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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

THIELMANN -- Racism and segregation in the past must be overcome by equality and inclusion today


I dedicated the first 12 years of my legal career to indigenous people. I care deeply for them and share their ambitions to climb out of poverty and to realize their full potential.

Racism is real. I've seen it. We all have. Like all xenophobic hate, it's fed by isolation and resentment. But it’s overcome with love and understanding. So, we should never pretend that racism is merely an unpopular fact. If you care about someone, you tell them the truth, as you see it, even when it's difficult.

That Europeans brought modern civilization to the new world is a fact. That modern medicine virtually eliminated child mortality, which in premodern societies took the lives of about 2 in 5 children, is a fact. That the British ended widespread indigenous slavery along the west coast is a fact.

It is also an indisputable and important fact that the history of Canadian settlement is beset by many tragedies, especially (not exclusively) from the ravages of disease and the segregation of indigenous populations on reserves.

My point, then and now, for everyone who actually wants to discuss difficult issues -- which you may have noticed is rare in politics -- is that *both* the benefits and harms of the founding and development of Canada are literally *incalculable*.

And that's what the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) attempt to do. They are premised upon the myth that complex historical processes involving human interactions over hundreds of years should be reduced to simplistic moral ledgers, with every loss repaid and any gain deleted.

This sort of thing isn't just myopic, it's dangerously counterproductive because it gives reactionaries the impetus to advance their own one-sided narratives of entitlement and grievance. Can you see where that leads? It's not towards reconciliation.

People of good faith are not motivated by grievance or guilt when working together to reduce the real disparities persisting today. It’s the difference between saying “I love you”, and “I owe you”.

That means the full promise of Canadian democracy, the rule of law, and economic empowerment should be accessible to all irrespective of our race or ancestry.

The cure to injustice in the past is justice today.

Racism and segregation in the past must be overcome by equality and inclusion today.

I'm fully aware of the legal, political, and cultural barriers in our way. But change begins by speaking the truth in love. Even when it's difficult.

Tim Thielmann is the Conservative Party of BC Candidate for Victoria-Beacon Hill.

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