This is a screen capture of 1470 Mississauga Road, in Lorne Park, Mississauga, a beautiful combination of pale yellow walls and light blue window shutters. It is shielded by wrought iron gates.
This is a screen capture of 1470 Mississauga Road, in Lorne Park, Mississauga, a beautiful combination of pale yellow walls and light blue window shutters. It is shielded by wrought iron gates.
What was a Reeve?...Toronto Township was the name of everything from Lake Ontario to Steeles Avenue, bounded by Winston Churchill Blvd. on the west to the Etobicoke River on the east (minus the Incorporated villages of Streetsville and Port Credit). It was mostly agricultural land.
Port Credit, Streetsville, and Toronto Township each had Reeves to represent them on the County of Peel's council. Their equivalent today would be Regional councillors.
View of Lake Ontario
[Photo: By KPA]
Photograph of members from the 1977-1978 Mississauga City Council
Standing from left to right back row: Councillor Harold E. Kennedy, Councillor Frank Leavers, Councillor Frank J. McKechnie, Councillor Frank H. S. Hooper, Councillor Frank Bean, Councillor Terence W. Butt, Councillor Larry Taylor;
Standing from left to right front row: Councillor Mary Helen Spence, Mayor Ron Searle and Councillor Hazel McCallion
---------------------------
Ceremonial Inaugural Meeting of the 1977-78 Council of the City of Mississauga took place on January 4, 1977.
Photograph taken at the ceremonial inaugural meeting of the 1977-1978 Council of Mississauga on January 4th, 1977
This was the first term as Mayor for Ronald Searle. During this short time council approved an official plan to create a downtown core for Mississauga and make it separate from Toronto. Council was also looking into reports on how much money it would save if the City quit itself from Peel Region. [Source]
Recently, I watched The Cable Public Affairs Channel present a November 5, 2018 meeting of The Special Senate Committee on the Charitable Sector to:
"...examine the impact of federal and provincial laws and policies governing charities, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and other similar groups; and to examine the impact of the voluntary sector in Canada."'
Senator Terry M. Mercer, chair of the committee introduced the panel, including
"...from the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society, King Wan, President"
I have posted below the full presentation by King Wan, and below that excerpts from the Q&A session with him and the senate.
The whole session is an eye-opener on how specific ethnic groups demand governmental funding to advance their very specific ethnic organizations. In this case, it is Chinese Canadians who served in the Canadian military. This particular session is about the funding source for a museum for Chinese Canadian veterans requested by The Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society.
A normal country would say: All veterans who served in the Canadian forces are Canadian Veterans and will receive their pensions and charity funds from such a general pool.
But guilt is the great weakner. One of the arguments to allow the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society charitable status presents is by indirectly referencing the Chinese railway workers who came to Canada's west coast at the turn of the 20th century to start building the cross-country railway system. When they remained in Canada after the work was done, the Canadian government took many years before establishing their Canadian citizenship. That was never the government's plan, but rather to expedite their return to China. This is seen as a great "racist" affront by all Chinese Canadians, and is part of their lore.
All other special interest requests and interactions with the government as an ethnic body is colored by this background. And the government more often than not concedes.
King Wan, President, Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society: Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society is a nonprofit organization consisting entirely of volunteers. We have no paid staff, and I am just a volunteer. Thank you for the opportunity to come here to talk to the senators about our situation.
I am not as eloquent as Mr. McRae in that, as a volunteer and in terms of our time committed to the museum, it is all in our spare time. Most recently, we had a big dinner last Saturday night, which is our annual fundraising event where our main funds come from for operations.
I would like to talk about a few things. One is that we would like to share with the senators on the committee here that we would like to see broader cultural giving in our society to provide funding for smaller organizations like ours. We are a small organization. Our only funding is through donations from our members and then sponsors. As I was saying before, the major proceeds that we receive in the year is from our annual fundraising dinner. We are fortunate to have had a large crowd of people attend our function.
We looked at the tax credit that is given to charities, and I found that the current CRA tax credit given to donors is adequate from our perspective because we are a small organization. Those who give us funds will get their normal percentage of tax credit. However, that doesn’t mean that it cannot increase to provide them with a further incentive to donate to smaller organizations like ours.
I would like to see more government programs to support smaller organizations like museums. I know for a fact that there are multiple departments in the government that would provide funding for different charities, foundations and so on, and I think there is opportunity for more, be it from Veterans Affairs Canada, Canadian Heritage or other departments, where they could spend additional funds to provide that incentive for the smaller community museums to pursue their particular objectives.
One of our objectives, again, is narrowly focused. The Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society is mainly to promote and preserve the legacy of the Chinese Canadians who served in the Canadian military. I personally served in the military myself. At the same time, there are not many left of those who served in World War II. We have post Cold War era veterans that also need to have their stories told. Most recently, Afghanistan veterans coming home should have their say and their stories preserved for prosperity for our fellow citizens.
Some of the reporting requirements in the CRA are somewhat cumbersome. I also belong to a number of other organizations where, because they are national in scope across the country, their filings of T3010s and other forms are somewhat of a challenge. When you are dealing with volunteers, people may not be as responsive as people who are paid staff, so sometimes the timing of those reporting requirements is somewhat onerous for those who are working on a voluntary basis.
I also agree with Mr. McRae on a number of issues he mentioned. I learned something from him, as well, this evening, which is the whole concept of charity in our current setup in Canada. I read a lot of submissions that were sent to us earlier through your website. We are fairly progressive, but there are countries like the U.K. and the U.S. that have certain features we should consider emulating or learning from. I am not an expert in those charities. At the same time, I do share some of the more advanced charity-giving policies and procedures.
Again, I want to thank you for giving me the chance to come here to speak to you. I appreciate any comments and questions from you.
