Canada did not merely assimilate Indigenous children; it executed genocide. From unmarked graves to electroshock torture, nutrition experiments, and forced sterilizations, the harm was systemic, deliberate, and ongoing. Denying what it is, or only commemorating one day a year, is no different from erasure.
Every year on July 1st, I find myself reflecting deeply on what it means to celebrate Canada Day. For many, it is a day of fireworks, barbecues, and national pride. For me, it becomes more complicated.
May is Asian Heritage Month. Today, I highlight the troubling situation facing many small business owners operating health centers, spas and massage parlours in Richmond Hill.