A pluralistic problem

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Published on Saturday, October 1, 2016

By Neil Strohschein

Neepawa Banner

I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of public inquiries into contemporary social, political or economic issues. They are costly, they take a lot of time and they rarely achieve the outcome those who ask for them hope to see.

Some inquiries, however, are absolutely necessary — and the recently announced inquiry into Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women (MMAW) is one of them. The issue is not going away any time soon and in this case, the costs associated with the inquiry will be money well spent.

What has happened so far? The commissioners have been appointed. Consultations have taken place. The federal government, provincial governments and other interested parties have agreed to the Terms of Reference and have pledged their full cooperation with the inquiry. From this point on, the commissioners are in charge of organizing the inquiry, setting up an office, hiring staff, etc. — all of which must be done before public hearings can begin.

One of the good things about a public inquiry is that it gets all parties with vested interests in a specific issue in the same room at the same time. It forces them to listen to each other. And since testimony is given under oath, the submissions made can be questioned by the commissioners themselves, by commission counsel or by counsel for groups given “intervenor status” with the inquiry (the police, First Nations groups, governments, etc.).

Whatever the outcome of the inquiry, one thing that will emerge is that this issue is not nearly as “black and white” as some people would have us believe. It is a complex issue — one for which all who will testify at this inquiry must accept their fair share of responsibility.

But while the focus will be on the missing and murdered aboriginal women, the inquiry should help Canadians deal with another, equally important issue.

We are no longer a country with just three dominant cultures (English, French, First Nation). We have become a pluralistic society, with people from every race, culture and creed on earth who proudly call Canada their home. Those who immigrated to this country brought their cultures and faith traditions with them. They were welcomed with open arms, but the adjustment to life in Canada has not been easy for the immigrants or for those in whose communities they settled.

Different cultures have different values. Different religions have different rules. When the values and rules followed by one group clash with those followed by others, tension and conflict result. They are often followed by charges of bias, prejudice and racism — all of which are promptly denied. But the denials do little to alleviate the tension and mistrust caused by the accusations.

Public hearings in the MMAW inquiry will begin soon. They will receive extensive media coverage. All Canadians need to follow these hearings closely. Listen to what the witnesses will share. Put yourself in their shoes. Try to feel the pain of those seeking justice. Ask yourself, “If I was in their position, if I had experienced what they have, would I feel any differently?”

But don’t stop there. As you hear the stories and read the reports of the hearings, look at your own life. Examine your own attitudes towards those of different races, cultures or religions. Check your own heart and change your own attitudes before pointing fingers at others and demanding changes from them. We have all contributed to the entrenchment of the attitudes that will be revealed in the coming inquiry. We must all work together to get rid of them.