---------
Q&A
[About the museum]
Mr. Wan:
We are located in Vancouver — Chinatown. The Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver has a building, and we are a lodger of that building. We occupy a hallway and a small room. Fortunately, since I look over as president a few years ago, we believe in the museum, not only to present something on a one-time only basis, but I believe it has to be refreshed on a regular basis. If you have seen the museum once, you may not go back if there is nothing new to show. For a number of years, we have been changing our theme and focus of displays on a fairly regular basis. To do that requires funding. Although our volunteers are very active and passionate about what they do, at the same time, it requires a lot of effort and funds to create those new displays.
[About the museum's funding sources]
Senator Omidvar:
...You talked about government grants and donations. On an average year, what is the level of charitable contributions you receive from individuals?
Mr. Wan:
We have been fortunate in the last year or so to have one or two major benefactors. For that, we are thankful that we received maybe $20,000 to $30,000 over the last few years.
We have been also receiving some grants from the government. That was back in about 2011-12. We got funding from the Canadian Heritage group. There was a historical community fund that came out, and we were able to get about $50,000 or $60,000 that year to hire someone to help us create some exhibitions, and we were able to use that to get to the Canadian War Museum for a short time.
Senator Omidvar:
Thank you. If you in an average year get $20,000 in charitable donations from individuals and you have to make a pretzel out of yourself to report on it, do you think that there should be a change in the law that requires variable reporting and depth of reporting based on the levels of contributions you receive? Why should a small organization like yours have to go through the same hoops as the SickKids Foundation, which gets millions of dollars every year?
Mr. Wan:
Exactly. We are small potatoes in terms of the big picture, but we have also been fortunate. When I say $20,000 or $30,000, that is strictly through individual donors and through membership, and we were able to get a bit more the last couple of years. But it is quite correct that small museum charities should not have the same standard of reporting as someone like the hospital foundations that get $60 million or whatever the case is.
Senator Martin:
Mr. Wan, it is nice to see you here in Ottawa. It is fitting, with Remembrance Day coming up and Veterans’ Week, that you are representing a unique society in Canada. In terms of the society, is it quite unique in Canada? Are there other such societies? You have a very specific mandate, as you explained. Does that limit your access to funding? I want to understand whether funding opportunities are available to you, or, with a specific mandate, whether it is more challenging?
Mr. Wan:
Yes, it is more challenging because we are narrowly focused on veterans and on a certain ethnic group as well.
The major government funding would come from Veterans Affairs Canada or Canadian Heritage. Those are the two main ones we can get money from. Sometimes the procedures are more onerous, and we are competing against other veterans organizations as well. That is the challenge we have.
[About the bias and decrease in diversity in the approval of charitable organizations]
Don McRae, Charity Researcher:
The research that I have done shows that, over the past couple of years, the number of charities in Canada has remained stagnant. Since January, we lost about 200 charities. When I was going through my career, the number of charities increased every year. I wanted to find out about that.
CRA is being more restrictive in terms of their approval rate of registrations. I like numbers, so give me a minute. From 2002 to 2006, the approval rate was 74.5 per cent for charities. That changed and went to 44.8 per cent from 2014 to 2017-18. The rate has gone down approximately 30 applications per 100.
The revocations have increased in terms of how many charities lose their registration. If you fail to file your T3010, you lose your registration. You can get it back with a $500 penalty, but the rate of re-registrations has gone down. I did a study that looked at it from 2002 to 2014, and it went down by about 10 per cent. It is decreasing that way.
I also go through and see who the new charities are. By and large, the new charities are not as diverse as our Canadian society. I find that problematic. It hasn’t changed that much from when I was doing my job.
[On the national benefits of a localized (or ethnic) organizations, and why they need government grants]
Mr. McRae:
The problem with the [Canada Revenue Agency] regulator is that it keeps on reinterpreting some things like public benefit...I would say that one of the reasons why CRA thinks they are not charities is because of perceived personal [as opposed to public] benefit but, in a country like Canada, we can’t look at philanthropy as one whole thing. There is a spectrum of philanthropy. When you have newcomers coming to Canada, the first thing they want to do is support their family. The next thing they want to do is support their clan, to use a Scottish term...There is a spectrum of philanthropy, and people move. My research, when I was working in Canadian Heritage, showed that ethno-specific organizations move their philanthropy from local and focused on their own to being greater, and that takes time. In order to get them to that greater thing where there is no perceived personal benefit, we need to help them along the way. If we can get rid of restrictive agency agreements, that’s one way, but we need to try to move the definition so that some of those people are not seen as outsiders.
Senator Seidman:
Mr. Wan, I saw you nodding, so I will ask if you want to add to that.
Mr. Wan:
I think Mr. McRae was quite right in saying that. The museum has been established for 20 years, so we are somewhat mature in terms growth. Initially, it was the Chinese Canadian veterans. As I mentioned, we expanded to include other veterans activities, such as the Battle of Hong Kong. Canadian soldiers went overseas to help. We talk about Indigenous veterans. As they grow and have that foundation, they can build on expanding it to encompass all Canadians.
[On the government's obligation to fund organizations like the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Association]
Mr. Wan:
Better access to greater funding would certainly help our organization, being a small museum, to grow and expand. I think that is very important. At the same time, it would require some effort from the government or some other organizations to make those things happen for us in order for us to gain access to this funding.
[Senator Duffy on "every Canadian" and moving beyond ethnic groups]
Senator Duffy:
Thank you both for coming. Fascinating. I would encourage our viewers to visit Mr. Wan’s museum online. I’ve had a look. The stories that you tell there are amazing, about amazing Canadians, including Douglas Jung, who was a war hero and a spy. They are phenomenal stories about how this country was built, and every Canadian, not just those of Chinese descent, should hear about these amazing people.
Canadian Men's Chorus In Flanders Fields
Composed by Stephen Chatman
Text by John McCrae
Ephesians Chapter 6, Verses 10-24
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:
22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.
23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. (To the Ephesians written from Rome, by Tychicus.)
Below is my post on Remembrance Day 2015, when I attended the event at the Mississauga Civic Centre. I will add the rest of the 2015 post in a follow up article. Bagpiper: Firefighter Joel Glaude
I attended the November 11 Remembrance Day event at Celebration Square. I went with some trepidation, since these public events always end up disappointing me. I was not, in my lack of expectations, disappointed.
