He asked me a simple question; I gave him a very honest but difficult answer

BY PAUL BAILEY

My son, a Canadian born and raised 13-year-old, is getting ready to make the big jump from elementary to High School. He is optimistic about the future but somewhat pessimistic about the present.

You see, we used to watch the news, whether CP24, Global, CTV, to find out what’s going on around the cities and country and even the world. He asks thought provoking questions that intrigue even me, but often, I find myself deflecting some of the questions, not because they are tough, more because of the sensitiveness.

The child is popular in his current and was likewise in previous classes, but he always felt a little different, was often treated a little differently and is now, more and more, seeing the world, once innocent, a little different. The days of watching and learning about Covid-19 and the impacts on individuals, families and communities are no longer. He wonders aloud why the people reporting on Covid-19 and all the other news all look the same or share similar traits. He wonders where the other people of color are whom he sees on a daily basis. He wonders why they are not seen on TV or heard of in the media.

His latest pet peeve occurred a few days ago while doing some Canadian History homework about the levels of governance in this country. He came upon the listing for the Current Members Of Parliament –House of Commons and he looked at each and every one. He was baffled by two things: the over representation of some from “specific” regions and also the under-representation or “absence” of anyone form the Caribbean who could represent or speak on our ways of life as it relates to Canadian culture.

He took it upon himself to search for the MPPs in the Legislative Assembly, and I already knew what his question or questions would be: are there any other nationalities in Brampton other than south Asians? Brampton East, Brampton West, Brampton North and Brampton South are all represented by Singh, Sidhu and other South Asian surname. He went as far as to ask me whether the MPP from Brampton East was related to the MPP from Brampton South as they have the same surname.

He noticed a similar trend in Alberta. He just can’t understand why things are the way they are. If Canada and Ontario is a multicultural city as it is well known around the world, how come there are no other people in these positions to represent other people of different backgrounds. He wonders how they got there, whether they were voted in or just handed the positions, and if they were voted, were the votes from the black people counted or worst, do they even matter at the end of the day.

I have often tried to encourage him to go into politics in his school as an effort to bring about change but he is discouraged, frustrated and perplexed by the current state of affairs and not wanting to discourage him any further, I did not share with him that the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Youths is also someone from same South Asian heritage. I did not tell him that the Minister Of Transport is from the same background, likewise the Minister of Public Service and Procurement, and even the Ministry of Transport too. Personally, I myself wonder what the Ministry of Middle Class Prosperity actually does? Protect the rich or fight for and protect Canadians.

I sat him down and told him the truth. I told him that one of the deceptive things about Government and institutions is that they all make claims to be involved in the quest for truth, even though they are unwilling to be truthful about the quest itself. I told him that it would be voices like his and others who will impact changes at the top of government, and these institutions. It will lead to transparency of policies and procedures and processes.

It was hard but necessary for him to know what lies ahead.