BY MICHAEL THOMAS

Is Canada’s Wonderland participating in the racial profiling of young black men too? Try asking this question to Keishia Facey and the answer would be a no-holds-barred YES, and I shall explain why as we progress in this article.

Imagine you are the mother of a sixteen-year-old son who happens to be Black. Imagine sending your son off by Uber to enjoy himself at Canada’s Wonderland, but when he gets there, he is refused entry.

N (as I would call him) was told that he fits the profile of someone who was not welcomed at the amusement park and that was it, case closed and if he persisted, he was told they would call the police on him. As we shall find out later, N and his mother decided to show his ID as evidence that he was not there before, but that was ignored, and he was left outside the amusement park. Imagine that!

Readers, your next question would be why, or what happened? Let us keep imagining things for now. Remember this young man was put in a cab by his mother, so naturally when he was refused entry at the Vaughan amusement park on September 28^th, 2024 he called his mother to see if she could help clarify things.

Let’s imagine that you are the mother of this 16-year-old, you show up at this amusement park thinking this should be easy, he is going to be admitted now that you are here, what is the misunderstanding?

Picture yourselves readers as the boy’s mother trying to find out why your son was refused entry, only to be dismissed and to find out there is another group of black boys that are not wanted at the entrance either. This article will test your imagination, but you will be unpleasantly surprised.

Now picture yourself standing at the entrance of this amusement park with your son and seven, or eight other Black boys between the ages of 14-16, being refused entry into Canada’s Wonderland. Shall we imagine that all nine, or so of these little Black boys looked like someone who was denied entry previously? Shall we?

Now readers, this gets worse, try, and imagine you as N’s mother having the police called on you by Canada’s Wonderland just because you are inquiring why your son cannot enjoy an amusement park in the country where he was born.

I think this imaginary horror story has run its course, and regrettably, I must inform you that all that you have read so far is not a fairy tale, but a real-life ordeal. Now let me introduce you to this real-life cast.

I had the privilege of speaking with N’s mother Mrs. Keishia Facey, Co-founder of the REST (OR) REFORM Equity Conference which advocates for racial justice in our community.

According to Facey, Canada’s Wonderland security called the police on her and her son to inquire why he was refused entry.

Facey told me that when the officer arrived and she tried explaining what happened, Officer K. Ramos told her that, as a minority himself, he found nothing racial about this incident. “After taking what the security guards told him, he said he deemed it not racist,” Facey told me.

It is important to note here that the amusement park security called the police not to clarify things regarding her son’s refusal of entry, but to arrest her because they deemed her manner aggressive. After all, she questioned their decision.

“It just goes to show how a lot of the racist troupes against my son and myself were at play. I am a Black woman so therefore I am angry, and I am aggressive, when all I am trying to ask is what is the reason why my son is not allowed to come in,” Facey told me.

“The problem is that this is not just an individual case of my son and his friend. I am standing here with a group of Black boys who are not allowed to come in, while all these other kids are dressed the same and are allowed to go in, while there is a wall of security screening people out. That is racial profiling,” she said.

Facey told me, “Whoever they were saying my son was, they had no ID for such a person.”

Facey believes that these security guards are not properly trained, and so, one dangerous Black boy to them means one size fits all. “That is racial profiling,” she told me.

Canada’s Wonderland Marketing Director told another news source the reason for turning back N from the amusement park was for wearing an item that concealed his identity, an act that is a violation of the park’s Code of Conduct, yet as stated earlier in this article Canada’s Wonderland downplayed the idea of an ID check from N and his mother. For the record, N’s mother called that statement by Canada’s Wonderland a lie.

In all fairness, I reached out to Canada’s Wonderland by contacting Dwayne McMulkin, the Corporate Director of Marketing and Brand Management at Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, which owns the theme park, to obtain their version of this tragic incident, but no one replied to me.