We had just recently finished Canada's elections, where the country chose a "lisping liberal" as I describe Justin Trudeau, the forty-something "young" Prime Minster, who nonetheless is not the youngest PM of the country. That label goes to Joe Clark, who was still a thirty-something 39 when he assumed office. And, he was a conservative, to boot.
I wrote to a friend, which I've recorded in the podcast posted below the excerpt:
Trudeau, the lisping liberal, won the federal elections. He is married to a French-speaking Quebec woman, and I wonder what language they speak at home? I think it is French. Poor English Canada, with enemies from all sides. It was a depressing outcome, but then again, we will now have up front everything that the liberals want (or dream of). One of which is to advance the agendas of the "new" Canadians, by which they mean the Third World ethnic Canadians.
Harper, in one of his speeches, used "Old Stock" Canadians, by which he meant the English, Scottish, Irish, and even French (Quebec) conservative Canadians. I don't think it was a slip, and he meant it as a contrast to what we're seeing now, which is an ethnic, non-white, liberal population.
Harper, in one of his speeches, used "Old Stock" Canadians, by which he meant the English, Scottish, Irish, and even French (Quebec) conservative Canadians. I don't think it was a slip, and he meant it as a contrast to what we're seeing now, which is an ethnic, non-white, liberal population.
This actually goes some ways to prove my thesis that Mississauga has become a Third World enclave, a part of which is Muslim.
I said recently that we should look for the next suicide bomber/jihadi in Canada to come from Mississauga.
My work is cut out for me. Now, I know I am really separate, from my family and "friends."
I expect there will be a further exodus of whites away from here into the surrounding small towns (those racist towns...), and let Mississauga, etc. deteriorate as would a Third World city. Already, in my building, the majority, I should really say ALL, the residents are Indians or Chinese. And appliances, elevators, the cardboard wall separating rooms, are showing wear and tear, despite the building being relatively new. I see a few elderly whites who were lured here as an ideal place for retirees. They always look bewildered, and are uncharacteristically silent in the elevators, where it is Canadian manners to at least say hello. I think they are also beginning to leave, as other whites also left in droves.
What was striking about this Remembrance Day memorial was the crowd that came to the event. It was a replica, a demonstration, of the government and the country which Trudeau is building. Starting with the city's officials, we had a smorgasbord of ethnics, from Chinese to Hindu (and Sikh, one mustn't forget the fine details of ethnic identity), who all came in honor of those brave Canadian soldiers, who fought and died for King and Country.
Among this illustrious group is Omar Alghabra, Member of Parliament for Mississauga Centre, who:
- has condemned CanWest newspapers for labelling groups like Hamas and Hizbollah "terrorist" groups
- has welcomed al-Jazeera to Canada and railed against any restrictions on it, but condemned the CRTC for allowing the "abusive" Fox News Channel in[to Canada
- who, in the wake of the Arab riots at Concordia [University] that shut down a speech by former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had the temerity to blame Jewish students for silencing campus discussions, and supported an Arab conference on campus whose stated mission was the elimination of Israel
- who has called for the total abolition of Canada's anti-terrorism laws; and
- who was stopped at the U.S. border and searched and fingerprinted—whether that was by reason of demographic profiling, or because he was on a watch list is uncertain.
[Source: Ezra Levant at the Western Standard] [Note: Since this 2018 post I have distanced myself from Levant’s views on Jews. Kidist Paulos Asrat: Nov 10, 2023]
Levant continues:
What is certain is that Alghabra turned it into an opportunity to gain media face time, Maher Arar-style, as an anti-American, anti-security mouthpiece.
Omar Alghabra after placing his poppy on a wreath (this placing one's poppy on a wreath has become a Canadian tradition)
Other members of the Canadian government who were present:
Navdeep Bains, standing to Alghabra's left in the photo below:
The woman in the black attire (in mourning?) is the poet laureate of Mississauga, Anna Yin, who read the traditional poem, In Flanders Fields.
Muslim audience for the Muslim MP
Chinese audience for the Chinese Poet Laureate
Who is there he for? Perhaps for the old veteran, who came to talk about his war experiences.
Veteran soldier is Major (Retr'd) Bob Holliday presenting at the event
Below is the poem Major Holliday recited (full presentation in the podcast below), of a young boy who grows up to be a young man, ready to go to war. It could have been written for this young boy, in Mississauga in 2015, who was watching and listening attentively, and seriously. And he is wearing a poppy.
Please Wear A Poppy
By Don Crawford
"Please wear a poppy," the lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head.
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
And her face was old and lined with care;
But beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
A boy came whistling down the street,
Bouncing along on care-free feet.
His smile was full of joy and fun,
"Lady," said he, "may I have one?"
When she'd pinned it on he turned to say,
"Why do we wear a poppy today?"
The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered, "This is Remembrance Day,
And the poppy there is the symbol for
The gallant men who died in war.
And because they did, you and I are free -
That's why we wear a poppy, you see."
"I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes.
He loved to play and jump and shout,
Free as a bird he would race about.
As the years went by he learned and grew
and became a man - as you will, too."
"He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he'd seemed with us such a little while
When war broke out and he went away.
I still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,
I'll be back soon, Mom, so please don't cry."
"But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told of the awful fight,
(I can see it still in my dreams at night),
With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire."
"Till at last, at last, the war was won -
And that's why we wear a poppy son."
The small boy turned as if to go,
Then said, "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.
That sure did sound like an awful fight,
But your son - did he come back all right?"
A tear rolled down each faded check;
She shook her head, but didn't speak.
I slunk away in a sort of shame,
And if you were me you'd have done the same;
For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,
Thought our freedom was bought - and thousands paid!
And so when we see a poppy worn,
Let us reflect on the burden borne,
By those who gave their very all
When asked to answer their country's call
That we at home in peace might live.
