A Letter to the Canada-US Border: They Said It Would Be Different On This Side

Maria Jovanovska
N01162553
Business Management, Humber College Institute of Business and Technology
WRIT-100 – D7B
Sarah Armenia
December 10, 2020
696 words
 In a letter written to the Canada-US border, Desmond Cole describes first-hand what

some of the struggles people of colour have to face in a country that’s supposed to be inclusive,

diverse, and vowing a life of ease, and how it has fallen short of its promises. Cole’s insightful

use of pathos, integrated with a bit of logos every so often, generates a very compelling and

emotional read. He sets a disheartened mood within the opening phrases as he describes his

childhood innocence and inability to fully grasp how a country could divide a body of water as

large as Lake Ontario, an idiom representing the division of race which like the border, isn’t

visible but everyone knows it’s there. He goes on to describe what he imaged the slaves must

have felt like crossing the border in search of freedom and a new beginning as their owners

watched. And how even decades later, freedom here was just a mirage.

The killing of George Floyd brought light to an otherwise overlooked problem which

society have refused to acknowledge for centuries: that racism and discrimination are still very

much alive. Despite the centuries of reforming the law to be inclusive of every race, gender,

colour, age or disability, our country has been the victim of prejudiced thinking towards visible

minorities, and it’s a recurring problem that we choose to sweep under the rug time after time.

When we look at our neighbours down south who repeatedly have race wars and act

ignorant of the escalating situation, we’re quick to point fingers, stick our noses up in disgust and

say that could never happen here, the land of the free. We’re assured that we haven’t let it get

that bad. Yet our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was found guilty of painting blackface for what

he declared to be costume. “His supporters have warned us that if we don’t forgive him, a much

more awful white man will replace him. They point in your general direction, and remind us how

much worse things can be if we insist on being seen” (p. 6, 2020), claiming that his past mistakes

no longer reflect his current character, that the real antagonists are the ones looking to come into

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power and that despite being welcomed into the country, they will never be truly acknowledged

and accepted. They’re seen as outsiders and any slight mishap can jeopardize their residency.

We see and read news about the increasing amount of innocent black lives being

threatened over something like the colour of their skin, and criticize them for their horrendous

actions. However, when we’re faced with the same situation, we’re hardly any different than

them. Cole expresses how white people who freely parade their diverse backgrounds, will

simultaneously make those with a different colour skin feel as if they’re intruders in their own

country. This provokes the reader to ponder about the privileges that come with their

complexion, and how different life would be had they been another race.

Canada’s constantly been looked at as a more progressive country, from when we first

started accepting escaped slaves to now allowing diverse immigrants into the country. And as

true as it may be, very slight differences don’t make it factual. We’ve overlooked brutalities and

incidents where people of colour have been purposely targeted which has created a ripple effect

– the number of incidents, whether caught and reported or not, has inevitably inclined due to the

encouragement of and lack of discipline against discrimination. While Canada is a relatively

inclusive country, we still have a far way to go.

Cole embodies the broken and empty promises he’s had the misfortune of hearing. In the

letter, he maintains the same emotion all throughout which assists the reader to look at a

neglected problem from a different point of view – one which could only be truly recognized if

they’ve experienced it first-hand, which the majority of the country have not. His emotional

appeal grasps the readers’ attention and holds them captive ‘till the end. It ignites a fiery feeling

of empathy for those who have to endure the penalties and a longing for justice and change for

future generations.

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References:

1. Desmond Cole June 4, 2. (2020, June 23). A letter to the Canada-U.S. border: They said
it would be different on this side. Retrieved December 06, 2020, from
https://www.macleans.ca/opinion/a-letter-to-the-canada-u-s-border-they-said-it-would-
be-different-on-this-side/