to where you came, you'd be too Canadian to fit in.
It's hard being in that strange in between, not feeling like you belong. Too Canadian to be what you were, too other to be Canadian.
O Canada do you not see how hurtful you're being? Many of us already don't feel like we belong, and now you've added another thing to separate us. you're practically telling us we'll never be good enough to you. Divided we fall, no? It's united we stand.
Dear Canada I believed in you. I believed you would always be that beacon of hope and goodness you've become celebrated for. But you failed me and I feel like my foundation has been shaken, you've failed me and so many others that believed in you, too.
Dear Canada, the trope is that we came here for a better life. But is that really so? I know, and know of so many people that were medical doctors or held doctorates who have to work the lowliest jobs over here. Many of us give up better lives to be here. If anything we came here for the freedom, for the rights that were supposed to be afforded to all of us and recognized. That's the greatest thing we have here and you're taking that away.
O Canada don't you see this is how you get people to hate you? You make them other. You single them out as not worthy. And it hurts. And out of hurt can grow resentment. Out of resentment, all those things you are trying to avoid. People will wonder "why should I love a country that does not love me, that does not want me". You've given them a reason to no longer want to be good to you.
O Canada do you really think it's worth it? Sure it might make it easier to deal with a couple terrorists but in the process you have alienated and attacked millions of good people.
Dear Canada, we know this was likely something cooked up to persecute Muslims. First off, you are horribly misguided there -- a Muslim is just as likely to be a good person as any other; and second, you are hurting far too many in this endeavor to make it worth it.
O Canada, you are better than this. You know discrimination is wrong.
O Canada I leave you with this: I can't love you if you turn your back on me; and I can't be a good Canadian if you don't give me the chance.
