Choices

The following is my one minute convocation speech which I delivered to the graduates of the 16 health and human service programs at Camosun College. 

Good morning graduates,

I bet we look like we’ve stepped out of a Harry Potter novel.  

My VP, John Boraas, and I in my Flinders finery

To quote that popular story, headmaster, Dumbledore said:

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

Think about it.

When you reflect on your journey here, the choices you made were crucial, right?

Some of those choices were good ones – like taking a break before starting school or getting extra help from the writing centre.

Some choices may have not been so wise? Remember? Parents I’m sure you remember?

Your instructors, your family and friends supported you to make good choices and are here today continuing that support. 

Your supporters deserve applause!

And despite your talent, smarts and experience, which you have in abundance, it was being able to make choices that led you on your journey.

You had a choice.

As you go out in the world with the knowledge and skills you gained in your program in the school of HHS I want you to remember.

Not everyone has a choice.

I am here on this stage today because I had choices. 

My mother had musical talent and good grades.  But as a young woman in the 1950s she had limited access to college, contraception, or career choices. 

As we have learned through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, generations of First Nations children and their parents had no choice in being sent to residential school.   

And the working poor in our city, in some cases single parents with young children, have limited choices for nutritious food at over-subscribed food banks.

Smoking, drug use and homelessness are not a choice.

As you leave today and head out to support and serve people in the community help them to have choices and… do what you can to make the healthy choice the easy choice. 

You will change the world.

Congratulations and best wishes! 

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg

I returned to Winnipeg last week, a city I lived in during my formative years. 

Having been born and raised in the cosmopolitan city of Montreal, moving to Winnipeg in my early teens was a huge let down. My father thought it would be romantic to travel by train to our new home. He seemed to forget that it was it was the dead of the winter. There wasn’t much to see and our poor small dog had to stay in an unheated rail car.

This was our first site upon arrival!

I had no friends for the first few months.  I came home one Friday from school to ask my parents if I could attend a rumble. I recall my father looking at me incredulously asking:  “A rumble? I haven’t heard that word since the 50s!”

But I survived. I went to high school as well as graduated with a degree from the University of Manitoba. I made lots of friends and through my first marriage, gained a family, with whom I am still in touch.

Winnipeg hasn’t really changed much.

My father still lives there. He and I visited The Canadian Museum of Human Rights.  It’s the only national museum outside of Ottawa. The architecture alone is stunning but the 7 floors and tower with a view of the famous ‘Muddy Waters” is filled with stories of the diversity of human rights issues in Canada and elsewhere.

St. Boniface Cathedral 

As I read and interacted with the exhibits, it struck me how many times while growing up in Winnipeg I faced a human rights issue.  Whether working with marginalized aboriginal youth, helping my gay friends to conceal their sexuality, sitting beside two older couples at Winnipeg Beach and noticing that both men had numbers tattooed on their forearms - survivors of the holocaust; or the racism my father-in-law faced as a Canadian-born person of Chinese descent, especially being married to my mother-in-law who was not Chinese.  

The Redress Project  - Engaging people about Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women 

In fact it was because of the FLQ Crisis in Montreal, and the resulting War Measures Act, that my family relocated to Winnipeg in 1973.

The museum educates its visitors on human rights struggles, and challenges us to action.  I was inspired and hopeful that the world has changed and is moving towards respect for all peoples, regardless of race, religion, colour or sexual preference.  

I intend to do my part to protect human rights.  

Hope

I forget that people read and even enjoy my blog until someone reminds me I haven’t blogged in a long time.

So here goes.

I was in Toronto last week for a conference and to visit some colleges.

Living in Victoria, the flashy skyscrapers, hustle and bustle and wealth of Bay Street have become foreign to me. 

In contrast to the opulence, Toronto is the place where social democrat Jack Layton started his political career as a City Counsellor before he went on to be the leader of the federal NDP and official opposition and who knows, had fate not intervened, probably the next prime minister.

I met Jack when he was in Edmonton on the campaign tour in 2011, a couple of months before he died.

He was short in stature, charismatic, smart, focused on restoring social programs, ensuring equitable wealth distribution, appropriately taxing corporations and helping the middle class.

Here is a photo of me (and Jack) at a memorial to him which says “Jack's Got your Back”. 

