Listen Up! Why can’t we talk? | Commentary

Photo: This woman was seen standing in Flag Park in Huntsville today, holding a sign which read “Standing on guard for freedom,” but what does ‘freedom’ really mean?

Most people would agree, I would hope, that the pace of change has accelerated in our society in recent years, quite likely expedited by the restrictions and inconveniences felt by many during the COVID-19 pandemic.  In some instances, at least, the need for public policy parameters to protect the common good has taken a back seat to a demand for more individual rights. 

In this age of populism, there is a great deal of talk about individual freedom, the need for fewer restrictions on our lives, and the ability to plot our own course without interference. Much of that is good, but there is a dichotomy here that in my view warrants serious attention. 

While we talk about and promote freedom and individual rights, there is also a growing tendency toward defining what we can or cannot talk about, read about or hear about. We seem to be leaning toward a ‘my way or the highway’ public discourse in our society which restricts the ability of people to speak their minds and express their honest opinions without fear or retribution. That does not speak of more freedom or individual rights to me.

We are, in my view, less inclined to listen to those whose opinions are different than ours and indeed, much less tolerant of their right to have them. There are issues that are taboo to talk about unless you are fully toeing the ‘politically correct’ line. 

I am going to discuss just two examples of this and have thought a great deal about the consequences of raising them. But, I believe it is an important discussion to have, so full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes! 

Since June is Pride Month, let’s start there. 

No human being, in my view, should be discriminated against because of who they are, how they see their identity, or whom they love.  Pride Month is a good time to reflect on that, and on the importance of inclusiveness in community life and indeed, on the significance of why every life matters. That does not mean, however, that everyone has to agree with every aspect of gay life or participate in every public Pride event. 

For example, there are a number of folks, including some in the gay community, who believe strongly that life-altering changes in children should not take place until they are of the legal age of consent.  There are others who have concerns about uni-sex washrooms in schools and still others who believe it is totally unfair for someone who is born as a male but identifies as a female to compete athletically with girls or women in sporting events. 

These are legitimate public policy questions that deserve widespread consideration, debate, and resolution. In this day and age, can we talk about them without being labelled homophobic?  I don’t think so.

In Huntsville recently, Council discussed painting a crosswalk on Main Street in rainbow or Pride colours. Some people believe it is the right thing to do and others believe it would be going too far.  There has been concern expressed about this from both sides of this issue, but little public conversation because people are afraid of the consequences. That should not be. Why can’t we have a full and respectful conversation about it without being labelled or discredited?

Something else we are not supposed to talk about is the history of Indigenous Residential Schools unless, of course, you want to trash them.  Former Anglican Primate, Archbishop Fred Hiltz once said that there is simply nothing good one can say about Residential Schools. He is, in my respectful opinion, wrong.

 In spite of the very real tragedies that existed with Residential Schools that should never be forgotten, there are some good things that can be said about them, and to deny that is not only a revision of the truth but also an erasure of the work of many good people, priests and lay men and women combined, who dedicated much of their lives to serving Indigenous people. It also denies the reality that many Indigenous students benefitted from Residential Schools, including one who became the Premier of a Canadian Territory. 

That is part of the history of Residential Schools but we are not allowed to talk about it and are labelled racists if we do.

 In my view, revisionism like tearing down statues and erasing names of previous leaders as if they never existed and never contributed to Canada has become part of a cancel culture movement that has replaced any meaningful form of dialogue and consensus among Canadians on national issues that define us. I guess we can’t talk about that either.

It is high time, in my opinion, that we learn to talk to each other again, really talk to each other. It is equally important that we learn to listen. We do not always have to agree and sometimes we shouldn’t, but entrenchment seldom produces good results and effective communication and consultation often does.

And so, I say, in this age of populism, let’s at least dilute, if we cannot erase, political correctness that makes so many of us hesitant to say what we really think. Surely, that produces more freedom and not less.  

We should not marginalize people who have different views from us, and we should not revile them. Intolerance does not bode well in effective conversations. If we just talked, we might actually learn something.

Why can’t we do that?

Hugh Mackenzie

Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.

Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.

In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.

Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.

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