I asked Facey what she would like to see happen at the end of all this, she replied, “I think the security guards need to be trained, they need to know what anti-Black racism is, they need to know that no matter if  they are: Brown, Indian, White, or Chinese that anti-Black racism in Canada needs to be fought against, and so they can respond differently.”

Facey said she is in conversation with York Regional Police on the matter as well.

BY STEVEN KASZAB

Many of my American customers have made commentary upon the relationship between Canada and the USA, and upon what makes up a Canadian. Are these two people the same or somehow different? Canadians and Americans share a great deal, watch the same television, have similar love for democracy and work together in business and play. Millions of us travel back and forth with seemingly only our national labels separating us from the other.

Our histories are intertwined, families spread across each border, with Canadians expressing their trust and love for the cousins down south. We have historically fought one another, distrusted one another, yet become the greatest of allies as well. A huge border separates each nation from the other, yet millions cross this border freely each day. Our economies are interwoven, and we walk in space together as a unit of explorers with lapel flags identifying us from the other.

What makes Canadians and Americans different? Two words and their meaning makes the case clearly. Family and Cooperation: A group of related things living together – descendants of a common ancestor working together.

“Family” holds a special place of reverence and historical significance socio-politically to both Canadians and Americans. That similarity is clear. I believe the difference in how we view family, and what family means to us. American individualism holds a pivotal historic place within the American social fabric. This flows into how they view and live their family experience. Family is a part of the greater national experience, but individualism maintains a separation from the greater public’s expectations. Individuals and their families are separate from the greater whole. Importance to the needs, expectations, myths of the individual run supreme and above the national needs and expectations. Nationalism in America is characteristically centered on independence and self-reliance.

Canadian expressions of “family” are similar, but the lived concept of family is far more holistic in its approach. Not only are family members part of the family unit, but Canadians view others in Canada as family as well. Our acceptance of the social compact unites Canadians and presses our expression to help the other. Canadian social thought evolved to accept and place social policy decisions such as our universal health care and the protection of the citizen from undue: financial, mental, and physical challenges.

America’s acceptance of the supremacy of capital and individualism places its citizens in harm’s way should that citizen face such challenges as illness (no insurance), or loss of job (loss of home). Canadian social attitudes place cooperation among our citizens as the primary method of achievement as a society and family.

Americans’ reverence of competition places citizens and American institutions against one another. Darwinian attitudes place capital and individualism into every aspect of American life from the moment an American is born in a hospital to the day they pass away. Capital, wealth, personal achievement reaches into every American’s lived experience as though it were a religion. Not so in Canada. Perhaps it is Canadians feeling of inferiority living beside the greatest democratic nation on earth, or because we understand America’s importance to Canada’s welfare and well-being be it: financial, economic, or our national defense. The proverbial little cousin.

That feeling unites Canadians, making us far more empathetic to our neighbors and the world. This empathy enters our political and social realities, as to how we see ourselves. Our inferiority makes us more cooperative, and socially responsible.

American individualism and Canadian cooperative thought. Alternatives offered to free people. Choose and choose well.

BY PAUL JUNOR

The Madame Wob Dwiyet Cultural Showcase presents, “A Flourishing Nation of Flamboyant and Bwa Kwaib” on Sunday, September 29^th, 2024, at the St. Peter & Paul Banquet Hall in Scarborough. It features the best that the small island of Dominica offers by highlighting its: cultural fashion, music, history and rich traditions.

Lorraine Delsol is the cofounder of the MWDC (Madame Wob Dwiyet Canada), which is a cultural group whose mission is the promotion of the culture of Dominica not just in Canada but internationally as well. There is much documentation about Lorraine who

has worn many hats over the years as a: model, fashion designer and talent agent. She was born in Grand Bay, Dominica and came from a family of four sisters and two brothers. Her strict father ensured that his children developed strong work ethics, and a disciplined lifestyle with a focus on academic excellence.

