Great definition! I cringe when I see that “As a Canadian” trend. Canada had 200 years of slavery, abolished 30 years before the US. The original inhabitants of our land are First Nations people who make up around 5% of our population because of genocide. To date, poverty is not tracked on reserves Federally, many FN don’t have basic human rights like clean drinking water. Last year at this time, Canadians were selling stickers that depicted running over First Nations protestors. Can go on and on.
Genuinely I enjoy criticisms of America as a nation for Obvious Reasons of Color but so many of y’all are just like “I hate Americans because they [something only white people do] [something only white people do] [something we’re forced to deal with due to our government] [something that even white Americans will mock you for doing] [something that Canada also does but hides behind the “we’re just super nice teehee” stereotype] [something you’ll only see in like, Maine] [something Americans complain about constantly] [movie trope] [something only white people do]”
Currently “As a Canadian” is trending on Twitter and I just
Can we stop? From one Canadian to another, can we please stop this fucking bullshit?
We have no reason to be sitting up on a high horse like a fucking Mountie smugly sipping a Double-Double while the US self-destructs. Because, whether people want to admit it or not, we are not much fucking better.
There is still a massive amount of racism present in Canada. Indigenous people are constantly being arrested, attacked, or straight-up murdered for no fucking reason. There is still plenty of Islamophobia prevalent in our nation. Pretty much every minority has a reason to live in fear, even in our “happy little maple syrup paradise”.
Unless your “As a Canadian” twitter take is taking into account just how easy it would be for our own growing group of far-right extremists do get the idea to do this themselves, and how we as a nation have a lot of work cut out for us in making our nation a place that is actually as inclusive and caring as we want to believe, then shut your mouth.
Americans don’t need some smug asshole from the North purposely ignoring their own country’s issues in an attempt to feel superior.
Shé:kon, hello. I ask that white people do not scroll past this, and that you please read it and internalize it, especially white Americans.
I’ve been seeing an influx of white people asking/joking about moving to Canada after the events of today (Jan.6 2021) and I want to say something about it.
Many of you talk as if Canada is any better than the U.S when it comes to things like the riots and storming of Capitol hill today. We are not.
I need you to consider how your whiteness makes you view the country north of you, because it vastly impacts it. You likely consider Canada better because we don’t have (or at least you don’t hear of) major police violence, or shootings, or bomb threats. Now, I don’t blame you for not knowing this, but we do. Perhaps not as often, but they do happen, and they are always racially motivated.
You may consider this country to be safer, but to the many black, indigenous, and other people of colour who live up here, it’s not. If anything, I would almost argue it’s more deadly because we don’t get the coverage on racist attacks, murders, and all of that. It gets swept under the rug so much easier up here.
Specifially talking about today’s events, we’ve had gatherings of trump supporters at various locations across the country. I didn’t know about this until very recently, even though they’ve seemingly been going on all day. The founder of the Proud Boys was Canadian. Our Conservative party hasn’t said anything about the events of today, even though many of them have been buddy-buddy with Trump in the past.
Canada is not safer. It is just quieter. Myself and many other Canadians of colour are absolutely terrified right now, because we already can see what to expect coming up; spikes in racist violence will happen across the country, they will be talked about for 5 minutes, they will be brushed away.
Be aware that while you may feel unsafe right now, the joking (or even serious) desire to move to Canada is an ignorant one. Because while you may be feeling unsafe, you still have a massive shield. Even if you’re trans, or queer, or disabled, or neurodivergent, or a woman… you are still white. You are still not the target of these people. You are not their main target, and you cannot act as if you are. The main target of these nationalistic terrorists are people of colour, particularly black people. You do not get to act as if you’re at a major risk here. The only exception to this are white jewish people, as antisemitism is a major card these people play at.
So, please, look me in the eye and tell me how much safer you’d feel in Canada, just because our problems don’t make news like this. The only reason you would feel safer up here is because you would once again have the shield of ignorance. Do not desire to put the blinders on again, not when black and indigenous people are getting the RCMP called on them, arresting them for peaceful protesting against pipelines that would ruin sacred land. Not when I remember at least 3 mosque attacks in the last 2 years. Not when I remember the black people who we have lost to police violence this year just in Canada. Not when I personally have seen mmiw posters for people I’ve recognized in communities I live in. Not when I personally have been facing quiet racism since 8 years old that has had nothing done to rectify the incidents.
White people, use your shield to protect BIPOC. Do not play victim here. You are not their targets.
I have absolutely zero patience with white Canadians looking at the US and going “thank god we ain’t that bad” as through we didn’t do the exact same shit to indigenous communities.
yea this is Montreal, do you want to know how bad Montreal drivers are? only on the island of Montreal, is it illegal to make a right turn on a red light. because they don’t fucking look. it’s the only place I’ve ever been that has lost it’s “turning on a red light” privilege
but yea powdered snow is slippery af and the island is hilly and full of narrow streets. not designed for wheeled vehicles.
I need to reblog myself because I just found this on the gov of Quebec’s website
[id: the first image is a screenshot of tumblr tags. they read: “#I think this is montreal and if it is they didn’t need the snow for this #montreal is a pvp enabled zone #montreal is the worst place to drive on the face of this planet #listen quebec I try not to ragon you because I love driving through your province #but without fail when you see some clown on the road doing something insanely dangerous for no reason #that’s a quebec plate #when me and leyla drove to montreal we were on the highway with a man on a souped up go kart with his child hanging on to him #no helmets no nothing #they know snow tires exist and it snows there every year #all the americans in the tags like ‘learn how to drive in the snow’ assuming that this is like kentucky or something it isnt #this is how montreal lives and this is how it wants to live”
the second image is a screenshot that reads: “Did you know? Turning right at a red light is a privilege that comes with a number of obligations.“ /end]
ifesbob 