Then wear a poppy! Remember - and give!
Major Holliday, half way through the poem, at the part: "Goodbye, I'll be back soon, Mom, so please don't cry," started to tear up, and wiped his eyes, fully feeling the horror the young man in the poem would live through, as he had done.
Podcast of veteran soldier Major (Retr'd) Bob Holliday reciting "Please Wear A Poppy."
How may Sikh or Muslim or Chinese young children will grow up to fight a future Hitler? Will the Middle Eastern Canadian soldiers really go out to war to fight the Iranians? Will a Sikh march off to war with Indians (perhaps that is not such a stretch, since inter-ethnic rivalries do end up on the war field in that country)? Will the Chinese confront his Chinese ancestors back in his homeland when called to the Canadian army?
But such aggressions may be sooner than we expect, and even on our own soil.
Here is a photograph of the young boy, and the people surrounding him:
And why wasn't he chosen to lay a wreath? Why was it, if we pursue this thought, that both were girls? Why not boys, or one boy and one girl? And why were both non-white?
Two representatives of Mississauga's youth laying a wreath, costumed in black
This young boy was strangely alone. I couldn't see any father, mother, or sibling next to him. He was like an apparition, watching, observing, figuring things out.
His jacket also looks like some kind of army camouflage.
Yin has arrived at the pinnacle of the West's equality cult. She has all the requisites: woman, immigrant, non-white - or "ethnic" - and relatively young (I assume Yin isn't forty yet).
The two girls, a Chinese and an Indian, in the photograph above, who were given the honor of laying a wreath, are from the region's school. Both girls were wearing black tops and pants, like the Poet Laureate. Did they coordinate their mourning attire with Yin's? Yin is going around schools "promoting" poetry, so I wouldn't be surprised if they planned to "dress" like her. Isn't the blood-red of the poppy enough symbolism? It is the strange nihilism of non-whites I see all the time, where color and decoration are discarded, as though there is nothing to choose from. Even a Remembrance Day does not warrant such nihilistic, false mourning. After all, the poem does say:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
It is a poem about war, and death, but above all about the insistence of life.
Image posted at the article Multicultural Historian: Early White Canadians Were Lazy Colonizers, Not Hardy Farmers
by Prof. Ricardo Duchesne
On the website Council of European Canadians
With the captain: Lazy Euro-Canadian boy pretending he is working the land; this is a myth, he is a colonizer.
Ricardo Duchesne, who writes at the Council of European Canadians and who is a professor at the University of New Brunswick, has this to say about Daniel Panneton, a "Historian & Outreach Officer at Multicultural History Society of Ontario," who reviewed his best-sellng book Canada in Decay (of which I have a copy):
Daniel Panneton, a "Historian & Outreach Officer at Multicultural History Society of Ontario," calls extremist my view that Canada was created by pioneers and settler farmers. He says it is "racist" and a "myth" to say that Canada was created by Euro-Canadians. The only historically accurate view of Canada's past is that it was a "culture of white supremacy, a culture that is continually replicated and reshaped by our political and cultural institutions."
[...]
He condemns my best selling book Canada in Decay for allegedly arguing "that multiculturalism is a covert plot to wipe out the white race by the globalist left." It is obvious Penneton did not read this book, and I would be surprised if he has carefully read and fairly evaluated any book that portrays Euro-Canadians as hard workers who created the very comforts Penneton enjoys without being grateful to his ancestors.
I repeat, not a single source, book or article, is referenced by Penneton the "historian" of the "Multicultural History Society of Ontario". This is what passes for "historian" nowadays. When graduate students are celebrating diversity and condemning "white supremacy" they are not required to cite sources and employ facts. It is a self-evident truth instilled upon children the moment they enter primary school that "diversity is our greatest strength" and that "white supremacists" control Canada. Penneton imagines himself a true "hardy" Canadian challenging the dominant "white supremacist" establishment while expressing these self-evident truths.
Museums
Having completed an MA in History, Penneton is currently doing "Museum Studies" at the University of Toronto. I wonder if he knows that museums were invented by Europeans. With origins dating back to Hellenistic Greece, museums really took off during the 1600s when Europeans went about displaying all sorts of natural objects, plants, animals, artifacts, brought back from their amazing voyages of discovery. During the post-WWII years, museums were built in city after city across the West as amazing storehouses of natural and human history, and as centers of education.
Who would have known that as Western nations are being forced to populate themselves with millions of diverse immigrants, museums are becoming places dedicated to the celebration of the far lesser achievements of non-Europeans, officially committed to diversity in the West, coupled with exhibitions of Europe's achievements as if they were the "achievements of humanity", and the transformation of all museums into ideological weapons to encourage Europeans to view their nations as the "common home" of humanity?
The program Museum Studies rang a resounding bell. Where had I heard of it before?
Kendra Ainsworth Experience
Art Gallery of Mississauga
Curator of Contemporary Art
Art Gallery of Mississauga
Mar 2016 – Present
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
The Art Gallery of Mississauga is a public non-profit gallery located in Mississauga's Civic Centre. We are committed to presenting work by regional, national and international contemporary artists in accessible, engaging exhibitions and public programs. In this position I manage all aspects of exhibition planning and curation, including grant writing, budget management, loans, shipping, insurance, partnerships and publications. I am proud to work at an institution that values accessibility, inclusivity, diversity, and working collaboratively with artists and communities.
Education
University of Toronto
Master's degree, Museum Studies
2013
University of Toronto - Victoria University
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Cultural Anthropology
2002 – 2006
Of course students come and go, but if the institution they hail from is now getting "outed" for providing this type of "educated" graduate, even one, then we have to consider the merits of ALL the others.
Installation
Reinhard Reitzenstein Bonavista Biennale at Knight’s Cove,
Nine upside-down, ochre-stained trees along the water and ATV trail.
