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| Screenshot from GG's webpage in 2018 which has since been taken down |
Before I begin, let me first just say that in no way is this meant to be me whining and complaining, I am simply expressing my complete disappointment with the inequality and discrimination I continue to face. Everything I'm about to say is my opinion based on my experience and observations, I also provide factual evidence to back it up.
On September 24, 2018, I was awarded to Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers. At the time I was told that I would have to wait up to two years to receive my medal in a presentation ceremony. Every year in April there is a presentation ceremony at Rideau Hall. I asked if I could attend this ceremony to be presented with my medal from the Governor General, after near a year of going back and forth the with Governor General's office on the matter, I received this unbelievably offensive email from the GG's office on July 3, 2019:
Hi Vickram,
Thank you for your email. I need to inform you that the Governor General only presents to a limited number of SMV recipients each year due to her busy schedule. These recipients are selected based on a variety of factors, such as geographical representation, language, gender, and field of contribution. Therefore it is not likely that you will ever be invited to a presentation ceremony in Ottawa with the Governor General.
We are currently in communication with the office of the mayor of Toronto to organize a presentation ceremony for all of the SMV recipients who live in Toronto and if the mayor is available to present the SMV to the recipients from Toronto, your name will be added to the invitation list. If you do not wish to receive your medal from the mayor of Toronto, you have 2 options: either you can ask the school where you volunteer to present it to you or we can mail the medal directly to your home.
I know that it must be disappointing for you to learn that you will not be receiving your medal from the Governor General. However, receiving the medal from the mayor of Toronto is still a special honour and I am sure that it will be a lovely presentation ceremony. As of now, there is no date set for the presentation ceremony with the mayor of Toronto, so I ask for your patience.
Thank you for understanding, ...
While I would very much love to share the name of this person, for obvious reasons I will not reveal their identity.
I had emailed, for what felt like the twentieth time, to ask if I’d be attending the presentation ceremony with the Governor General at Rideau Hall, and in reply I received a very upsetting inappropriate and offensive email as to why I wouldn't be getting my medal from the Governor General, which I’ve copy and pasted above for you to see. I’ve admittedly been really upset about it ever since because it felt very discriminatory. Even though I was upset by this, I then agreed to receive my medal from the Mayor of Toronto, but that never happened either.
When I last heard from them, it was by email on September 24, 2020 (exactly two years after I was awarded the honour) when I was informed that the pandemic had put a hold on everything involving presentation ceremonies. I was originally told in 2018 when I was awarded the honour that a presentation ceremony would happen up to two years after I was awarded the honour, understandably the pandemic affected this and many other things. But things have gone back to normal now and I keep seeing posts on social media of other people receiving their awards. As of today, I have been patiently waiting for exactly five full years to receive my medal. Tomorrow is never guaranteed, and it's disappointing that I have been waiting this long to be invited to a presentation ceremony.
I suppose I shouldn't really be surprised. Just look at this video from the inaugural presentation on April 12, 2016. It's so blatantly obvious that only white people were invited to the ceremony. https://youtu.be/ That clearly set the precedent because this hasn't changed.
Also check out this article from 2021 by the CBC about the Order of Canada. It's all from the same Governor General's office that runs the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers, again I shouldn't be surprised that it's all only white people getting it.
Last year, on April 29, 2022, I was told by the GG's office that a note was placed on my file to receive my medal at Rideau Hall from the Governor General. But here I am still waiting, five years after I was initially awarded the honour.
It's been extremely disappointing, I had hope that after a new Governor General was appointed, especially since it was one that is not white and the first indigenous one, that things would change. Unfortunately that hasn't seemed to be the case. I am extremely disappointed, disgusted and upset, for myself and everyone else who is in the same type of situation and dealing with this inequitable BS. All the diversity and equity promoting is just for show, it obviously doesn't really mean anything, which is very disheartening and increasingly despondent. It's just sad, one would expect better from Canada in 2023.
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UPDATE - October 15, 2023.:
Just sharing some articles and videos from the recent news. Clearly it has become common to honour former Nazi members in the Canadian House of Parliament with standing ovations and give them medals than it is to recognize our own hardworking Canadians. Extremely disappointing and upsetting, this country is broken and has lost it's sense of priorities and morals. Our own Canadian citizens are overlooked and taken for granted. See below.
