Canada Day and thoughts on the DRC

I wasn't born in Canada (Scotland) but I have lived here since I was a toddler, (see picture - me and my Mom circa 1955/56) and so know no other country as home. ( I could carry a UK/EU passport, but I do not, I carry, and have always carried a Canadian one) Other than wide open spaces (the reason for my parents immigration - my father was a hiker, fisherman and mountain climber and found Canada's wilderness compelling. ) I don't think I was a lot better off here than in Scotland, where I would have received a much cheaper education and still had state health care . . . Anyway, I was thinking about Canada on this day when my Facebook friends are all congratulating each other for living in such a great country - and I do wish everyone a very Happy Canada Day. . . and I have to face it - I have a nice house with a great view and a loving family and although we suffer occasionally from a number of maladies and misfortunes - we are better off than 80% of the people in the world. But if you, like me, don't feel free if others are imprisoned, are not satisfied if people are hungry, are not warm knowing others are cold . . . then it is hard. . . I feel connected to the others in the world. All their ills, I feel strongly are partly my fault, my choices help or hinder them. . . so on musing about that . . .

But I am still reeling with outrage over the 1000+ arrests in Toronto - most if not all of them illegal or perhaps even punitive. . . If you are not up on those issues, see my blog from a couple of days ago. . . and yesterdays where I am concerned about increased militarization and feeling like I am in developing police state. . . So reeling about those things I was hoping for some good news, and was not surprised to learn that Canada had asked for debt relief to be withheld from the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo - formerly Zaire), because, although not a big area of work or study for me, I do understand there are many problems in that nation that need rectified - the rape of 10's of thousands of women and girls - see http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=1836 and http://www.stoprapeindrc.org/

or

Eve Ensler's compelling column in the UK Guardian about how helping the women and girls in the Congo will help her feel a lot better about her Breast Cancer -- http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/12/cancer-atrocities-congo-violence;

and the exploitation of children in mines - esp Koltan mines. . . http://makeitfair.org/the-facts/news/child-labour-and-human-rights-abuses-behind-the

But, imagine my surprise to learn in that article in the Star that Canada is blocking debt relief, not because of child exploitation and/or Human Right's Abuses, but because the government in Kinshasa has closed a Canadian Mine --

But a decision on the debt by the World Bank has been put off temporarily at Canada’s request because of concerns arising from a dispute between the Kinshasa government and a Canadian mining company, Vancouver-based First Quantum Minerals.

“Canada remains concerned about the recent cancellation of mining contracts by the DRC government, and believes that the international dispute settlement mechanism initiated by First Quantum Minerals should be allowed to run its course,” a spokesperson for Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said.

Nope, Canada asked for debt relief to be cancelled or postponed, until the alleged unfair treatment of a Canadian Mining company is resolved. "First Quantum Minerals is seeking international arbitration after the DRC government closed its $700 million (U.S.) Kolwezi copper tailings project following a review."

I do hope that some of the unfair mining practices, the rape of the land, and the exploitation of mineral resources, war, violence and rape and exploitation of children is assisted in this - otherwise - Canada is, on this Canada Day, not a whole lot better than some pretty foul places in the world.

So on this Canada Day, I ask you, please, my Canadian brothers and sisters, who share my values, and I believe that is most of you. . . stand up for the rights of people over corporations; people's needs over corporate profits; and the rights of women and children (and men) to live without violence; and make Canada not just the true north strong and free but a strong, free country that stands up for the freedom (starting with the freedom to be sheltered, fed and live without violence)of people throughout the world; strong in defense of women and children, and a country that sends peace keepers not war bringers.


On this Canada Day, I wish I believed in a guy in the sky because I want to pray for change I fear this week, (Toronto police actions, G20 generally, 28 war ships in the Harbour, visiting unelected heads of state; and a valourization of war, children beaten by police in Bangladesh, 10,000 farmers committing suicide in India, continuing control of Monsanto over food, and private corporations over water, climate change and no will to stop it, increasing poverty and alienation in Canada) will never come without divine intervention.

In the meantime though, I ask you to mull over what we need to fix, and how we can fix it, and start with this great column by Murray Dobbin reproduced on Rabble . . . Is this What a Police State Looks Like? Demand an inquiry into what happened in Toronto - this is not just a problem for the Toronto Police, this was Police forces from across the country participating in actions led by the ISU/RCMP.