The idea that Canada began 150 years ago is just one side of the narrative. Solidarity Halifax is standing with the Indigenous community in challenging that narrative through its Expose 150 event.
“I think it’s really important for people to recognize the full historical context of the celebration,” says Chelsea Fougere, convener of Solidarity Halifax’s eco-justice committee.
The anti-capitalist organization is joining the many people—especially Indigenous folks—who’ve been critical of the upcoming celebration, both locally and nationally. The group, along with whoever turns up at the event, is aiming to educate.
“We wanna encourage people to reflect on what it is to find pride in genocide and for them to reflect on the ways that Canadian culture continues to harm Indigenous communities.”
Participants are to gather at the foot of the Macdonald Bridge on the corner of North and Gottingen at 7am tomorrow, when there will be plenty of motorists coming off the bridge. They’ll be handing out flyers to stopped cars.
“In schools, in our dominant narrative, we’re just taught the colonial narrative,” says Fougere. “There’s the stereotype of Canada being nice, but that is absolutely not the case for a lot of people.”
The Canada Day celebrations are effectively celebrating the destruction of Indigenous culture, she points out—and that destruction is ongoing. Fougere hopes, at least, people will “think about it” in a way they hadn’t before.