What
      does
      Democracy
      mean
      in
      Canada?
     
     
      Does
      our
      education
      system
      discourage
      independent
      thought?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      By
      Alex
      Keaveny
     
    

    
     
      School
      again.
      Now
      classes
      are
      in
      and
      the
      thrills
     
     
      of
      re-entering
      the
      wonderful
      world
      of
      higher
     
     
      education
      run
      rampant
      in
      the
      minds
      of
      we
      the
     
     
      restless
      many.
      This
      being
      the
      case
      it
      would
     
     
      seem
      appropriate
      to
      give
      some
      thought
      to
      the
     
     
      potential
      limits
      of
      the
      experience
      for
      which
      we
     
     
      have
      invested
      so
      much
      hard
      earned
      capital.
     
    

    
     
      Most
      of
      us
      feel
      that
      a
      very
      important
     
     
      reason
      for
      our
      attending
      U.P.E.I.(or
      any
      other
     
     
      institute
      of
      learning)
      is
      because
      without
      a
     
     
      degree
      the
      prospects
      of
      our
      employment
      is
     
     
      about
      as
      likely
      as
      winning
      the
      lottery(ticket
      or
     
     
      no
      ticket).
      This
      reason
      alone
      sheds
      consider-
     
     
      able
      wattage
      on
      the
      function
      of
      organized
     
     
      education
      in
      our
      society.
      Yet
      somehow
      even
     
     
      after
      begrudgingly
      accepting
      this
      reason
      we
     
     
      cling
      to
      the
      (perhaps
      foolish)
      belief
      that
      our
     
     
      education
      is
      nonetheless
      objective.
      This
      idea
     
     
      (or
      ideal)
      becomes
      harder
      to
      entertain
      the
     
     
      closer
      I
      look
      at
      the
      system
      of
      education
      itself,
     
     
      take
      for
      example
      one
      clue
      found
      within
      these
     
     
      hallowed
      halls
      of
      learning.
     
    

    
     
      Ona
      wall
      in
      the
      lobby
      of
      main
      building
     
     
      there
      hangs
      a
      plaque.
      On
      the
      plaque
      is
      written
     
     
      two
      paragraphs.
      The
      first
      paragraph
      tells
      of
      the
     
     
      history
      behind
      the
      renovations
      made
      to
      Main
     
     
      Building
      over
      the
      years,
      including
      the
      name
      of
     
     
      the
      politician(Former
      Premier
      Joe
      Ghiz)
      who
     
     
      ceremoniously
      reopened
      the
      building
      as
      it
      now
     
     
      stands,
      the
      second
      paragraph
      reads:
      ‘The
     
     
      reason
      that
      led
      Bishop
      Bernard
      MacDonald
      to
     
     
      build
      a
      college
      near
      Charlottetown
      -
      the
      need
     
     
      for
      an
      institution
      where
      the
      youth
      of
      the
     
     
      island
      could
      be
      appropriately
      educated
      -
      is
     
     
      still
      honored
      within
      these
      rejuvenated
      walls,
      a
     
     
      work
      of
      renewal
      made
      possible
      through
      the
     
     
      generous
      support
      of
      the
      government
      of
      Prince
     
     
      Edward
      Island
      and
      of
      many
      corporations,
      foun-
     
     
      dations,
      and
      private
      citizens.”
     
    

    
     
      Many
      of
      us
      walk
      by
      this
      plaque
      regu-
     
     
      larly,
      never
      giving
      its
      inscription
      the
      slightest
     
     
      consideration.
      But
      perhaps
      it
      is
      important
      that
     
     
      we
      take
      acloser
      look
      at
      what
      this
      simple
      plaque
     
     
      might
      reveal.
      For
      it
      is
      certain
      that
      whoever
     
     
      carefully
      chose
      and
      approved
      the
      existing
      word-
     
     
      ing
      may
      have
      revealed
      much
      of
      what
      the
      people
     
     
      who
      control
      this
      institution
      of
      learning
      regard
     
     
      as
      their
      role
      as
      administrators,
      and
      further
     
     
      sheds
      some
      light
      on
      the
      true
      function
      of
      U.P.E.I.
     
     
      within
      our
      society.
     
    

    
     
      Upon
      a
      closer
      look
      we
      can
      read
      several
     
     
      conclusions
      from
      these
      few
      carefully
      selected
     
     
      phrases.
      The
      most
      obvious
      fact
      is
      that
      in
      the
     
     
      eyes
      of
      the
      administration
      it
      is
      important
      that
     
     
      the
      ‘‘youth’’
      of
      the
      island,
      namely
      you
      and
      I,
      be
     
     
      appropriately
      educated.
      This
      suggests
      several
     
     
      things,
      one,
      that
      we
      need
      to
      be
      educated,
      in
     
     
      contrast
      to
      our
      educating
      ourselves,
      and
      two,
     
     
      revealing
      the
      fact
      that
      it
      is
      crucial
      that
      the
     
     
      worldbe
      interpreted
      for
      us
      by
      the
      “‘experts”’,
      so
     