 

 

 

When he died most of the country felt that we’d lost hope.

But hope was restored this week when Rachel Notley swept Alberta to a majority NDP government. Some of the adjectives I used to describe Jack also describe Rachel.

And her victory speech was reminiscent of Jack. 

 

As Jack said: “My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world.”

I am optimistic!

 

Pink Snow

Remember the Prince song Purple Rain?  

Although officially spring in Canada, the eastern half of the country is buried in snow... again! 

Roads, schools and businesses are closed.

But in the 'Banana Belt', as this part of the country is referred to by the locals, it's pleasant and mild.

So I did my own sort of 'snow shovelling' today. 
I raked and shoveled the fallen Camelia blossoms from the tree and bush.

They were heavy, wet from the rain last night. 

Camelia are early bloomers, some started blooming in January. 

They come in varying shades of brilliant red and pink and white. 

 Although magnificent to look at they don't have any scent. 

Orca Wisdom

I attended a talk given by a young graduate student named Kristen Kanes at the University of Victoria on Orcas, whales of the northern Pacific coast, commonly known as Killer Whales. 

She filled the hour with many interesting findings from hers and others research on these huge, spectacular but threatened sea mammals. She described the whales as intelligent, extremely social and emotional animals. There was standing room only and at the end of her presentation hands shot up all over the audience, including mine, to ask her questions. 

One of the pieces of information I found particularly interesting was that there is a Southern Resident female Orca who is about 105 years old.  Not only is it amazing that this whale is still alive and active but as Kristen pointed out, whales go through menopause at around 35 years of age.  In most of the animal kingdom, once females stop being productive they die as they've served their purpose.

I couldn’t help but think that is not that different in humans.  After age 40, women increasingly become less influential. In our society, as (external) beauty fades, women become invisible, marginalised and devalued.   

When the speaker was asked why this Orca is still alive she told us that she is not the only one. There are other females approaching this age that are still healthy and active.  Due to the high percentage of PCBs and other chemicals in their fat stores, male Orcas rarely live past 60 years. Yet because the females express milk through nursing their young, they have reduced the levels of these chemicals in their bodies, helping them to live longer.

But even more importantly the Orca community values theses older females for their wisdom. They are honoured by all pod members. Apparently some adult sons and even other males stay with the older females to receive support and mentoring.  And, grandmother Orcas act as midwives to the young. (see my earlier blog).  

There is still a great deal to be learned about these amazing creatures. 

 

So today, International Women's Day, let's celebrate the Orcas and their wisdom and hope our society can return to a time where females were respected Oracles,  Wise Women and Sages.

© Kelley Balcomb-Bartok

 

On the surface

Cozumel and the Yucatan peninsula has lots to offer - beauty, beaches, history and adventure.



A church in old town of El Cedral


One of many spectacular, yet empty beaches on the wild, east side of the island
 

Learning about, making and tasting chocolate - a Yucatan staple 

Leaving Cozumel for the mainland

The Castillo in the ancient Mayan city of Tulum 

Tulum is a breathtaking location overlooking the ocean

Mayan Acrobats Performing

Fountain in Tulum

Native Mayan Dress
 

The region has kilometres of underground rivers called Cenotes

We snorkelled in a Cenote call Dos Ejos meaning Two Eyes






Underwater Beauty

We've just returned from a diving trip to Cozumel, Mexico. This is our second time visiting this Island in the Caribbean. We became certified scuba divers there 7 years ago, by the same fellow who now works in Victoria and led this trip.

Cozumel was named as the second best place to dive after the Great Barrier Reef by Jacques Cousteau when he visited in 1961. We agree! Fortunately the reefs are protected by the marine park so you can't touch or remove anything.

I didn't have an underwater case for my camera last visit but thanks to Keith I now do and can share with you the wonders of the quiet yet stunning underwater world.

Fan Coral

Colourful coral, sponges and damsel fish

French Angelfish

Four Eyed Butterfly Fish

Lobster

King Crab

Keith and his favourite fish - Black Grouper

Brain Coral

Barrel Sponge

Sea Anemone

Green Turtle

Yellow Tube Sponge

File Fish

Reef Squirrel Fish

Coral Head

Black Trigger Fish

Lizard Fish

Parrot Fish