This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted police. To mark this milestone, federal Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino's office released a short, terse statement. RCMP members were thanked for their service, then a stick was poked in the eye of the force with the statement: "In marking this anniversary, the RCMP is reflecting on its past with humility, recognizing that in 150 years there are a lot of accomplishments to be proud of, while also acknowledging that the RCMP has played a role in some of Canada’s most difficult and dark moments." .Canadians can no longer enjoy symbols of national pride without a caveat being attached reminding them to hang their heads in collective shame for actions of past generations. Nothing can be celebrated any longer without some mourning attached to it. .We are all well aware there were historical wrongs and injustices committed by Canada and the RCMP was the enforcement arm of the government throughout those times. We have Red Dress day, Orange Shirt Day, Truth and Reconciliation Day and are barraged every other day with reminders in newscasts and with land acknowledgements that Canada has an indigenous population that was displaced by settlers and ill-treated in the early years of the nation. Can we not set that aside for one day in 150 years to celebrate something positive? Apparently not. .The RCMP is the most recognizable federal police force in the world. Few things are more instantly identifiable and distinctly Canadian than images of an officer wearing the Red Serge. Most nations can only dream of having such a fabled and honoured national police force. .Much of the myth surrounding the RCMP is romanticized as Hollywood embraced the force in movies throughout the 20th century. This history of the force is impressive nonetheless. In it's original incarnation as the NWMP, it brought a degree of order to the Wild West. Whiskey traders were causing havoc among indigenous populations and there was little for law and order to be seen West of Ontario in the 1870s. When the Klondike gold rush happened at the end of the 1800s, the NWMP were credited with saving hundreds of lives through ensuring miners trying to reach Dawson City were properly provisioned before allowing entry into Canada. While Skagway Alaska was known for gang problems and shootings during the gold rush, Dawson City kept order under the watch of the legendary NWMP officer Sam Steele. .The RCMP is a fully functioning police force. Some 246 RCMP officers have given their lives in the line of duty since its formation. Service in the force has been dangerous and trying for members as they are transferred to different regions to maintain order. .The trend of ripping down symbols of pride within Canada is expanding and destructive. Names of the nation's founders such as John A. Macdonald are being stripped from schools and streets while statues of them are torn down by extremist protesters with impunity. Canada Day celebrations are more muted every year as woke bureaucrats and officials try to turn it into a day of shame rather than celebration. Calgary had to battle against its own city administration just to have fireworks as they had been cancelled in the name of "truth and reconciliation." .The late fantasy author Terry Goodkind covered this syndrome of state-enforced national shame in one of his novels in the Sword of Truth series. In the mythical land of Anderith, there were two races of settlers. The distinction was clear as the Anders had dark hair and the Hakens had red hair. In times long forgotten, the Hakens had apparently been an intolerant and violent race and they had abused the Anders. With all positions of authority now being dominated by the Anders, they made sure the Hakens never forgot it. Regular "penance assemblies" were held where Hakens were reminded of their evil nature and told to apologize for their crimes. The Hakens were kept in a subservient role in society due to the sins of their forefathers. The dysfunctional society finally crumbled of course. The metaphor appeared exaggerated when I read the novel decades ago but it isn't terribly far from reality now. .Canada's unity has been in a fragile state since the 1970s. It was long thought if the federation were to be broken apart, it would be due to independence movements either in the West or in Quebec. The real threat to unity is coming from the federal government however as they work to erase every symbol and recognition of national pride. If the population feels ashamed of the nation, why should it work to keep it unified? .Yes, the RCMP has some historical warts. No institution that old doesn't and nobody is asking anybody to forget them. We just want to take one day though to recognize the accomplishments of the force and the nation but our federal government has poured cold water on that. .Slowly but surely Canada is tearing the fabric that binds it. Symbols of pride hold power and when they are all gone, there will be little reason to maintain the federation.