     
      as
      to
      insure
      that
      we
      see
      the
      world
      the
      way
      we
     
     
      should,
      the
      appropriate
      way.
      This
      of
      course
     
     
      meaning
      the
      way
      our
      educators
      interpret
      the
     
     
      world.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      september
      13,1994
      page
      6
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
      On
      a
      more
      subtle
      level
      one
      can
      see
      that
     
     
      originally
      the
      hierarchy
      of
      the
      church
      had
      the
     
     
      power
      to
      control
      this
      education
      process,
      whereas
     
     
      now
      it
      is
      plain
      to
      see
      that
      the
      baton
      has
      been
     
     
      passed
      to
      the
      government
      in
      power
      which
      now
     
     
      has
      overwhelming
      control
      of
      our
      educative
     
     
      options.
      Now
      while
      it
      could
      be
      argued
      that
      the
     
     
      government
      in
      power
      is
      controlled
      by
      the
      peo-
     
     
      ple
      I
      would
      like
      you
      to
      ask
      yourself
      the
      follow-
     
     
      ing
      questions:
      (1)
      how
      often
      are
      you
      able
      to
     
     
      make
      decisions
      that
      determine
      public
      policy?
     
     
      Once
      every
      couple
      of
      years.
      (2)
      How
      many
     
     
      decisions
      are
      made
      by
      those
      in
      power
      that
     
     
      determine
      public
      policy?
      Many,
      many,
      deci-
     
     
      sions.
      (3)
      Do
      you
      feel
      well
      represented
      in
     
     
      “‘your’’
      government?
      Did
      you
      want
      free
      trade?
     
     
      The
      GST?
      NAFTA?
      etc.,
      also
      (4)
      are
      there
     
     
      many
      people
      like
      you
      in
      the
      government?
      Most
     
     
      politicians
      are
      members
      of
      the
      upper
      income
     
     
      group
      in
      society,
      most
      are
      professionals,
      not
     
     
      many
      students.
      (5)
      Do
      large
      corporations
      have
     
     
      considerable
      control
      or
      influence
      on
      the
      deci-
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      sions
      made
      in
      Ottawa?
      Is
      it
      coincidence
      that
     
     
      Irving
      Oil
      does
      not
      have
      to
      pay
      for
      the
      disposal
     
     
      of
      the
      Irving
      Whale?
      Or
      that
      Irving
      also
      was
     
     
      awarded
      a
      major
      defense
      contract
      in
      Saint
     
     
      John?
      Or
      that
      Irving
      (almost)
      received
      another
     
     
      grant
      from
      the
      government
      to
      open
      another
     
     
      business
      (this
      time
      a
      potato
      warehouse)?
      I
     
     
      think
      not.
     
    

    
     
      Perhaps
      the
      biggest
      question
      that
      we
     
     
      should
      ask
      ourselves
      is
      why,
      if
      Canada
      is
      such
     
     
      a
      democracy,
      aren’t
      its
      institutions
      controlled
     
     
      by
      its
      principal
      participants?
      Consider
      the
     
     
      U.P.E.I.
      senate,
      the
      body
      which
      decides
      aca-
     
     
      demic
      matters
      including
      admission
      require-
     
     
      ments,
      degree
      programs
      and
      what
      new
      courses
     
     
      are
      taught.
      While
      the
      students
      at
      U.P.E_I.
     
     
      comprise
      79%
      of
      the
      total
      university
      popula-
     
     
      tion
      they
      have
      only
      18%
      representation
      in
      the
     
     
      decisions
      that
      affect
      them
      the
      most.
      Why
     
     
      aren’t
      students
      better
      represented
      to
      make
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      decisions
      over
      what
      they
      can
      and
      cannot
      learn?
     
     
      Sure
      we
      can
      choose
      what
      courses
      or
      faculties
     
     
      we
      want
      to
      take
      or
      join,
      but
      we
      must
      choose
     
     
      from
      what
      is
      being
      offered
      and
      we
      have
      no
      real
     
     
      say
      on
      what
      courses
      will
      be
      available
      to
      choose
     
     
      from.
     
    

    
     
      This
      system
      of
      indoctrination,
      which
     
     
      upholds
      the
      values
      of
      those
      who
      control
      it,
      is
     
     
      even
      more
      disturbing
      because
      the
      valuable
     
     
      training
      we
      receive
      within
      it
      (government
      con-
     
     
      trolled
      schools,
      etc.)
      prevents
      us
      from
      seeing
     
     
      the
      problematic
      system
      itself.
      How
      does
      this
     
     
      happen?
      The
      answer
      is
      simple.
      Take
      for
      exam-
     
     
      ple
      in
      high
      school,
      which
      it
      is
      important
      to
     
     
      remember
      is
      (along
      with
      elementary
      school)
     
     
      attended
      by
      a
      greater
      percentage
      of
      the
      popula-
     
     
      tion
      than
      any
      other
      educational
      institution,
     
     
      students
      are
      not
      allowed
      or
      aided
      to
      develop
      the
     
     
      skill
      of
      independent
      thought.
      The
      skill
      that
      I
     
     
      now
      find
      myself
      struggling
      to
      attain.
     