Image source: Canadian Art in Newfound Land, Photo By: Lean Sandals
August 23, 2017
(Article By Leah Sandals)
Here is a post I drafted almost a year ago (it is dated September 5, 2017 and I left the draft article in my files). I am pretty sure I didn't post the essay because I was concerned about augmenting the negative interactions I had had with the Art Gallery of Mississauga, which started soon after I attended the Summer/Fall 2016 exhibition and panel discussion on Canadian painter Homer Watson and other contemporary Canadian artists. The exhibition and the panel were titled: Beyond the Pines: Homer Watson and the Contemporary Canadian Landscape. I attended both.
Given the antagonistic nature the gallery continues to take towards me, especially in view of recent events, it is all now par for the course.
The artist I am profiling is Reinhard Reitzenstein, whom I briefly discuss in a recent post about a week ago here. I had heard him speak on a panel on the exhibition Homer Watson: Beyond the Pines, where he also showed some of his work. I discuss him along with some others from his panel and the Homer Watson exhibit in an August 2017 post Reinstating the Artistic Legacy of Homer Watson, about a month after I attended the exhibition.
In this particular draft I published (posted) today - see below, I write about the small interaction I had with him when I asked him a specific question about his work, and the reply I got from him.
In our postmodern era I would be defended as a discriminatee.
My non-White, Third World background would automatically place me in the "victim" pigeonhole where my word against my white "antagonist" would preside, NO MATTER WHAT.
That is, until I start to defend this "white" monster and say he is the one being discriminated against.
Then the wrath, slow though it may come, is full on!
Especially if it is a white women who is regulating the discrimination channel.
This happened to me recently after I attended (and participated in) a lecture at the Art Gallery of Mississauga, where a group of artists were to discuss the works of Homer Watson, a late 19th early 20th century painter from southern Ontario.
I wrote about the exhibition and the panel discussion here: Homer Watson, Native Son. But I left out my questions to the panel.
As wrote in the post:
Last year, I attended a panel discussion on the exhibition Beyond the Pines: Homer Watson and the Contemporary Canadian Landscape at the Art Gallery Mississauga. I had visited the exhibition numerous times, going through Watson's work one by one, to study his technique, his evolution as an artist, his views, his concerns, and his Canada.
The exhibition also displayed works by contemporary Canadian artists to bring this pine "narrative" to the fore. Some were reasonably good, but none reached the overall skill and beauty of Watson's paintings.
I was gong to leave it at that, just a personal observation (not naive or untutored, since I have a solid background in the arts), hoping that I would gain some insight from these artists.
But I should have known better.
The catalogue the AGM produced for this exhibition prefaced with this objective:
Contemporary Canadian artists looking at landscape must also find a way to access the ‘truth’ of a subject that is not only strongly represented in our national artistic history, but one that is both deeply political and personal.
So the "truth" of a subject is now mandated to "represent" not just our nation "objectively" but has to incorporate political and personal views as well.
A tree is not a tree is not a tree, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein .
I asked Reinhard Reitzenstein, one of the panelists, who is a pretty good sculptor (and who is white), if he believes that Homer Watson's standards, and art, set an example for artist in general or if his English (Western) heritage is insignificant. This was of course not what I was asking, as Reitzenstein clearly understood. I was asking him if he thought that Watson's work was good, was superior.
Reitzenstein talked for a bit and finally admitted that he doesn't want to emulate the now archaic art of Watson. We are in the modern age after all!
So, irrespective of technical expertise, artistic beauty, or individual ingenuity, as long as an artist follows the "archaic art" of Watson, his work can not be deemed "good."
This is the tired discussion of art which has reached now such a comical zenith that works are exhibited in museums and galleries simply based on their mockery (and not simple rejection) of this Western tradition. And many artists have become wealthy doing so.
But the public isn't with the program, which is why the Art Gallery of Mississauga has to go through loopholes to get people to visit its exhibitions, including set up committees and workshops to "study" this lack of museum attendance.
I received a "newsletter" email about a year after this exhibition from the AGM, one of the few I have received from them to invite me to participate in two workshops titled: Collections Through The Prism of Diversity Series (here are day one and day two of the schedules).
But I was given about a week's notice for a two day workshop, where would have had to pay $250/day to attend. My first reading of the email, before I saw the dates, was to figure out ways could come up with the sum, including asking for a reduced fee. Soon after, I realized that I was put on the list as a "visible minority" participant.
Here is the email I sent the gallery:
I can only surmise from this late notification that the AGM is getting some kind of monetary benefit from this "email list" which it seems to use haphazardly to meet with its program mandates.
In my case, the mandate appears to be that of a minority female artist who can participate in the discussion on how to add more "diversity" into the art collections of the region.
Through your lack of appropriate notification, you indeed lost the participation of a minority female artist (myself) who would have made a unique and substantial contribution to this discussion.
And the reply I received from Mandy Salter, AGM's newly selected director:
The AGM prides itself on its high professional standards and its strong relational manner. We provide a safe and accountable space for our diverse staff, volunteers, artists and audience. All of this supports the democratic nature of the work we do at the AGM.
Moving forward, if you are able to visit the AGM in a congenial and supportive way I encourage you to do so. If at any point in the future, you visit the AGM and create an unsafe, critical and or threatening space, we will contact security who will request that you leave the premises. If you do not comply they will be entitled to further legal action under the Ontario Trespass to Property Act. I have cc’d senior Security Officers at the City of Mississauga on this and other incidents regarding inflammatory and false statements made by yourself.
The AGM prides itself on embracing diversity and inclusion as a core institutional value. We strive to create an accountable and inclusive space that supports like-minded individuals.
Diversity counts at all costs, even if it means getting the "diverse" complainant out the door!
The irony of the AGM's position of course doesn't occur to its staff: that they are discriminating against me (shutting down my "voice" ) in order that they might continue with their program is exactly what they are accusing the white inheritors of Homer Watson.
This time though, they have found a whole different story: An "ethnic minority" who supports a white tradition, and an immigrant no less!
