Not My Canada (April 17, 2019)

Today

I’m mourning

Tuesday election victory

By Alberta’s UCP.(1)

Placing consecutive right wing

Provincial governments

From New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy

To the Alberta/British Columbia border.

In an era

Of increasing polarization

Over the environment

LGBTQ+/minority rights

And economic growth.

Canada finds itself

At a crossroad

Morally and politically.

Do we follow

The U.S. model

Damn everything else

For outright economic growth.

Where the environment is

A tool to be exploited

Then discarded

When used up.

Regardless

Of the long term costs

For toxic cleanups

And land restoration.

Where LGBTQ+/minority rights

Are impediments

To be crushed

At all cost.

Giving power

To a small

But powerful influential

Religious right

(White Christian males).

Already

Canadians are hearing

“Fake news” being used

By these parties.

Media bashing

For their critical coverage

Of these governments.

Even federally

Trump’s infection

Is being felt

Here.

Turning back

The political clock

To the 1930s and 1940s

With it tint of Antisemitism.

Instead of

Focusing on Jews

Muslims find themselves

In the crosshair of hate.

As it took

Andrew Scheer

Two tweets and 15 hours.

To mention

The Christchurch victims

Were Muslims at Friday prayers

Or what fueled these attacks.(2)

In a multicultural society

Like Canada

Such esponsing of racism

And xenophobia

Is totally unacceptable.

Regardless

Of what reason

Politicians used.

Therisa © 2019

Author’s note:

(1) UCP: United Conservative Party

(2)https://nationalpost.com/opinion/andrew-coyne-why-does-andrew-scheer-find-it-so-difficult-to-say-the-right-thing

Winds Of Change 'R' Blowing (October 22, 2018)

I wear

The pink triangle

Not fashion statement

Some people do

Coloured ribbons.

Rather

Memorial to those

Imprisoned and killed

By Nazi Germany

And its European allies.

Taking back

Symbol of oppression/ignorance

Branding LGBTQ+ people.

Transforming it

Hope and tolerance

Educating people

We're not monsters

To shun/attack.

Especially now

Hearts hardening

Barriers raised

Deemed strangers/different

By influential society members

Xenophobia grows.

Dreaded sense-deja vu

Repeating failed lessons

Of past century

Higher death toll.

Legislating hate/ignorance

Binding laws

Society poorer.

Head hung

In shame.

Therisa © 2018

Author’s note: Too many examples of this type of hate/ignorance, like the protest against Ukrainian:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/18/trans-rights-activists-attacked-with-pepper-spray-during-ukraine-march-kiev

Fortress Europa (January 9, 2016)

www.caef.org.uk

By land or sea

They come

In seeking

The "Promise Land".

Like the Jews

Being led

By Aaron.

Heading north

And west

At great peril

And cost.

In money

And lives lost.

Only

To find

A desolate land

Filled with hate

And fear.

As spools

After spools

Of razor wire

Is strung

Across the land.

Bringing back

Darker memories

Of a deadlier time.

When

An "iron curtain" draped

Across Europe.

In turning

A relative "peaceful" continent

Into an armed camp

With twitchy fingers

On triggers.

As the dead bodies

Wash ashore

In the Mediterranean

And Aegean Seas.


Therisa © 2016

Author's notes: As a Canadian, from the safe haven, of my apartment, living afar, from the developing situation, in Europe, it's so easy, for me, to critique, the actions of the various European nations have taken, in regards, to the flood of African and Asian immigrants and refugees, over the past 5 years. Especially, after extreme violence that has gripped France, Belgium and to, a lesser degree, Germany, over the past year.


As Politicians and right wing extremists have been quick, to blame IS and thus, by extension, the growing Muslim population, who are, the grandchildren and great grandchildren, of migrant workers and refugees, who fled colonial wars, during the 1960s. Have grown frustrated, with the current political and economic system that offers no hope of improvement, by turning to alternative solutions, like extreme Islamic beliefs. This political backlash is fuelling, the growing feeling of xenophobia and isolationism, among these "native" populations.


I realize, there are no quick solutions, this growing unrest, but it's time, for politicians to act, and take decisive action, for the current system has shown itself, to be flawed, and in serious need of overhaul, if Europe wants to avoid the racial riots, like the United States did, during the 1960s. A plan, which meet the needs, of each individual country and not patchwork affair, which only covers up, the gaping holes of European society. Important ideas that have worked, in Canada, but doesn't take into account, the historical problems of decolonialization and dealing with a multicultural society of today.

Welcome To Canada, Eh? (January 9, 2016)

TheStar.com. Designed by Elise Gravel.

Am

Not surprise

Someone has targeted

A gathering

Outside

Of a Muslim centre.

Given

Canada's long history

Of Xenophobia

And racism.

Myself

The child

Of an immigrant.

Who came

To Canada

During the 1950s

As a teenager.

Anger

And frustration

Grips my soul.

Naively believing

Things would be different

For the newly arriving

Syrian refugees.

Being able

To call

Canada

Their home.

Without any fear

Of being attacked

For their religious beliefs.

In leaving behind

All the violence

Of the Syrian civil war

And the refugee camps.

How I do say

"I'm sorry

For the ignorant actions

Of a few bigots?"

As this

Is your first exposure

To life

In Canada.


Therisa © 2016

Author's note: On Friday, January 8, 2016, a group of 30 Syrian refugees, where pepper sprayed, by a passing cyclist, which included children. Under BC law, pepper spray is considered a weapon, and this cyclist will be charged with assault, causing bodily harm. I do hope that this person, has the guts to step forward and take responsible, for his misguided actions. Am, including an link, to the assault.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pepper-spray-attack-1.3396899


Earlier today, a planeload carrying the 10 000th Syrian refugee arrived, in Canada, twelve days later that the Liberal government had originally projected, after realizing the logistic nightmare that faced them. I do hope, with the increase refugees, the Federal and Provincial governments increase the money that spent on mental illness, from its pitiful levels, at the moment. Also, increase their involvement, with affordable housing, for all Canadians, new and old. Thus, everyone benefits from the arrivals of the Syrian refugees.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-canada-syria-migrants-idUSKCN0UQ2HS20160112

Donald Trump (January 2, 2016)

Bill Day, December 15, 2015

The world is

Unfolding

Around me.

It feels like

I'm watching

An old Movietone Newsreel

From the 1930s. 

Instead of

Being shown

In black and white.

It's broadcasted

In Technicolor

On a cable news network.

As if

The world is

Experiencing

A bizarre case

Of deja vu.

With Las Vegas, Nevada

And Richmond, Virginia

Taking the place

Of Nuremberg, Germany

And Rome, Italy.

Even though

Today's date is

December 15, 2015.

In replacing

Jewish people

With Muslims

As the scapegoat

For America's problems.

As the level

Of vitriol and hatred

Is being spewed

By this crass billionaire.

Playing upon

The nation's xenophobia

And want of isolation.

Believing

That distance

And closed borders

Can protect them

From extremists.

Never realizing

This rhetoric is

Providing recruiting material

For the fanatic

On both sides.

Only thing missing is

The sound of jackboots

Marching down

The streets.

As the people stand

With stiff arm salutes

Chanting:

 

"Sieg Heil".


Therisa © 2016

Author Notes: Sigh. This poem took longer to write, than I care for, but I could find the right headspace needed for it. Especially, given the recent events, in Europe and North America. I do hope, the American voter realizes, the fear that Trump poses to global peace, with political stance. I say this, as a child of an immigrant, who came to Canada, in 1952, as a teenager, barely speaking any English.