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© OPINION § WP EDITORIAL UNFORGETTING CANADA'S DISMISSED HISTORY “History is written by the victors." — Winston Chur- chill le Beaver | Thursday, June 15, ail When applied to our country's past, that famous say- © ing isn't so much poignant or insightful as it is tragic and shame! Whether outri suppressed 01 ignored, the myriad of horrors inflicted on th the first people to inhabit this land haven't — for anyway — been he focus of widespread conversation until very recenth: Churchill offered a Painfully obvious reason why. And — . loss for deirochopserh Peoples “Education about — once arrived its 's “ditticult to view Canada's history our ancestors as "victors. i At least not in the larger doesn't have to be sense ofthe word. . As part of Metroland's an "oh well, it's ongoing commitment to indigenous education and subsequent bridge-build- too late to make —_subsequent bridge but p " any difference notion.” reading many of us have done in the past year, a few is have revealed themselves. mong them is that a golden opportunity was missed, yes many years ago, to learn from the First Nations — most notably about their connection to the land and inherent responsibility to it. When it comes to where we call home, would a "part- nership" rather than an "ownership" mindset really have been so radical? Furth ™ ier understanding and apprecia- tion for "relationship" and community would have been pretty advantageous as well. This wouldn't have meant abandoning our own be- liefs —just a willingness to learn from our new neigh- bours; a simple acceptance that we didn't have all the answers. If the teaching had been a two-way street rather than aso-called enlightened culture and way of being forced on the Indigenous Peoples, perhaps we all could have been "victors." But education about Canada's history doesn't have to te an "oh well, it's too late to make any difference" no- tion. In honour of National Indigenous History Month and Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21), consider visiting the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (at nctr.ca) or checking out some reading material at your public library. Difficult as it may be, we need to truly acknowledge this. dark part of Canada's history. € Indigenous author Patty Krawee suggests in her 8 book, “Becoming Kin," unforgetting the past can help us reimagine our future. It's an ambitious notion, no doubt, but one worth 3 serious contemplatio! 2 TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT INSIDEHALTON.COM SNAPSHOT Joe Brandt photo An oriole enjoys a treat at a home on Greeneagle Drive. Do you have a great local photo you'd like to share? Send it to sleblanc@metroland.com, along with a brief description. ABOUT This newspaper, published every of newspapers is comprise publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the He newspaper and, if not satisfied, ite The National NewsMedia Council, Suite rn i Yonge St., Toro1 forot Phone: 416- Sa 961 : www.mediacouncil.ca nne _Aocna “sgmat | Canada insidehalton@metroland.com com/OakvilleBeav @OakvilleBeaver WHO WE ARE Vice President, Editorial Lee Ann Waterman Metroland Editor-In-Chief Paul Berton HOUSEHOLD DEBT A RISK MAKING MORTGAGE PAYMENTS A CHALLENGE FOR MANY, WRITES PETER WATSON ‘anadians' personal fi- e at risk because Housing Corporation sounded an alarm. | Since 2010, Canada has most personal aot tevels of: all Gr countries, slightly were eels Sera pad sonal debt. Updated infor- mation shows those two , While Cana- dian debtlevels continue to surge upward. The reason for 0 our high amount of ring ha: to do with ope Dot t the most concerning aspects of Ca- nadian life: housing. Real estate mortgages account PETER WATSON Column for 75 per cent of all house- hold debt. The logic of people ex- tending themselves to buy a house was a combination of extremely low interest rates and the rising cost of houses, motivating buyers gardless of what the motivation was that helped fuel rising house prices, the reality is mortgage pay- ments must be made. Now, the current environ- ment, interest rates are sig- nificantly higher. Sane people will be be able to continue maki ortgage payments that have increased. Others are financially stretched willnot beable to any unexpected oe Tkis predicament has the Bank of Canada con- cerned. A temporary solution to pay the bills is to rely on personal credit cards. But that just aggravates the is not paid off in a timely manner. Unfortunately, current levels oh efevt combined interest rates wee vie many house- holds will be in serious fi- nancial jeopardy. vreau this applies to you, our endation is to start developing personal finan- cial strategies that hopeful- ly protect your long-term financial health. Peter Watson, of Watson Investments, MBA, CFP®, R.EP, CIM®, FCSI, offers a weekly financial plan- ning column, Dollars & Sense. He can be contacted through www.watsonin- vestments.com. Jason Pehora Director of Content ee Ann Waterman Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Director of Distribution Charlene Hall Circulation Manager ma im Directors of Advertising Cindi Campbell and Graeme Macintosh tor Creative Services Paul Gostlin Oakville Beaver 211 Pritchard Rd., pata, Hamilton, ON, La) 0 Phone: 1-866-838- 2000 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Advertising: 289-293-0620 For all delivery it Inglis, please e-mail kmossmai stroland.com or call 905-631- 6095. Letters to the editor d letters to insidehalton@metroland.com, All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification urposes. We reserve edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at insidehalton.com Accrédite Accredited.