I had asked a normal, art and culture related question, and I believe this was what was (is) perceived as "being difficult" by AGM's director and curator Mandy Salter, who recently sent me an email with the "clarification" on my ban from the AGM's "premisese":
As you have continued to criticize, defame and generally create an unsafe space for many at the AGM
I asked Reinhard Reitzenstein, one of the panelists [at the AGM function], who is a pretty good sculptor (and who is white), if he believes that Homer Watson's standards, and art, set an example for artist in general or if his English (Western) heritage is insignificant. This was of course not what I was asking, as Reitzenstein clearly understood. I was asking him if he thought that Watson's work was good, was superior.
Reitzenstein talked for a bit and finally admitted that he doesn't want to emulate the now archaic art of Watson. We are in the modern age after all!
So, irrespective of technical expertise, artistic beauty, or individual ingenuity, as long as an artist follows the archaic art of Watson, his work can not be deemed "good."
In our postmodern era I would be defended as a discriminatee.
My non-White, Third World background would automatically place me in the "victim" pigeonhole where my word against my white "antagonist" would preside, NO MATTER WHAT.
That is, until I start to defend this "white" monster and say he is the one being discriminated against.
Then the wrath, slow though it may come, is full on!
Especially if it is a white women who is regulating the discrimination channel.
This happened to me recently after I attended (and participated in) a lecture at the Art Gallery of Mississauga, where a group of artists were to discuss the works of Homer Watson, a late 19th early 20th century painter from southern Ontario.
I wrote about the exhibition and the panel discussion here: Homer Watson, Native Son. But I left out my questions to the panel.
As wrote in my post:
Last year, I attended a panel discussion on the exhibition Beyond the Pines: Homer Watson and the Contemporary Canadian Landscape at the Art Gallery Mississauga. I had visited the exhibition numerous times, going through Watson's work one by one, to study his technique, his evolution as an artist, his views, his concerns, and his Canada.
The exhibition also displayed works by contemporary Canadian artists to bring this pine "narrative" to the fore. Some were reasonably good, but none reached the overall skill and beauty of Watson's paintings.
I was gong to leave it at that, just a personal observation (not naive or untutored, since I have a solid background in the arts), hoping that I would gain some insight from these artists.
But I should have known better.
The catalogue the AGM produced for this exhibition prefaced with this objective:
Contemporary Canadian artists looking at landscape must also find a way to access the ‘truth’ of a subject that is not only strongly represented in our national artistic history, but one that is both deeply political and personal.
So the "truth" of a subject is now mandated to "represent" not just our nation "objectively" but has to incorporate political and personal views as well.
A tree is not a tree is not a tree, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein .
I asked Reinhard Reitzenstein, one of the panelists, who is a pretty good sculptor (and who is white), if he believes that Homer Watson's standards, and art, set an example for artist in general or if his English (Western) heritage is insignificant. This was of course not what I was asking, as Reitzenstein clearly understood. I was asking him if he thought that Watson's work was good, was superior.
Reitzenstein talked for a bit and finally admitted that he doesn't want to emulate the now archaic art of Watson. We are in the modern age after all!
So, irrespective of technical expertise, artistic beauty, or individual ingenuity, as long as an artist follows the archaic art of Watson, his work can not be deemed "good."
This is the tired discussion of art which has reached now such a comical zenith that works are exhibited in museums and galleries simply based on their mockery (and not simply rejection) of this western tradition. And many artists have become wealthy doing so.
But the public isn't with the program, which is why the Art Gallery of Mississauga has to go through loopholes to get people to visit its exhibitions, including set up committees and workshops to "study" this lack of museum attendance.
I received a "newsletter" email about a year after this exhibition from the AGM, one of the few I have received from them to invite me to participate in two workshops ttled: Collections Through The Prism of Diversity Series (here are day one and day two of the schedules):
But I was given about a week's notice for a two day workshop, where would have had to pay $250/day to attend. My first reading of the email, before I saw the dates, was to figure out ways could come up with the sum, including asking for a reduced fee. Soon after, I realized that I was put on the list as a "visible minority" participant.
Here is the email I sent the gallery:
I can only surmise from this late notification that the AGM is getting some kind of monetary benefit from this "email list" which it seems to use haphazardly to meet with its program mandates.
In my case, the mandate appears to be that of a minority female artist who can participate in the discussion on how to add more "diversity" into the art collections of the region.
Through your lack of appropriate notification, you indeed lost the participation of a minority female artist (myself) who would have made a unique and substantial contribution to this discussion.
And the reply I received from Mandy Slater the director:
The AGM prides itself on its high professional standards and its strong relational manner. We provide a safe and accountable space for our diverse staff, volunteers, artists and audience. All of this supports the democratic nature of the work we do at the AGM.
Moving forward, if you are able to visit the AGM in a congenial and supportive way I encourage you to do so. If at any point in the future, you visit the AGM and create an unsafe, critical and or threatening space, we will contact security who will request that you leave the premises. If you do not comply they will be entitled to further legal action under the Ontario Trespass to Property Act. I have cc’d senior Security Officers at the City of Mississauga on this and other incidents regarding inflammatory and false statements made by yourself.
The AGM prides itself on embracing diversity and inclusion as a core institutional value. We strive to create an accountable and inclusive space that supports like-minded individuals.
Diversity counts at all costs, even if it means getting the "diverse" complainant out the door!
The irony of the AGM's position of course doesn't occur to its staff: that they are discriminating against me (shutting down my "voice" ) in order that they might continue with their program is exactly what they are accusing the white inheritors of Homer Watson.
This time though, they have found a whole different story: An "ethnic minority" who supports a white tradition!
I won't go into ANY of the controversies:
- "Today is Columbus Day"
- "Columbus didn't discover America"
- "'Native Canadians do not accept this holiday because..."
Jeff Thomas | A Necessary Fiction: My Conversation with George Hunter and Edward S. Curtis
Exhibition JUN 29 2017 - AUG 27 2017 Canadian Art
A Necessary Fiction extends Jeff Thomas’s engagement with image-makers who have used Indigenous people as the subjects of their work, interrogating the relevance of such work in light of today’s self-determination movement. Employing the work of both George Hunter and Edward S. Curtis as a catalyst, Thomas presents an alternative to the hegemonic and static narratives they both construct and reinforce.
