Eighty One Canadian Soldiers Have Died In Afghanistan Is The Mission Worth It?
Sergent Jason Boyles is the eighty first Canadian soldier to have died in Afghanistan. Boyles was only thirty two years of age from Lake Lynn Manitoba he was too young to die. According to media reports Boyles family is devastated by the news. Sgt. Boyles was also married and had a daughter. Stephen Harper is still the Prime Minister of Canada. What have the Canadian soldiers accomplished in Afghanistan other then ending up dying and buried in caskets? Prime Minister Harper is exploiting the young Canadian soldiers for political gain due to his lust for political power. Canada has no business in Afghanistan let the United Nations deal with Afghanistan.
Harper has a minority government but over the past few years he’s acted as though he has a majority. The Liberal party lead by the incompetent Stephane Dion continues to keep Harper in power. Perhaps former NDP leader Bob Rae should be the new Liberal leader? Rae is a recognized face in Canadian politics he’s well spoken, intelligent, he has the political experience. The Canadian public knows Bob Rae I think Stephane Dion is still unknown. I think Stephane Dion needs to be removed immediately he has proven he cannot challenge Stephen Harper.
A new poll also states that the Conservative Party is still in the lead with 38%, the Liberals hare at 27%, the NDP 14%, and the Green party hold 12% support of decided voters. Dion is clearly sinking the Liberal party into quicksand and losing the respect of the Canadian public.
Dion talks tough but he sounds like a frightened mouse and is basically a silent ally to Harper. Dion’s Liberals have allowed an extension of the Afghanistan mission until the year 2011. According to polls 80% of Canadians are opposed to the soldiers remaining in Afghanistan after the year 2009.
In Ottawa Dion pretends to present this image as a strong leader yet he is also a culprit he bends to Stephen Harper’s every wish. The Liberals fear an election because they don’t want their numbers to decimate. However, the longer the Liberal party keeps Harper in power the stronger Harper becomes.
Prime Minister Harper has manipulated the Canadian public into thinking the mission in Afghanistan is noble and pure. Some Canadians believe it is patriotic that Canadian soldiers are working to repair the troubled nation. I think Afghanistan is a precarious place the Taliban regime reigns supreme as more young Canadians die. The Liberal party lead by the incompetent Stephane Dion and it is time for Dion to be removed. Bob Rae could be the new leader of the Liberal party because Dion has proven he is insipid and fragile.
Just returned From My Grandfather’s Funeral
If you have been wondering why I haven’t been updating the blog I was out of the country for the past week. My grandfather died on January 10th 2008 of Prostate Cancer. I was in Jamaica for the funeral last week. I just returned to Canada early this morning a bit past midnight. I am so tired right now emotionally, physically, and psychologically.
I have only visited Jamaica three times and this is the first time I was in the country since I was only nine years old back in 1986. Everything has changed. Jamaica is a different place now you have to be careful there. My family warned me that Jamaicans can spot foreigners a mile away just by the way I dress and my accent. I don’t pretend to speak with a Jamaican accent because I just don’t have one. Some other young Canadian relatives of mine try really hard to sound like they have an authentic Jamaican accents but they just try too hard. Jamaicans can tell if someone is a fraud or not.
It was a very emotional week of highs and lows. I will admit I didn’t really know my grandfather but he was loved unconditionally by the family. The funeral was in the town of Lucea Jamaica last week Saturday. I don’t know how to explain it but if you have ever been to the black church you will just feel the energy, the soul, and the spirit. I am not a very religious person but I was so touched and moved by the funeral service.
The part of the funeral I found most powerful was when my father and his siblings all spoke about how much they miss and loved my grandfather. The one part of the funeral I was upset about was when the pastor asked for cash donations to the church. I was like is this out of some movie? Is this for real? The funeral service costs money the church in Lucea already has money. I just felt this was so disgraceful! The church asking for money at a funeral! Give me a break!
