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SECTION “B”
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Monday, August 31, 1964
PAGE“ 1 R to 14.3
Taiwan. YEARS _________
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CONFEDERATION: ITS. SECOND CENTURY CULTURAL OPPORTUNITY SEEN BIG NEED 2
By on. FRANK MacKINNON, ' [
principal Prince of Wales College; Committee; Fathers of Confederation Memorial
P.E.I. Centennial
Foundation.
Canada at the end of her first century is. surely one of the most fortunate nations in the world. Her nineteen million peo ple have half a continent to themselves, abundant resources to enjoy, and friendly neigh- boul's across the border. They have had no civil wars, famin- es. revolutions or other national calamities. And their constitu- tion is now one of the senior ones in the world.
Our advantages have been hard-won: this has not been an easy country to develop or govt ern. Canada is so big; her re- sources and industries are on so large a scale; there are so few people: and relatively her polit- ical system is enormous— eleven governments for nine- teen million people.
Therefore with the approach of our national centennial we have both difficulties to assess and blessings to count. There is also a potentially great future ahead. and it will be as great as the extent to which we make use of our blessings and solve, and cease complaining about. our difficulties.
Concerning our present wor- ries about Confederation let us recognize them frankly but not harp on them so that they be- come obsessions. Every family has f;th best of friends argue. And. politically, not a nation in the history of the world has been without similar or worse worries. I believe that it Macdonald and Cartier were here they would remind us that
chairman and president . Citizens
the constitution they devised,
with all its weaknesses, has out- lasted the powerful regimes or their day — that of the Czar of Russia, the Emperors of Ger- many and Austria, the King of ‘ numerous other constitutions which have up peated and disappeared in th. last century in every part of the world. The Fathers would be proud of this; so should we. As the political history of man only too clearly indicates, our Con- federation has served us well Those who think it perfect are naive; but those who condemn
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it are either badly informed or t ' .
very s upid.
CULTURE A FEATURE. Canada's first century has featured politics and economics on a large scale and culture on a very small scale. I bdlieve that the next century must fea— ture culture on a much larger scale not only for its own sake but also to maintain political and economic growth-We must recognize that tradition (which is largely cultural) and culture are stronger elements in nation at greatness and spirit than leg- islative prOcesses and industrial expansion. Nations are like peo- ple: it is not their power a n d wealth alone that make them happy; it is their spirit. here is nothing snobbish about culture. Music, art. litera- ture, dancing. craftsmanship, storytelling and the like powerful elements in man’s life. Taken together in all their var- ieties, they reflect the nature of
no 3
on. ma MacKINNON
a people. The Indian legend, the Irish story, the Scottish dance, French cuisine, the Eng- lish ceremony are all handed down from generation to gener- ation to be enjoyed by th 0 s e who call them their own and by others as well. A simple Burns poem affected men's hearts in a more powerful way than a Roths- child bank loan did their treas- uries and the Scots in every part of the world have never got over it since. No one has a lump in his throat or a tear in his eye as he looks at a factory or a power dam.
In relations among nations it is culture, not politics or econ- omics, that is easiest under- stood. We know more of Spanish dancing than of Spain’s bankina and more of Italian music than of Italy‘ public utilities. And
the works of Lucy Maud Mont- gomery and Emil
achievements of even the most eminent Canadian politicians or businessmen.
Right here in Canada "Alouet- to" has done as much for unity and spirit as the trans- Canada high-way; Stratford has done as much to make Ontario interest- ing as Bay Street; and Stephen Leacoek’s stories have made us more Canadian than any budget speech in Parliament.
PROGRESS SHOWN
We are making progress in this regard. but we are only be- ginning. Ten years ago one could not make a living rfor- ming in Canada, it was difficult to get works published, a n ii there were no major theatres. Today if one wants to get th e "feeling" of being Canadian by observing the talents of Canad- ians there are opportunities. But there is still a long way to go.
I do not believe that a distinc- tive flag or anthem are in them- selves sufficiently important to warrant all the fuss made over them. Many countries have dis- appeared that have had such symbols. Symbols must be sym- bols of something to be effective —something by way of a great spirit and tradition. If we dev - lop the latter the symbols will soon be found.