Now why would an indigenous, and proud to be, photographer accept these awards:
In 1998, [Jeff Thomas] was awarded the Canada Council’s prestigious Duke and Duchess of York Award in Photography and was inducted into the Royal Canadian Academy of Art. In 2008, he received The Karsh Award in photography, and in 2017, Thomas received a REVAL Indigenous Art Award.
The source of the above excerpt is Canadian Art Magazine.
I looked up "REVAL Indigenous Art Award" (without quotes) and was given the options by google:
REVEAL Indigenous Art Award
Search only for REVAL Indigenous Art Award
And under REVAL Indigenous Art Award, the Art Gallery of Mississauga came up.
And sure enough the lazy editors at Canadian Art Magazine had quoted directly from the AGM's official announcement where:
in 2017, Thomas received a REVAL Indigenous Art Award.
The AGM is committed to recognizing and incorporating diverse Indigenous perspectives within exhibitions and programming, and highlighting the numerous Indigenous artists who have contributed to this gallery. The AGM is dedicated to providing a platform for contemporary Indigenous art and curatorial practices, and hosts events and programs that reflect various cultural topics and identities. (see statement at the bottom of the AGM's website under "Land Acknowledgement")
For an art gallery "committed to recognizing and incorporating diverse Indigenous perspectives," this is pretty much an inexcusable mistake.
And its even worse for a national art magazine not to fact check the brochure announcements of a local art gallery.
Or not to know about (oh the art crime) a national indigenous art award.
But on a subliminal level, who wants to support those which constantly berate you?!
What sane person (or group or ethnicity or country) will endlessly listen to such continuous derision?
But that is what "indigenous" peoples and artists do! All the time!
The AGM has this plaque on its website where it is announcing Thomas' exhibition. But it is illegible. Yet another gaffe! (Or is the subliminal, ever recurring, message: "We don't know any (about) Indians. We don't really care about Indians. We get a lot of money because of Indians. Therefore. We will put up all the shows and programs for Indians (as long as we get paid)).
Here is what Jeff Thomas writes on his fancy website ("urban" = code word for "poor"):
My study of Indian-ness seeks to create an image bank of my urban-Iroquois experience, as well as re-contextualize historical images of First Nations people for a contemporary audience.
.e.: All these white people told you lies. Now I tell you our truth.
In the Indian world there is only Indian truth. Everything else is lies or up for Indian Inquiry.
Jeffrey M. Thomas is an Iroquois/Onondaga photographer, curator, and cultural analyst, born in Buffalo, New York and now living in Ottawa
In the fluid world of Indians, where they disregard borders (really for opportunistic reasons getting the best of both native worlds), they will pass fluidly from one country to another, belligerently defining"territory" boundaries, and defying national ones. And they are permitted to do so. They are neither Canadian nor American, after all. They are natives.
Prince Charles receives the Extraordinary Companion to the Order of Canada medal from Governor General David Johnston at Rideau Hall in Ottawa July 1, 2017
As a member of the Royal Family, Prince Charles has been made an extraordinary companion of the Order of Canada, the highest level of the order, for his global philanthropic work and support for Canada's Armed Forces members. [Source]
And
Companions of the Order of Canada, the highest level of the Order of Canada, have demonstrated the highest degree of merit to Canada and humanity, on the national or international scene. [Source]
Established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Order of Canada is the cornerstone of the Canadian Honours System, and recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. The Order recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to this country. Since its creation, more than 6 000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order.
Desiderantes meliorem patriam: They desire a better country
The Order of Canada, the highest level of distinction in the Canadian honours system, was established on July 1, 1967, the 100th anniversary of Confederation. [Source]
Thank you Governor General David Johnston, for fawning over the adulterer Prince-in-Waiting Charles. And for continuing the archaic relationship we have with Britain. When will Canada finally grow up and separate from its sovereign Queen Elizabeth?
The Queen or sovereign is the head of state in Canada. The Governor General of Canada represents the sovereign, and most of the powers and authority of the sovereign have been delegated to the Governor General. The role of the Canadian Governor General is mostly symbolic and ceremonial.
The governor general acts within the principles of parliamentary democracy and responsible government as a guarantor of continuous and stable governance and as a nonpartisan safeguard against the abuse of power. For the most part, however, the powers of the Crown are exercised on a day-to-day basis by elected and appointed individuals, leaving the governor general to perform the various ceremonial duties the sovereign otherwise carries out when in the country; at such a moment, the governor general removes him or herself from public, though the presence of the monarch does not affect the governor general's ability to perform governmental roles.
But aside from all these roles and responsibilities, the Governor General's role "is mostly symbolic and ceremonial." So why don't we do something symbolic and remove this symbolic relationship!
"I'd like to acknowledge that we are on ancestral lands of the Algonquin people," starts off the Prime Minister at his speech on Parliament Hill this Canada Day.
"Today isn't really our 150th birthday. We're much older than that. Canada, and the idea of Canada, goes much further back than just 150 years. For thousands of years, in this place, people have met, traded, built, loved, lost, fought and grieved.
Canada is a country made strong not in spite of our differences, but because of them. We don't aspire to be a melting pot. Indeed we know true strength and resilience flows through Canadian diversity. Ours is a land of original peoples and of new comers. And our greatest pride is that you can come here from anywhere in the world, build a good life, and be part of our community. We don't care where you're from, what religion you practice, or whom you love, you are ALL WELCOME IN CANADA!!"
Here Trudeau resumes his speech in French (he had been making this dual-language speech as is officially required), and the irritating translator talks over his voice.
He talks about how this multicultural spirit came from the inclusion of the French language and French-Quebec culture into Canadian society, and how bilingualism has became a...