When my father informed me that my grandfather died I was shocked even though he was eighty three years old and ill. After the funeral service my grandfather’s body was brought back to his old house in the town of Richmond. Richmond is a town in the Parish of Hanover close to Montego Bay. I was crying when I saw my grandfather’s body placed in the tomb next to my grandmother. Some people think Jamaicans are weird because my grandfather’s body was not placed in a cemetery. My family has a plot of land in the town of Richmond in Jamaica and he was buried right next to my grandmother in the backyard. I think the reasons Jamaicans bury our dead in the backyard is due to the fact we believe there is a closer connection to the family this way. Maybe North American culture frowns on this but this is the way we run things.
Sixteen Year Old Girl Murdered In Toronto Area Over Religion and Culture Clash With Her Family
In Mississauga Ontario yesterday a sixteen year old girl Aqsa Parvez was murdered, she was allegedly choked to death by her father. According to news reports Aqsa Parvez’s father Muhammad Parvez has now been charged with murder. Mississauga is a suburb of Toronto its a part of the greater Toronto area. The senseless murder is very chilling, depressing, and very sad. Aqsa’s older brother has been charged with obstructing police.
The teenage girl was a Muslim and there was a culture, generational, and religious clash with her family. The story according to Aqsa’s friends is that she did wear the hijab when she left her home for school. However, once the Aqsa arrived at school she removed the hijab . Family members followed Aqas to her high school and found out she wasn’t wearing the hijab.
The mainstream media are framing the young girl’s death as an “honor killing?” What do you think? Do you think the murder was an “honor killing” or is this just mainstream media sensationalism? Or a mixture of both? Will the press be culturally sensitive or paternalistic? Paternalism will not bridge the miscommunication gap between the Muslim communities and the rest of Canada. Will blaming occur and the mainstream press state that Muslim Canadians are not “assimilating” into Canadian culture? Will more finger pointing and blaming take place?
The Ontario government has a critical role here in this case. Once again the question has to be asked, where are the services for women of colour?Some women’s shelters due to inadequate funding have difficulty dealing with the cultural, racial, religious issues that relate to women of colour. Will the Ontario government step up to the plate and address this very important issue or not? Or will Premier Dalton McGuinty provide a politically correct speech and do nothing. The money is available Ontario is a rich province there is no excuse. Premier Dalton McGuinty has a responsibility here and he must act accordingly.
We cannot just sit and watch young women die and say its none of our business just because our cultures are different. We cannot just say we don’t understand Muslim culture and allow another life to perish due to our apathetic attitude and indifference. If we remain silent to misogyny then we are condoning it. I guess the question is now what can be done? What can the public do?
I think there needs to be more studies conducted, more research, and instead of just talking action needs to take place. The Ontario Government needs to realize domestic violence is a top five issue. Why are we so complacent to violence against women?
In Canada we have laws and violence against women. It is clear there needs to be more social services available for younger women and teenaged girls across racial, cultural, and religious lines. I believe not enough money is being spent on domestic violence services for women of colour. Maybe if there was a social safety net available this girl’s life could of been saved?
It is important when these tragic news stories occur to not jump to conclusions or make generalizations. The mainstream media should be careful to not “frame” and make stereotypes about an entire religion and focus on the news. However, I hope “othering” does not take place here and the mainstream media will utilize caution. However, it is well known when tragic news occurs outside of the mainstream community there is a tendency that “othering” may occur. The news here is that a young girl was terrified of her father to the point that she even left her home a few days ago.
My perspective is that religion should not be used as a blanket to conceal misogyny. The teenager obviously wanted to fit in with her classmates. It is normal for a sixteen year old girl to want to belong and be just like her friends. The murder is a tragedy a young life is now lost and a family is shattered.
If you want to voice your concerns to Premier Dalton McGuinty here is his info:
Dalton McGuinty Main Legislative Building, Room 281,
Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, M7A 1A1
416-325-1941
Fax: 416- 325-3745
Link: http://www.mississauganews.com/article/9341
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN1151774720071211
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071212.GIRL12/TPStory/National
