On Tuesday September 20th, I had the remarkable opportunity to attend the 6 Degrees conference at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. Touted as “the most important conversation we will ever have,” the conference sought to open up an important dialogue on inclusion and citizenship in the 21st-century.
The event was split into three sections, each with its own specific issue, hosted by globally renowned specialists. Although the hosts were certainly the focal point of the discussions, audience participation was not only allowed, but encouraged. I attended the first of these dynamic sessions, Inclusion.
Canada and inclusion are almost synonymous across the globe at this point. As a nation, we’re revered for our polite multiculturalism. Our melting pot is envied, and our international aid work is held in the highest esteem. 6 Degrees flirted dangerously with this perception, but as the conference continued, the fragility of our glorification began to show.
Now, that’s not to say that Canada is not a global leader in the field of inclusion, but several of the attendees raised important questions at 6 Degrees: Does Canada use its position and influence to do enough outside of its borders? And for that matter, can we really boast complete inclusivity within our own borders?
Denise Dresser and Niigaan Sinclair were the speakers least willing to sit idly while much of the panel and surrounding audience patted each other on the back for their inclusionary prowess. Dresser, a Mexican political analyst and writer, described Canada as a “country of enormous privilege,” and lambasted the nation for turning a blind eye to tragedies in Mexico, our own NAFTA trading partner. She challenged Canada, asking “what are you going to do with your privilege?” Sinclair is a professor of Native Studies at the University of Manitoba, and he drew attention to Canada’s exclusionary history with its own First Nations peoples. He said “the foundation of our country is cracking,” and that the practice of treating each other like family within First Nations communities was not reciprocated by most of the country.
Canada is certainly still a leader in tolerance and support on the international stage. We are a pacesetter in cultural embracement, and a champion of compassion around the world; but how inclusive is the world’s beacon of inclusion? Apparently not enough.
Brandon Choghri 