Post by Devon Ryder on Oct 1, 2021 0:10:05 GMT -5
*Visitors to the PWS: Apex Website on September 30th, 2021 may not be expecting much; it is, after all, still a little under a week away from their next big event, Dishonored. However, while the event promos and hype videos are sparse, one particular update will catch most visitors’ eye: a single bright orange banner with black text reading, cryptically, “CLICK HERE TO RECONCILE.” Users who don’t immediately discard the banner as spam, and who ARE brave enough to click on it, are greeted with a pop-out video player bearing the title “Reconciliation.mp4”. As the video finishes buffering and finally loads in, we find ourselves standing before what some viewers will recognize as the Centre Block, the main Parliament building in Ottawa, Ontario Canada. The building’s front façade is illuminated in orange, the same shade as the banner we clicked to bring us here, and a Canadian flag flies proudly in front of it. The building’s front door is closed, but the lawn before it - on either side of the main paved path - is dotted with indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians, all appropriately socially distant, wearing very similar orange t-shirts. As we pan through this crowd, we make a few stops among different groups of onlookers. There are a great many Canadians in attendance, all of varying ages and ethnicities; most appear to be associated with some indigenous tribe or other, wearing traditional headdresses and ceremonial garb, but in amongst their number are a fair few non-indigenous Canadians who have come to show support for whatever is going on at the moment. As we move further back from the Centre Block itself, we find a group sitting on a sprawled-out picnic blanket at the foot of the Canadian flag. There's an older couple - a man and a woman - both Caucasian, sitting next to a younger Caucasian man and a beautiful black woman who's talking and joking with them, though we can't seem to hear what they're saying at the moment. Some distance back from this group, standing with his hands rooted in the pockets of his acid-wash blue jeans, is a face becoming gradually familiar to the PWS: Apex faithful: the man who calls himself "The Canadian Hero", Devon Ryder. Ryder is also wearing the same orange t-shirt as the rest of his party, bearing the design of an indigenous family and the words "Every Child Matters" emblazoned on the front in bold, black letters. Ryder's eyes remain fixed on the Parliament buildings in the distance, even as the camera gets closer and closer to his position, eventually beginning to speak once we're in earshot.
“Today - Thursday, September 30th, 2021 - marks a momentous occasion in Canadian history. Today is the first-ever occurrence of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation; a brand-new holiday officially signed into law by parliament in June of this year, after the discovery of a horrifying mass grave of children outside a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia. This sparked a fierce debate about indigenous rights within the country, and as a result the government officially recognized National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a federal statutory holiday - one of many acts of reparation suggested by a 2015 Call to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We use this day to respect and honour our indigenous population, to extend an olive branch and begin the arduous process of making amends for their appalling treatment throughout our nation’s history.”
*Ryder pauses now, arms crossing over his chest as his eyes squint against the glare of the setting sun.*
“This is a day to honour both victims and survivors of residential schools across Canada, as well as their families and communities. It is a day of solemn reflection on what it means to be Canadian, and how we AS Canadians move forward. It is a day to RECOGNIZE our checkered past and come together in solidarity to create a better future for all who share our borders. On this day, we acknowledge the inequities within our system, rather than shying away from them, we examine who BENEFITS from those inequities, and how we can address them in a positive and constructive way. This is a day for healing as a nation, for taking the first steps along the LONG and DIFFICULT road of atoning for our past transgressions, and finally ensuring a fair and just Canada for ALL of its inhabitants, irrespective of their colour, creed or ethnic origins.”
*Devon smiles a soft and prideful smile as his eyes fall onto the Canadian flag, then inhales sharply and lets his expression become more sombre as he continues.*
“September 30th 2021 also coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a grassroots indigenous-led movement in remembrance of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, who wore a brand new orange shirt to her first day at a residential school and had it forcibly taken from her by the staff. Since then, the orange shirt has become a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem suffered by so many indigenous Canadians over the years. Many people like to think of our nation as a utopia; they look at the blatant hatred, division and systemic racial discrimination built into the very bedrock of American society and they believe that Canada is better, that we have risen above that sort of primitive, sectarian behaviour. In reality, this could not be further from the truth. Our history is just as pockmarked with atrocities as our neighbours to the south, and our indigenous peoples are feeling the effects of bias and discrimination even today. They are disproportionately targeted by police, they account for over thirty percent of our incarcerated population, far above what would be proportional based on the percentage of Canadian society they make up. This is only the tip of the iceberg, as many of them live in horribly impoverished neighbourhoods which are STILL struggling to gain something as basic as clean drinking water in their homes, something far too many of us seem to take for granted.”
