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The Clifford Sifton Lecture Series THE CLIFFORD SIFTON LECTURE SERIES he third annual Clifford Sifton Lecture, sponsored by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, was deliv- Tered to a group of new Canadians on February 12, 1997, at the London Regional Art and Historical Museums by Rosey Edeh, a prominent Canadian athlete who has proudly represented Canada in many international compe- titions, including three Olympic Games. Ms. Edeh, herself an immigrant to Canada as a young child, personifies the best that new Canadians can offer their adopted country. She joins other distinguished Canadians – author and economist Denise Chong and astronaut Chris Hadfield – as a Sifton lecturer. This lecture series is named in honour of Clifford Sifton (1861-1929), lawyer, publisher, politician and businessman, who played a major role in shaping Canada’s immigration policies. As Minister of the Interior from 1896 to 1905, he actively promoted the immigration of farmers and labourers from Eastern Europe to the Canadian prairies. The immense success of this group of immigrants is testimony to his foresight. Clifford Sifton was knighted in 1915. The theme of the Clifford Sifton Lecture Series is Perspectives on Canadian Citizenship. At a critical time in our history, and with matters of citizenship being discussed around the world, it is appropriate to consider and debate this subject. Optimum hopes to contribute to this debate by presenting the Clifford Sifton Lecture Series. 32 Optimum, The Journal of Public Sector Management • Vol. 28, No. 1 (32-37) On Being Canadian Rosey Edeh The 1997 Clifford Sifton Lecture t is a pleasure to be here this afternoon. I was surprised up our common home. I am very pleased and proud to when Minister [Lucienne] Robillard asked me to be the share my thoughts and recollections with you. I hope that keynote speaker at the third annual Clifford Sifton they give you something to think about this afternoon and I in the days to come. Lecture, a distinction I had not expected. I am honoured to have this opportunity to share my thoughts with you. I joined the Canadian family when I was three years The topic of this lecture is Being Canadian. When I old. My parents and I emigrated from England and settled first sat down to write my talk, I spent a great deal of time in Montreal, where I reside to this day. I lived what I would trying to come up with a simple definition of what this characterize as a very “normal” childhood. I did all the means. It was not easy. No simple definition could ever things that children do in Montreal. I remember spending adequately capture the essence of our country and our citi- time in the local park in LaSalle with other children and zenship. That should not be surprising. How can you sum up the heart and soul of a country like this one in some Rosey Edeh was born in London, England, in 1966, and emigrated to Canada with her parents at a young age. Through her mother’s clever phrase or slick slogan? You cannot, and it is proba- influence, she became involved in extra-curricular activities at bly silly to even try. Instead of giving you generalizations school when she was 13. She chose track and field, and soon won about what I think Canadians believe or what I think numerous high school athletic awards. Ms. Edeh was awarded a scholarship to Rice University in makes a “good” Canadian, I would like to share with you Houston, where she pursued a degree in Art History. She remained some of my personal experiences as a citizen of this coun- passionately committed to track, choosing to specialize in the hur- dles. Over the next few years she competed at the National try. Collegiate Athletic Association level and at many international competitions, including the 1989 World University Games, where As an athlete, I have had the honour of representing she won a silver medal, and the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Canada all over the world. This has provided me with a Auckland. Ms. Edeh is currently recognized as one of the world’s best special perspective on how we are perceived in other 400-metre hurdlers. She has had the rare honour of representing countries. Athletics has also given me the opportunity to Canada at three Summer Olympics; Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992 see this country from coast to coast. Over the years, I have and Atlanta 1996. During the 1996 Olympic finals, she set a new Canadian record of 54.39 seconds. She is very proud to have had had a chance to see the Prairies in the winter, Vancouver in the opportunity to be an ambassador for Canadian athletics in the summer and New Brunswick in the fall. I have seen venues around the world. She continues to train vigorously and looks forward optimistically to the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. the kaleidoscope of images, people and places that make Optimum, The Journal of Public Sector Management • Vol. 28, No. 1 33 THE CLIFFORD SIFTON LECTURE SERIES learning to skate at the local rink. I was always very active the country. I guess I had always expected that most and running around. I fell in love with classical ballet when Canadians lived more or less the way I did in Montreal. That I was five and studied it until I went to high school. is a common assumption that young people make. I was Though I do not dance anymore, I will always love the art surprised to find out that this simply is not the case. Life in form. When I got into high school my mother insisted that I an Atlantic fishing community or on a Manitoba farm is very channel some of my energy into an after-school activity. different from what I was used to. At the same time, how- She firmly believes that a busy child is a productive child. ever, despite the different situations, I was struck by how Personally, I saw this mainly as an opportunity to meet new friendly people were everywhere we went. Without fail, friends. I had no idea then that I would be starting an activ- people opened their homes to us. ity that would profoundly shape the rest of my life. I was also struck by how curious other young people are I had always known that I was athletic and fairly to learn more about other parts of the country. When I was in quick, so I decided to join the school track and field team. Saskatoon, for instance, I remember assuming the unofficial The practices were long – every Even at an early age I was role of team translator. That way I day after school from 3:30 p.m. to got to meet a lot of athletes from 5:00 p.m. They were also quite very competitive and not one the other teams. Children from challenging. I remember there to pass up a challenge. Manitoba and Saskatchewan was one drill where we had to do wanted to learn more about a continuous relay. Three or four teams would keep run- Quebec and what Montreal was like. We tried to teach each ning this relay around and around the track, passing the other French and English words and phrases. It was a lot of baton as we went. It was for conditioning, but also to fun. When I hear people talking about the “two solitudes” foster team spirit and cooperation. Even at an early age I and the so-called French-English problems in Canada, I think was very competitive and not one to pass up a challenge, back to those afternoons and how naturally we all started so I trained. The first few years were hard and I rarely talking and trying to communicate with one another. Once won. Despite this, I really grew to love the sport and even- we all made the effort to get to know each other, it became tually joined a track club in Montreal, the Vikings. It was very clear how little our differences really meant. It was from with the Vikings that I received my first opportunity to see all this travelling that I began to develop a real pride in this the country. country and a true sense that I was a Canadian – and that The Royal Canadian Legion was also responsible for being a Canadian was something special. As the years went many of my travels throughout Canada. The Legion was a by and I began competing internationally, this sense of very generous sponsor of youth athletics. Thanks to its sup- belonging to a special family would only grow. port, I was allowed to compete in various interprovincial I have always been grateful for the opportunities given competitions. As a 13-year-old who had lived in Montreal to me when I was younger. As Canadians we tend to put most of my life, I did not really know what to expect when I our children first. For me, as a young mother, this is the was told I was going to attend meets across the country. I mark of a compassionate and intelligent society. We have was stunned when I began to realize just how big Canada always made the development of young people a priority. truly is. Previously, I had been on the occasional family trip This continues to be crucial. We need to encourage more to places like Niagara Falls, but never outside Central organizations to take the time, as the Legion does, to get Canada. We crisscrossed the country, visiting such places as involved with children’s programs.
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