Lorraine possesses a natural gift of sewing and excels at designing clothes for family members and others. She was featured twice in the Ebony Fashion Show as the sole Caribbean designer.

The promotional booklet describes the purpose of MWDC. It was launched to raise Dominica’s cultural profile and is committed to working diligently to integrate Dominica’s unique, and fabulous culture to the multicultural landscape of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The cultural extravaganza featured seven contestants of Dominican descent/origin. They were evaluated based on the promotion of their individual Island village, or town, display of the Madame Wob Dwiyet traditional: dress, cultural attire, traditional dance, and poise. Furthermore, they showcase their grace, beauty and elegance of this cultural Icon-the Wob Dwiyet.

There were three Jeune Madams candidates.

• Allida Aubrey
• Isalina Delsol
• Nyasjah Evelyn Joseph Bhagwandin

There were four Madam candidates.

• Audrica Aubrey
• Ingrid Riviere
• Ingrid Harper
• Cavelle Anthea Etienne

There were many references to the fact that Dominica celebrated its 46^th year of Independence. Ontario Premier, Doug Ford notes, “This evening was a vibrant celebration of Dominica’s rich heritage, and a showcase for the pride with which Dominicans regard their national costume and rich Creole culture. Our province is proud to be home to a dynamic Dominican community that has strengthened the ties between our jurisdictions, enriched our culture and helped energize our economy.”

In a message from Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto states, “This event showcasing Dominica’s vibrant culture and its national dress, the Wob Dwiyet, is a wonderful way to celebrate the 46^th anniversary of Dominica’s Independence Day. I wish you all an enjoyable time as you gather with the community to celebrate this special occasion.”

Dr. Jill Andrew, MPP of Toronto-St. Paul’s writes, “I am honoured to extend my heartfelt greetings to the attendees of the 2024 Madame Wob Dwiyet Cultural Show. I also want to offer my sincere gratitude to our tenacious community leaders Glenora Parker, Lorraine Delsol, Vanessa Dupie, and the entire team at Madame Wob Dwiyet Canada Inc. for 13 years of continued success! You have shown your love for our community from day one and have served as outstanding tireless ambassadors”.

Michael Thompson, City of Toronto Councilor notes, “It is my pleasure to salute your efforts to showcase Dominica to Canadians in Toronto.” He notes further, “By introducing the Jeune Madams to the regular segments of the Madame Wob show, you are guaranteed to add colour, fashion, drama and pizzaz to the event, already regarded by many as a premiere Dominican cultural event in North America.”

The hosts for the cultural showcase were:

• Paula Letang Loblack (host of “All about the Funk;” which airs on (www.metradio.ca)

• Kamil Andre (singer and performer)
• Akua Delfish (Co-founder and Program Director for DLYFE Dance Company and Co-founder of GoLEFT Creatives Inc).

There were five judges of the show.

• Tyria Benjamin (2024 Madame Wob Dwiyet Canada winner)
• Andria Lewis Alexander (President of the Commonwealth of Dominica Ontario Association (CDOA)

• Yvette J (Founder and CEO of Wise Women & Wealth Community Network Inc).
• Fallon Cleopatra Tijuana Lawrence (Fashion Designer and founder of Tall Perspective)

• Deborah Gage (poet and artist)

The show opened with an exciting and inspiring performance by Creative Connection. It was followed by a performance by the 2023 Ti Madams. There was the introduction of the four Madame Wob and three Jeune Wob candidates 2023 in their spectacular and beautifully created designs by Lorraine Delsol. There were three enlightening and motivational poems read by: Deborah Gage, Lorraine Dorival and Jennifer Titre.

Lorraine presented the cultural award to Kanika Ambrose. She is a: playwright, librettist, and screenwriter. She graduated from the Canadian Film Centre’s Bell Media Prime Time TV program in 2023 where she received training as a screenwriter. The highlight of the evening was the parade by the Madame Wob Dwiyet and Jeune Madams accompanied by several members of the audience to the theme song “Belle”.