*Devon frowns, now, and shakes his head in disgust. He takes a moment to compose himself before addressing the camera again.*
“So why do I bring this up? If we as Canadians are still capable of so much systemic discrimination, if our indigenous peoples are so often targeted by precisely the same kind of racism and hatred that I lambast the United States for inflicting on their black population, why would I acknowledge it and weaken my own standing in the eyes of those I hope to reach? The answer to that, my friends, is simple: because only BY acknowledging such issues can we ever hope to rectify them.”
*Devon turns towards the camera, his brow furrowing slightly as he frowns.*
“It would be easy for me to stand here and lie to all of you. To claim that Canada has no racism as a nation, that we are superior to the U.S. in that respect...but what purpose would that serve? My ego is not so fragile that I cannot handle criticism of the nation I was born into. My love for my home country is not so strong as to completely blind me to its faults. Patriotism without rationality breeds a militantly nationalistic population. Loving your country whilst in denial of its faults results in precisely the sort of harshly-divided and radical populace that decided to mount an insurrection rather than accept legitimate election results that didn’t favour their candidate. You cannot solve a problem if you refuse to TALK about that problem, and no progress has ever been made by clinging to the comfort of the status quo. Canada has its problems, yes. Our indigenous people have struggled for centuries to see the justice we are only now beginning to offer to them, and they will continue to struggle for many years more while our government scrambles to make adequate reparations for everything they’ve lost. But the important fact is that we ARE making those reparations. We are listening to the leaders of our indigenous communities, we are acknowledging wrongdoing rather than trying to sweep it under the rug. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by itself is not enough. Orange Shirt Day, in and of itself, is a performative endeavour. What matters is the spirit behind them, and the conversations they ignite within our national political discourse.”
*Here, the Canadian Hero pauses, looking back towards the Parliament buildings as his expression shifts to one of pride and hope for the future of his country.*
“This holiday is the first of its kind; it is one of many, but it will not be the last. What this REPRESENTS is a step in the right direction, a chance for Canada to turn a corner, and finally start to repair the unspeakable damage that colonialism has done to our great nation. It is the beginning of a new chapter in Canadian history, a new face for us to put forward to the world. It is an opportunity to show our neighbours - and, indeed, perhaps OURSELVES - that we CAN do better. That we CAN solve these problems, if we only come together.”
*Ryder pauses now, uncrossing his arms as he turns to face the camera, his expression appropriately solemn and serious for the subject matter.*
“So today I urge ALL of you, everybody watching this video at home, Canadian or otherwise, to take some time to reflect and seriously ruminate on the plight of our indigenous brothers and sisters, as well as our own role - however passive - in benefitting from the adverse effects of European colonialism in all its forms. These thoughts, and the emotions and discussion around them, can often be difficult for us to process and acknowledge, but it's important for EVERYONE - and for the healing and reconciliation of the human race as a whole - that we work through these difficult feelings, for the betterment of life for all who walk the Earth. In the end, we are ALL children of the globe, and we have a duty and responsibility to look after the planet as well as each other, so future generations can grow up in a kinder world than we did.”
*Devon smirks, raising one eyebrow as he lets his hands return to his pockets.*
“That’s what Canada is doing today, America...what have YOU been up to?”
*With that, Ryder’s finished, and the sounds of Guess Who's "American Woman" begin to play over our scene as he strides away from the camera, meeting up with a group slightly further down the lawn. The black woman we noticed earlier stands up and throws her arms around Devon's shoulders, the two sharing a passionate and romantic kiss against the sunset as the camera slowly fades.*
“Today - Thursday, September 30th, 2021 - marks a momentous occasion in Canadian history. Today is the first-ever occurrence of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation; a brand-new holiday officially signed into law by parliament in June of this year, after the discovery of a horrifying mass grave of children outside a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia. This sparked a fierce debate about indigenous rights within the country, and as a result the government officially recognized National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a federal statutory holiday - one of many acts of reparation suggested by a 2015 Call to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We use this day to respect and honour our indigenous population, to extend an olive branch and begin the arduous process of making amends for their appalling treatment throughout our nation’s history.”
*Ryder pauses now, arms crossing over his chest as his eyes squint against the glare of the setting sun.*
“This is a day to honour both victims and survivors of residential schools across Canada, as well as their families and communities. It is a day of solemn reflection on what it means to be Canadian, and how we AS Canadians move forward. It is a day to RECOGNIZE our checkered past and come together in solidarity to create a better future for all who share our borders. On this day, we acknowledge the inequities within our system, rather than shying away from them, we examine who BENEFITS from those inequities, and how we can address them in a positive and constructive way. This is a day for healing as a nation, for taking the first steps along the LONG and DIFFICULT road of atoning for our past transgressions, and finally ensuring a fair and just Canada for ALL of its inhabitants, irrespective of their colour, creed or ethnic origins.”
