My Private Encounter with History

In my early 20s, my sales job at the time took me into the homes of my clients. I wasn't crazy about it - you see, I don't like social settings all that much - but I was told I needed to take such jobs to 'normalize.' This in itself is a story to recount; however that's for another time.

Anyone who worked on commission knows what I'm talking about. One of my leads brought me into the home of a Christian Lebanese family. As I sat, I was offered various Middle-Eastern biscuits and Lebanese coffee (a thicker version of Italian espresso). Being of Mediterranean heritage myself, I was well aware of the importance of hospitality and conversation before talking any business. So I sat and fielded questions waiting to earn my commission.

One man, not part of the family, looked at me and asked, "Do you know Phoenician history?" An odd question to ask straight up. In a more profound way, a complex query to ask a Canadian. How to explain to a recent immigrant that history plays a small role in Canadian culture?

I answered his question by saying that we did learn a little about Phoenicia - its contribution to the modern alphabet and its maritime exploits to name a couple. I also reminded him that Lebanon and the Middle East was not part of the elementary or high school curriculum. In any event, these are countries that demand far longer amount of time to study. We barely have time to learn about Canada.

It was soon my turn to ask the questions. After all, we were in Canada. I had home field advantage! I looked at him and said, "Do you know Canadian history?" His answer has stayed with me forever. He smirked and said, "What history?"

Ahh. In those two innocuous but telling words the state of Canadian history and how people perceive it was clearer than ever.

Many times I have submitted that Canada has failed to convey in any coherent fashion its mission statement. Sure, we talk an awful lot but the fact is that most of the popular attitudes and beliefs that grip the public imagination have little to do with Canadian history. It has more to do with the politicization of Canadian history. Put another way, the knowledge we have ourselves is now drawn along political lines. To say nothing of the lack of branding power we have created. Sales (as in cultural marketing) isn't our strong point.

Another problem is to be found in the irritating reality that education falls under provincial jurisdiction. In Canada, there is no standard historical outlook to bind the country together. That doesn't mean we haven't tried. Valiant attempts have been made. Why it has not succeeded is a separate issue altogether.

What we have then are ten different perspectives and visions of Canada. Each a weapon of sorts used by provinces to leverage its own dreams, perceptions and demands on the Federal government.

Immigrants do not come here and swear an oath or allegiance to Canada. They land, take a test, get a stamp and disappear into the comforts of the culture they adhere to. In Canada, it's very possible immigrants go to various cultural schools without ever learning Canadian history. Our multicultural policy encourages this unfortunate situation.

Judging from the man's response, it is clear where Canadian history stands. Canadians don't care about Canadian history because we don't ask them to ponder it. Canadians in turn, given our own pathetic impulses to history remain naive, if not oblivious to how important history really is. How can a country critically assess itself if it has no knowledge of its past?

They say a people with no history is a happy one. Is it? If we are infallible then this logic applies. We are not. This is why Canadians remain rather thin-skinned. There is no Athenian or American style debating in Canada because apparently we don't need to.

Added together, this is not an impressive recipe, nationalist rhetoric notwithstanding, for Canada. No wonder there is a crisis in the idea and experiment known as Canada.

I did not close the sale that evening. Never got a chance. The man of the household was called away. I never returned. In a way, neither has Canada.