The tundra was squishy, small plants scattered here and there, moss and fungi clinging to rocks, skinny short trees here and there with branches on one side due to strong northern winds. It was morning in Churchill and I was climbing into a passenger van with my guide, Gerald, and three other guests from the Lazy Bear Lodge.
Instructor: "Wow, you're really flexible!"
Me: "I don't normally do the splits!"
Manuela, my instructor was standing a few feet away and sounding impressed. I wasn't panicked, but my right ankle was bending inside my boot in a way that did not feel natural, and it, along with the snowboard was still moving away from my body.
The sleeping bag smelled faintly of old mown grass and dirt as I opened the black garbage bag it was stored in and rolled it out over the back seat of my car. In a matter of hours, I would be leaving Banff to drive my car to Toronto. I've driven from Banff to Toronto before (in fact, I did it 2 weekends ago when I needed to drive my Mom and her car to Orangeville). It's a long drive. About 2-3 days long.
As Canadians we've worked hard to polish our global image, however, no matter how shiny our image may (or may not) be, it will never change the fact that Canada's past is not filled with sunshine and roses. Over the years I have learned a few facts about Canada's past that I don't remember learning in school (Maybe I skipped class that day? It's totally possible). In school, I remember learning about the Underground Railroad and how Canada helped to free slaves. I don't remember learning that in Nova Scotia African Americans were treated just as badly as they were in the United States during the time of slavery. However, this post is not about slavery (I could and will post something in the future), this post is about another piece of Canada's past that I am truly horrified about. Internment Camps.