Just a few days ago, I was standing at the highway lookout where the Parks Canada sign informs viewers that they are seeing Mount Edith Cavell. OK, so far, so good. But then the sign continues its supposed imparting of knowledge by declaring the "first ascent" to have taken place in 1915. That's where the whole thing falls apart in a whirling eddy of euro centric claptrap.
Archaeological evidence shows the First Nations people to have been living in the area for more than 11,000 years. Does Parks Canada really expect us all to believe that in that incredible span of time, not one First Nation individual ever scaled the heights of that mountain? They would have had their own name for the mountain, and their own reason for climbing it. The only problem was, there was no white person standing there watching and recording it all with pen and paper. What arrogance on the part of the Canadian government to continue condoning systemic denigration of the accomplishments of the First Nations.
The sign should be amended, as should every other one like it, to read "First known ascent by someone of european descent/origin"
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