"...central and defining part of our identity and an official policy. Right across this country, Trudeau says, "we speak French and English, as well as hundreds of other languages."
Back in English:
And so, diversity has always been at the very core of Canada over the centuries. It's the foundation upon which our country was built. We may be of every color and creed, from every corner of the world. We may live in British Columbia, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia or Newfoundland and Labrador, we embrace that diversity while knowing in our hearts that we are all Canadian.
Etc.
But at this point while listing all the provinces and territories, Trudeau forgot Alberta. It was quite funny really (and I didn't notice, as probably didn't thousands of others - except of course for Albertans), a gaffe anyone could make while not reading off a list during an impassioned speech. The news media narrowed in on that gaffe.
But not on Trudeau's aggressive promotion of now cliched and failed multicultural experiment that keeps on unraveling as the "...central and defining part of our identity."
If even the French and English in Canada couldn't get along, how can he expect people who speak "hundreds of other languages" to do so?
And why in a country so "proud" to be bilingual do we need translators at every official speech?
Thank you Mr. Prime Minister Trudeau, for clouding the realty and playing with our emotions. Your words will be on the record in Canada's history books (should there be such a country).
Canada 150th and Port Stanley's Shawarma The Chordekars via Israel and India
CTV News had yesterday a "Canada 150 success story" (150 years of Canada's confederation) about a family that came from Tel Aviv to Port Stanley, a town on the shores of Lake Eerie. They are touted as immigrants who shunned the big city lights of Toronto and got themselves to a smaller town instead. Well they were in Toronto for several years before they made it to Port Stanley, so they are not the Third-World-Country-to-Small-Town-Canada type at all. Their move is really not much different from immigrants who slowly move their way out of congested cities to other more pleasant locations, which they once again exit to other more secluded, pleasant small towns.
Below is the television story:
So, they opened up a "shwarma" place in this pretty town. Not some fancy French restaurant, or a lively Irish pub, or a menu-rich American Diner.
No. It's just another meat-wrapped-in-a-pita place. That is, a Middle Eastern fast-food joint.
And modesty runs shallow as they talk about opening another place:
The Chordekars are working on plans to expand their business and hire locals to work at their restaurant
says the eulogizing CTV reporter.
Of course all this money comes from government subsidized new business (and immigrant business) start-up funds, which means the ordinary Canadian tax payer is invested in yet another corner shop "venture" whether he wants to or not.
They appear to be professional re-locators. They stress their Tel Aviv connection (they lived there eight years ago) but they originally came from India (Mumbai, as Bombay is now called). They give no concrete reason for why they left India or Israel. The Israeli relocation seems more for financial reasons than personal safety, as does their move to Canada. The CTV news narrator says cryptically:
Living in Tel Aviv, Mumbai before that, the family longed for a country where safety wasn't a concern. Canada promised good education and opportunity. Eight years ago they moved...
Gabriel had experience in the Hotel industry in Eilat, a resort city on the Red Sea with hotels and beaches packed with thousands of tourists from around the world, where Gabriel and Doris Chordekar met and married in Israel before emigrating to Canada.
I believe that the ultimate goal for both of them has always been to get to North America (Canada, the United States, it's all the same). Like most Third World immigrants, they will have a plethora of connections on both sides of the border which they will use constantly - for travel for business an even for future re-locations.
Here is a 2017 reprt which describes their business thus:
Shebaz’s Shawarma & Falafel is owned and operated by Gabriel and Doris Chordekar. Gabriel and Doris had previously resided in the Greater Toronto Area and settled in Port Stanley in 2012. They arrived in Port Stanley armed with a master’s degree in business, training in Middle Eastern Cuisine, and a passion for customer service. It was not long before they decided to follow their dream and open a Middle Eastern themed take-out restaurant. The local community quickly embraced this venture and continues to support the business. The Elgin Business Resource Centre and the County of Elgin Economic Development team are proud to have supported these entrepreneurs through the planning and launch phases of their business. Not only have the Chordekars enhanced the culinary landscape of Port Stanley but their young family has been a great addition to the community.
Well they made it.
If you listen to them talking, it is clear that they are not destitute refugees who might have genuine reasons for running across the globe. They clearly come from some kind reasonably secure segment of their native society where, among other things, they have learned to speak good English and procured an MBA between them.
William Road in Port Stanley:
From left to right: - Shebaz Shwarma and Falafel "[has] delicious Middle Eastern flavours awaiting you, just minutes away from the main beach." - Succs On The Beach "is all about showcasing succulents in natural and/or reclaimed vessels, put together with skill and love." - Sushi Punk "is a hip new sushi/noodle bar & coffee house located in Port Stanley. There's a lounge for you to kick back in with a latte, bubble tea or smoothie and dig the vibes." (Sushi Punk is more an "eclectic" place run by what looks like a former punkrocker-type who is now into food, coffee and antiques). No Japanese there.
Emily Sheeler from Sushi Punk From an ad for a cooking (sushi) presentation at Pepper Tree Spice Co.,this past May.
NEW! SUSHI WORKSHOP
Thurs. May. 18th , 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, $60
We are positively thrilled to have Sushi Punk join us in Port and we want to share! Welcome Emily Sheerer from Sushi Punk to our kitchen as she leads you in this fun sushi workshop. Prepare to roll up your sleeves and learn the secret to making perfect Sushi Rice, Futomaki (Sushi rolls with multiple fillings, seaweed on the outside),
Uramaki (Inside out sushi rolls, seaweed on the outside), Nigiri (individual hand formed sushi pieces) and finally Chirashi, scattered sushi. In addition you will all be taking home your own Sushi making tool kit ($20 Value). Vegetarian & Vegan options are a cinch to create once you have the basics.
Sheeler is clearly an expert. But she doesn't just stop there. Her vintage furniture bring some history into this shopping block, and "Canada 150" would do well to visit her collections.
[Succs on the Beach]...is a magical nature filled Artisan Gift Shop, abundant with locally handmade crafts and an array of beautiful Succulent arrangements.