*Devon smiles a soft and prideful smile as his eyes fall onto the Canadian flag, then inhales sharply and lets his expression become more sombre as he continues.*
“September 30th 2021 also coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a grassroots indigenous-led movement in remembrance of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, who wore a brand new orange shirt to her first day at a residential school and had it forcibly taken from her by the staff. Since then, the orange shirt has become a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem suffered by so many indigenous Canadians over the years. Many people like to think of our nation as a utopia; they look at the blatant hatred, division and systemic racial discrimination built into the very bedrock of American society and they believe that Canada is better, that we have risen above that sort of primitive, sectarian behaviour. In reality, this could not be further from the truth. Our history is just as pockmarked with atrocities as our neighbours to the south, and our indigenous peoples are feeling the effects of bias and discrimination even today. They are disproportionately targeted by police, they account for over thirty percent of our incarcerated population, far above what would be proportional based on the percentage of Canadian society they make up. This is only the tip of the iceberg, as many of them live in horribly impoverished neighbourhoods which are STILL struggling to gain something as basic as clean drinking water in their homes, something far too many of us seem to take for granted.”
*Devon frowns, now, and shakes his head in disgust. He takes a moment to compose himself before addressing the camera again.*
“So why do I bring this up? If we as Canadians are still capable of so much systemic discrimination, if our indigenous peoples are so often targeted by precisely the same kind of racism and hatred that I lambast the United States for inflicting on their black population, why would I acknowledge it and weaken my own standing in the eyes of those I hope to reach? The answer to that, my friends, is simple: because only BY acknowledging such issues can we ever hope to rectify them.”
*Devon turns towards the camera, his brow furrowing slightly as he frowns.*
“It would be easy for me to stand here and lie to all of you. To claim that Canada has no racism as a nation, that we are superior to the U.S. in that respect...but what purpose would that serve? My ego is not so fragile that I cannot handle criticism of the nation I was born into. My love for my home country is not so strong as to completely blind me to its faults. Patriotism without rationality breeds a militantly nationalistic population. Loving your country whilst in denial of its faults results in precisely the sort of harshly-divided and radical populace that decided to mount an insurrection rather than accept legitimate election results that didn’t favour their candidate. You cannot solve a problem if you refuse to TALK about that problem, and no progress has ever been made by clinging to the comfort of the status quo. Canada has its problems, yes. Our indigenous people have struggled for centuries to see the justice we are only now beginning to offer to them, and they will continue to struggle for many years more while our government scrambles to make adequate reparations for everything they’ve lost. But the important fact is that we ARE making those reparations. We are listening to the leaders of our indigenous communities, we are acknowledging wrongdoing rather than trying to sweep it under the rug. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by itself is not enough. Orange Shirt Day, in and of itself, is a performative endeavour. What matters is the spirit behind them, and the conversations they ignite within our national political discourse.”
*Here, the Canadian Hero pauses, looking back towards the Parliament buildings as his expression shifts to one of pride and hope for the future of his country.*
“This holiday is the first of its kind; it is one of many, but it will not be the last. What this REPRESENTS is a step in the right direction, a chance for Canada to turn a corner, and finally start to repair the unspeakable damage that colonialism has done to our great nation. It is the beginning of a new chapter in Canadian history, a new face for us to put forward to the world. It is an opportunity to show our neighbours - and, indeed, perhaps OURSELVES - that we CAN do better. That we CAN solve these problems, if we only come together.”
*Ryder pauses now, uncrossing his arms as he turns to face the camera, his expression appropriately solemn and serious for the subject matter.*
“So today I urge ALL of you, everybody watching this video at home, Canadian or otherwise, to take some time to reflect and seriously ruminate on the plight of our indigenous brothers and sisters, as well as our own role - however passive - in benefitting from the adverse effects of European colonialism in all its forms. These thoughts, and the emotions and discussion around them, can often be difficult for us to process and acknowledge, but it's important for EVERYONE - and for the healing and reconciliation of the human race as a whole - that we work through these difficult feelings, for the betterment of life for all who walk the Earth. In the end, we are ALL children of the globe, and we have a duty and responsibility to look after the planet as well as each other, so future generations can grow up in a kinder world than we did.”
*Devon smirks, raising one eyebrow as he lets his hands return to his pockets.*
“That’s what Canada is doing today, America...what have YOU been up to?”
*With that, Ryder’s finished, and the sounds of Guess Who's "American Woman" begin to play over our scene as he strides away from the camera, meeting up with a group slightly further down the lawn. The black woman we noticed earlier stands up and throws her arms around Devon's shoulders, the two sharing a passionate and romantic kiss against the sunset as the camera slowly fades.*