Certainly the Union Jack is not distinctively Canadian. But neither is the flour de its, the denominational symbols of our religious denominations, n or many of the best known symb- ols used in commerce or indus- try. So what? The answer does not lie in quatrrelling over them, but rather in developing our own enterprise to such an
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extent that the symbols have now or that will become accepted will have a strong tradition behind them. It is the tradition that brings honour and acceptance to the symbol. he same reasoning applies to
language. It is simply the veh icle of thought and communica- tion. Bilingualism or multi-lin- gualism will flourish to the ex- tent that people have something to say to one another. In this regard literature a nd music have so far been the most ef fective teachers. TWO SIDES SEEN
Now, how is the tradition of Canada to. be understood and the spirit of Canada enjoyed? Let us examine our history, not via the dull nice-Nellyism of our school textbooks but through a real appraisal of the men who made it. The leading Fathers of Confederation and the work they did from 1864 to 1867, hith- erto almost unknown. are far more interesting than we are inclined to believe. And let us be frank about such subjects. Why worry if there are t w 0 schools of thought on Louis Riel and hide him behind vague gen- eralities? It would do us good to. examine both sides. The point is
We sing,
at may 3 out politics and those who ignore it are doomed to reps t its mistakes. We will under-st. d Canada, Contedera- tion and each other better if we know what went on before we appeared briefly on the nation's stage ‘ Let us continue to build thea-
es. museums, galleries and ii- , braries and show our literature .and our artistic abilities. Stock {our schools with good books and magazines, pu-t ood paintings 'on school wal , and invite artists to sing or dance in their auditoriums. (These things we don’t do.) Young Canadians who see and hear the arts will grow up to express themselves and seek expression in others.
We area large country th s t spends billions on transporta- ‘ tion. Let us transport our arts : as well as our power a pota- toes. Sending Les Feu Follets to Vancouver or the winners of the Quebec Musical Festival to Hal-
S’l‘. DUNSTAN’S COLLEGE BUILT IN 1862 AND OLD ST. DUNCTAN’S CATHEDRAL
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ifax or Bonhomme Carnaval to Toronto will do more than any speech on bicultnra'lism and cost less than born!» in mail boxes. A girls and boys pipe , band, an exchange of displays
of handicrafts, a tour of young ‘ folk dancers are as important to ‘ unity and goodw as meetings of public officials or conventions of commercial groups_ Canada ‘ is a people, not just a land or a constitution, and it is peop and their ideas, abilities a n t emotions that need to be featur- ed and understood.
Expensive? No. cheap- when compared with the St. Lawrence Seaway. e “Arrow”, the Alas- ka highway. And jut as impor- tant to national welfare and Can- ada’s spirit.
FRONTERS MOVED
Canadian history has featured the pushing back of various frontiers. There still remains the cultural frontier. Pioneers in Canadian art. music and litera- ture have showed exciting re— , suits for their hard work, a n d . the public is only recently begin- ‘ ning to appreciate them. But . this frontier, like the others, re- ; quires special effort and expen- ; diture. Just as railways an d ‘ roads were needed to open the ‘ West and North, so theatres. 1i. braries, galleries and museums are needed to provide centres of activity in the arts. Scholarships are just as essential to young artists as to young scientists. ‘ And subsidies are just a logic- ; al to the new art asthey are to ‘ new industries. ‘
0 econd century mignt T well be the century of Canadian ‘ culture. wherein we learn to ' dance, paint. exchange
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stories. or if Vie don't -do those ' them, able to laugh at ourselves and one an- other, and wherein an intenser loyal spirit develops out of the emotions of our people. Being Canadian could become some, thing beyond a right to vote or ‘ to receive a” social security che— ; que. John A. Macdonald and 3 our other great leaders would f be recognized and honoured. ‘ July 1 could take on something
of the spirit of St. Andrew’s
night to the Scots or Jean Bap- ; tiste Day to the French. neith-
er of which are based on busi-
ness or politics. As we sing our
an in we would pledge our-l selves to "stand on guard" for , not just a land or a system but ‘ also a way of life. ‘
CHILDREN DIG
HERNE BAY, England (CP) School children in this Kent town will be among 80 volun- teers to start on important stages in the excavation of a Roman fort used to repel Saxon invaders in the third century. Buildings at the rear of the fort are thought to have been sol. diers' barracks. l
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