    

    
     
      For
      an
      example
      of
      this
      lets
      look
      at
     
     
      political
      science.
      How
      closely
      did
      the
      political
     
     
      science
      class
      you
      were
      in
      look
      at
      Canadian
     
     
      government?
      In
      the
      classes
      I
      attended
      we
      were
     
     
      taught
      such
      things
      as
      how
      many
      seats
      there
     
     
      were
      in
      the
      house,
      how
      many
      seats
      each
      prov-
     
     
      ince
      had,
      in
      short
      we
      had
      to
      learn
      lots
      of
     
     
      **facts’”
      and
      information
      about
      the
      system
      of
     
     
      government
      in
      place
      in
      Canada.
      We
      learned
     
     
      that
      communism
      was
      bad,
      and
      democracy
      was
     
     
      good,
      simple
      as
      that.
      We
      learned
      that
      under
     
     
      communism
      people
      were
      oppressed,
      had
      no
     
     
      control
      over
      their
      country’s
      affairs,
      and
      were
     
     
      forced
      to
      obey
      the
      wishes
      of
      totalitarian
      dicta-
     
     
      tors.
      However
      we
      never
      looked
      at
      our
      own
     
     
      system
      on
      the
      same
      level.
      We
      never
      looked
      at
     
     
      the
      oppression
      caused
      by
      our
      own
      government,
     
     
      or
      our
      own
      powerlessness
      as
      mere
      citizens.
     
     
      Why?
      You
      tell
      me.
     
    

    
     
      In
      the
      past
      year
      or
      so
      I
      have
      begun
      to
     
     
      experience
      an
      awakening
      of
      sorts.
      I
      am
      finding
     
     
      that
      everyday
      as
      I
      look
      closely
      at
      the
      world
      and
     
     
      society
      in
      which
      I
      live,
      I
      am
      discovering
      that
     
     
      the
      world
      that
      was
      presented
      to
      me
      in
      high
     
     
      school
      is
      not
      the
      world
      that
      Iam
      now
      beginning
     
     
      to
      perceive.
      I
      am
      realizing
      that
      I
      have
      been
     
     
      taught
      to
      look
      at
      the
      world
      in
      such
      a
      way
      that
     
     
      makes
      it
      next
      to
      impossible
      to
      form
      a
      balanced
     
     
      picture
      of
      the
      events
      and
      institutions
      that
      affect
     
     
      the
      world
      in
      which
      I
      participate.
      I
      have
      been
     
     
      indoctrinated,
      led
      to
      accept
      the
      way
      things
      are
     
     
      done
      and
      interpreted,
      without
      question.
      I
      feel
     
     
      as
      if
      I
      had
      been
      stripped
      of
      the
      ability
      to
      think
     
     
      independently
      and
      now
      am
      realizing
      how
      im-
     
     
      portant
      it
      is
      that
      I
      relearn
      this
      very
      important
     
     
      skill.
     
    

    
     
      Now
      this
      having
      been
      said
      I
      will
      not
      be
     
     
      running
      off
      in
      hopes
      of
      escaping
      the
      tyranny
      of
     
     
      my
      government,
      or
      quitting
      university
      in
      order
     
     
      to
      escape
      from
      being
      indoctrinated,
      instead
      I
     
     
      will
      try
      to
      balance
      my
      ‘‘formal’’
      education,
      to
     
     
      look
      at
      it
      for
      what
      it
      likely
      is,
      one
      side
      of
      the
     
     
      story.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      In
      Canada,
     
     
      6.7
      million
     
     
      acres
      were
     
     
      protected
      —
     
     
      last
      year.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Every
      hour,
     
     
      Cane
     
     
      loses
     
     
      2A0
      acres
      of
     
     
      wilderness.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      In
      the
      time
      it
      takes
      to
      read
     
     
      this
      ad,
      over
      4
      acres
      of
      Canadian
     
    
   
   
    
     
      wilderness
      will
      be
      lost.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      World
      Wildlife
      Fund
     
     
      Canada
      i
     
    
   
   
    
     
      making
      a
      Waites.
     
    

    
     
      Along
      with
      you,
      World
     
     
      Wildlife
      Fund
      has
      helped
     
     
      protect
      our
      wilderness
      through
     
     
      the
      establishment
      of
      parks
     
     
      countrywide.
      Four
      species
      have
     
     
      been
      removed
      from
      the
     
     
      endangered
      list:
      White
      Pelican,
     
     
      Prairie
      Long-Tailed
      Weasel,
     
     
      Wood
      Bison,
      Arctic
      Peregrine
     
     
      Falcon.
      And
      Canada’s
      first
     
     
      Grizzly
      Bear
      reserve
      has
      been
     
     
      established.
     
    

    
     
      Canadian
      wildlife
      and
     
     
      wilderness
      can
      be
      protected
     
     
      only
      with
      your
      help.
      Please
      call
     
     
      1-800-26-PANDA
      9
      a.m.
      to
     
     
      5
      pm.
      Monday
      through
      Friday,
     
     
      Eastern
      Time.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      It's
      a
      start.