Got this article through the mail from Paul Slomp, the
Youth Vice President of the NFU accompanying an
appeal for member donations. I thought it was a well
written article demonstrating a wisdom beyond his
years.
"As I was watching the Olympic games on television
this summer I saw a number of commercials brought
to me by the Government of Canada that touted 2012
as the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. The
commercial showed men in silly hats, a general
yelling some inaudible commands over the sound of
muskets firing, and a woman representing Laura
Secord running through the woods. Although the
commercial really didn’t teach me anything about the
War of 1812, it did provide me with the fodder for
much thought about Canada’s history.
History, as it is usually defined in Canada, is boring.
The history I learned in school is linear and it
happened a long time ago. In class, history was all
about memorizing dates of significant events, and
learning the names of a few key individuals (most in
roles of power and privilege). Showing
representations of Laura Secord running through the
woods during a war in 1812 in television
commercials, does nothing to complexify our
understanding of history or its significance
In recent years I’ve been exposed to a different side
of history. History comes alive when it underlines the
fact that ordinary people with a solid analysis of how
the world works can accomplish great things, against
all odds, when they join together to reach their goal –
like the people in St. Paul, AB a little over 100 years
ago, who after seeing the value of having the railroad
come to their community decided to build the last
100km themselves. History can teach us valuable
lessons when we learn through its experience.
History, if viewed as cyclical, can predict the future. In
history lies power.
As I watched the War of 1812 commercial this
summer, I was struck by the emptiness of the history
that it portrayed. I realized that it is easier to govern a
people that do not understand its history.
This August, as the single desk of the Canadian
Wheat Board was dismantled, there were no television
commercials that showed the work of farmers in
town-hall meetings in the 1920’s as they worked
towards improving the prices they received for their
grain, and in so doing, creating the Canadian Wheat
Board.
Similarly, as Canada continues negotiating the
Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement
(CETA) with the European Union, there will be no
reminders of how Canadians from coast to coast to
coast in 1998 joined forces to oppose and defeat the
Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). Nor will
mainstream media relay the history of the farmer
struggle in the years leading to Supply Management
as negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership and
the dismantling of the supply management system
gather momentum.
The National Farmers Union continues to be the voice
of family farms. At a time when the narratives of
popular movements are silenced and lost, the NFU
extracts the valuable lessons from our rich farm
history to protect the institutions that are rightfully
ours. The NFU tells the story of family farms in
Canada and documents the current struggles of our
movement. Most importantly, the NFU ensures that
Canada’s farm history - our story - is alive and well."
Youth Vice President of the NFU accompanying an
appeal for member donations. I thought it was a well
written article demonstrating a wisdom beyond his
years.
"As I was watching the Olympic games on television
this summer I saw a number of commercials brought
to me by the Government of Canada that touted 2012
as the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. The
commercial showed men in silly hats, a general
yelling some inaudible commands over the sound of
muskets firing, and a woman representing Laura
Secord running through the woods. Although the
commercial really didn’t teach me anything about the
War of 1812, it did provide me with the fodder for
much thought about Canada’s history.
History, as it is usually defined in Canada, is boring.
The history I learned in school is linear and it
happened a long time ago. In class, history was all
about memorizing dates of significant events, and
learning the names of a few key individuals (most in
roles of power and privilege). Showing
representations of Laura Secord running through the
woods during a war in 1812 in television
commercials, does nothing to complexify our
understanding of history or its significance
In recent years I’ve been exposed to a different side
of history. History comes alive when it underlines the
fact that ordinary people with a solid analysis of how
the world works can accomplish great things, against
all odds, when they join together to reach their goal –
like the people in St. Paul, AB a little over 100 years
ago, who after seeing the value of having the railroad
come to their community decided to build the last
100km themselves. History can teach us valuable
lessons when we learn through its experience.
History, if viewed as cyclical, can predict the future. In
history lies power.
As I watched the War of 1812 commercial this
summer, I was struck by the emptiness of the history
that it portrayed. I realized that it is easier to govern a
people that do not understand its history.
This August, as the single desk of the Canadian
Wheat Board was dismantled, there were no television
commercials that showed the work of farmers in
town-hall meetings in the 1920’s as they worked
towards improving the prices they received for their
grain, and in so doing, creating the Canadian Wheat
Board.
Similarly, as Canada continues negotiating the
Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement
(CETA) with the European Union, there will be no
reminders of how Canadians from coast to coast to
coast in 1998 joined forces to oppose and defeat the
Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). Nor will
mainstream media relay the history of the farmer
struggle in the years leading to Supply Management
as negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership and
the dismantling of the supply management system
gather momentum.
The National Farmers Union continues to be the voice
of family farms. At a time when the narratives of
popular movements are silenced and lost, the NFU
extracts the valuable lessons from our rich farm
history to protect the institutions that are rightfully
ours. The NFU tells the story of family farms in
Canada and documents the current struggles of our
movement. Most importantly, the NFU ensures that
Canada’s farm history - our story - is alive and well."