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As a first-generation mixed-race Canadian, Cariwest means to demonstrate and live the values of a mosaic society. However, based on a recent letter to the editor, there seems to be some confusion about why/how Cariwest works. My black ancestry is from Barbados. Their version of Cariwest is called Crop Over. Founded in 1687, it is a festival dedicated to celebrating the end of the sugar season. Hard work meant playing with gorgeous colors, music and Bajan rum. Each Caribbean country has its own version, so the festival means a lot to the Caribbean diaspora who have immigrated to Alberta since the 60s to support the medical industry – they too needed to celebrate their hard work. In 1984 it was introduced as part of Klondike Days. Today it is the only remaining parade festival that unites the diaspora that is black culture, showcasing the many faces of the Caribbean, including ages, sizes, races, music and most importantly, tens of thousands of volunteer hours. So please celebrate its resilience because it is still known for strict enforcement by permits, AGLC and Alberta Health, but has survived and thrived for 38 years. For example, in 2015, AHS temporarily made it a food truck-only festival because the cooking of some cultural foods did not “meet standards.” Cariwest is many things to many people, but until it gets support from all quarters – not criticism, it will continue to leave a bad taste for those waiting in line due to selective enforcement.
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ODION WELCH
(It’s a key part of Edmonton’s summer festival tradition, with a healthy future ahead of it. We know the sentiments of a closed-minded literary writer are not shared by most Edmontonians.)
FAVORITE PIERRE
Re: Pierre Poilievre favorite leader for Tories, but not Canadians. Since Poilievre announced early on that if he becomes prime minister he will defund the Trudeau Liberals’ propaganda machine, the CBC, and freeze hundreds of millions of tax dollars going to Postmedia, many journalists have reported negatively on him. Poilievre uses social media and has attracted thousands of young Canadians who get their news from that forum. Poilievre has been the strongest Conservative MP in holding the Trudeau government’s feet to the fire. No other Conservative leadership candidate has drawn the massive crowds that Poilievre has. It was significant that Stephen Harper said he wanted a ‘real Conservative’ this time and had backed Poilievre. Hard to see the political opportunist flipping Charest into that category.
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LARRY COMES
(He’s won over many conservative believers; will that translate to Canadian voters?)
SAME EVERYWHERE?
While the backlash against a racist, sexist essay by young women and Associate Minister for the Status of Women, Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, which gave her the third-place prize, has been swift, it made me wonder. If this competition had been held in Francois Legault’s Quebec, instead of Alberta, would the backlash be not because she won a prize, but because she didn’t win the first place prize?
AL WILLEY
(That sort of thing doesn’t fly here.)
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