shows either racial or cultural insensitivity and/ or cultural sensitivity. See if you find your behaviour changing and your awareness of is- sues growing.

Get a group of friends to keep journals. Compare what you have found, then send Multiculturalism your report. They want to hear what you have to say. For more informa- tion write to:

Anti-Racism Campaign Communications Branch Multiculturalism and Citizenship Canada Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0M5

Other suggested things to do in regard to racism include suggesting local newspapers to publish a section called ‘‘Our Diverse Commu- nity,’’ which would feature poetry, editorials, short stories, and artwork to illustrate the racial and cultural diversity of the community.

Suggestions also include devising a ‘‘To- gether We’re Better’’ contest which invite stu- dents to submit ideas for combatting racism.

How about developing a list of famous Ca- nadians, paying particular attention to those from minority groups. Use headings such as artists, athletes, politicians, etc. These are suggestions which may help raise public con- sciousness instead of it being raised the way it was in the following tragic incident:

Recently a fourteen year old Mic Mac hockey player was subjected to a prejudicial experience during a hockey game in Amherst , Nova Scotia. An argument or a fight started the other players calling him derogatory names pertaining to his Indian status and the result was a riot. Iam not sure of the exact sequence of events but do know that this unfortunate incident sparked a major awareness that racial discrimination is a reality in Atlantic Canada.

March 21st marked the anniversary of the 1960 Sharpevillemassacre in South A frica when peaceful demonstrators against apartheid were wounded and killed. In 1966, this event prompted the United Nations to declare March 21 The International Day For Elimination of Racial Discrimination, incommemoration ofthis event. In 1989, the Government of Canada finally launched it’s first national March 21 campaign against racism.

This year at the University College of Cape Breton a rally was held in recognition of March 21 being the international day for elimination of racism at which two Mic Mac natives spoke about their own experiences with the subject of discrimination. Donald Marshall Junior related his problems with the Canadian legal system and his imprisonment for a murder he did not commit and fourteen year old Justin Johnson spoke about his ordeal on the ice. he was emotionally distraught and it was heart-wrench- ing to see his tears of a pain that only one who has suffered from it can ever know. I cried myself as I watched his mother take her son in her arms, it brought back many memories of my wn experiences with discrimination. I wrote a letter of support and encourage other students to do the same. Hearsay has it that he has received

hundred of letters of support including a letter from hockey great Bobby Hull. :

I remember growing up on Canadian Armed Forces bases all over Canada and the discrimi- nation I had to endure. My Mother is Indian and my Father is Swedish. I used to be so ashamed of being Indian and remember wishing that I could do something to permanently change the colour of my skin and structure of my high cheekbones. Remnants of those feelings still remain and today when I wear green contact lenses I feel I can almost get away with passing as non-native...except I have learned a great deal about the culture and history of Indian people and the knowledge has turned that hid- den shame into a pride and dedication to do something to better the situation of any or all natives in any way. My future plans include a degree in Native Law and the chances are very promising as my grade average in this, my last year at UPEI is quite good.

All my life it was easy for me to turn to various addictions to escape the misery I always felt having to live trapped in a white world where I was not accepted. I never fit into the Native world either because I had never really ever been around it. Iremember in grade seven, kids used to beat me up on the way to school just because I was different. I cannot tell you what the shame and humiliation of going home with my shirt torn and my nose bleeding was like and

then to be told it was my own fault because of my Mother’s deniai of what hurt her perhaps more than ithurt me. The worst thing was turing to drugs and alcohol to escape the pain. Today I channel those feelings in a positive way and

‘through my education I hope to help others

suffering from discrimination.

It is encouraging to know that the face of Native Canada is changing slowly, but dramati- cally for the best. Internationally, the United Nations declared 1993 The International Year of Indigenous Peoples and 1992 was The Inter- national Year of Indigenous, Black and Popular Resistance to Foreign Domination and Explora- tion. 1992 was also the 500th year celebrations of Christopher Columbus’s discovery of the Americas, but for many Indians suffering from the negative effects of European colonialism, they saw no reason to celebrate. The main thing is that the world is developing a conscience and there is hope for the natives, more so here than in other places such as Latin America, but still hope. As well, Canadian natives are becoming more sophisticated in the ways of the white men. There are judges, lawyers, police officers, politicians, etc. There are positive moves in the right direction which give me the awareness that Iam living in an exciting age and that I have a future ahead of me and the opportunity to work in an area I feel so strongly about.

I asked Justin to forgive, even if it is diffi-

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