‘Homeland’ national-day celebrations can be distasteful
By Bhupinder S. Liddar
Come August 14 and 15, some in the Pakistani and Indian origin Canadian communities will fly flags and sing national anthems to celebrate the independence days of their respective former homelands – ironically, the very countries they left voluntarily to enjoy the Canadian way of life!
The display of flags originated on battlefields to identify warring factions. Though national flags have come a long way from serving this purpose, they are still a potent political symbol of nationalism. The national anthem, while evoking emotional sentiments, also sings praises of a country.
What fascinates and baffles one is that many of these immigrants were not brought here under duress or against their will, but felt strongly about leaving their homelands and heading here of their own accord.
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, Vaisakhi or Caribana are cultural and religious, and not political events, and are devoid of evoking dual political loyalty. Loyalty is the key word here. Singing national anthems and saluting flags of former homelands evokes images of dual loyalty and patriotism. However, it is not as offensive to see Canadians of Italian or Chilean origins run around waving Italian or Chilean flags during soccer’s World Cup.
Fortunately, in today’s multicultural Canada, one enjoys the luxury and liberty to speak in one’s mother tongue, eat one’s ethnic cuisine, dress in one’s national attire and partake in numerous cultural events, from coast to coast to coast. All that the new country expects is that political loyalty be to one flag and one national anthem – that of the adopted country, in this case Canada.
Enjoy your emotional baggage indoors, but do not display it in public.
The problem of divided loyalties has its roots in Canada’s British political class. Canada’s two dominant political tribes – the English and French – imported their historic political and cultural rivalries to the new country, with no regard for the existing indigenous peoples.
As a result of English-French battles in the new country Canada, the victorious British designated the Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom, as the new Canadian flag. It flew across the country, with no regard for the feelings of French-origin Canadians, until the current Maple Leaf was adopted as the official flag in 1965.
Foreign diplomatic missions fly their flags on their office buildings and residences. Foreign national days are celebrated with receptions, hosted by diplomatic missions, on embassy premises or in hotels. Canadians, at large, and those with roots in those countries, are invited and appropriately attend these events.
However, it is inappropriate for Canadians to involve themselves in hosting or organizing events to celebrate national days of their former homelands. In 2013, one foreign mission – the Indian Consulate General, in Toronto, went so far as to “sponsor” a public event for the Indian diaspora – titled “India Day Festival and Grand Parade” to mark India’s Independence Day.
In the 1990s, Ottawa’s Mayor rightly decided to fly the flag on the national day of each country that has diplomatic relations with Canada. He would invite Canadians citizens, originally from each of these respective countries, to mark the national day of their former homelands.
Unfortunately, this was no more than a crass vote-getting tactic. It backfired when in September 2014, Vietnamese Canadians held a large protest against flying the flag of Communist Vietnam – the very regime they fled to seek refuge in Canada!
Some may question: “What’s in a flag”? Well, after the close defeat of the 1995 referendum on Quebec’s desire to separate from Canada, then Deputy Prime Minister and Heritage Minister Sheila Copps decreed that all Canadian federal government buildings across Canada fly the Maple Leaf as a public symbol of federal government presence.
At the Olympic games, one can participate under only one flag and sing only one national anthem! Why not the same for us? Instead, split loyalty and patriotism, saluting two flags and singing two national anthems, is a common occurrence in many Canadian communities.
Canada, as a relatively young country, is engaged in building Canadian institutions. What Canadians need to do is to effectively contribute to these efforts and desist from displays of split loyalty and patriotism! Hence, at these community events, the only flag that we need to fly is the Maple Leaf and the only National Day that we need to celebrate is July 1, when in 1867 Canada became a unified country.
It is the least one can expect in return for what Canada offers.
Bhupinder S. Liddar is a retired Canadian diplomat and former editor & publisher of Diplomat & International Canada magazine. He can be reached at [email protected] or visit his website www.lidar.ca
