Problem
I. In "Secret Alberta" why might the Canadian government have issued invitations for farmers from the United States to migrate to Canada? What was the government of Canada's response to the arrival of Black farmers? What tactics were used by the government of Canada to dissuade Black farmers from settling in Canada?
II. In "Speakers for the Dead" what do you make of Joyce Grime's justification for her stepfather Bill Reid's use of the gravestones of Priceville's deceased Black people as flooring for his stable and as stepping stones in a wet basement (44:56-45:52)?
III. In "Speakers for the Dead", a number of residents were opposed to further archaeological digging of the gravesite of the "Darky Cemetery". A petition of over 200 signatures was signed in opposition to the dig was presented. One hundred graves were eventually detected using ground radar. In your opinion, was the position to not dig at the gravesite (not to disturb the dead) an act of care/concern, or was this an opportunity to obscure a painful/shameful past? What was the best course of action to ensure both dignities to the dead, and the accuracy of Priceville's Black history? What precise instructions would you give authorities if the dead in question were your great-grandmother?
IV. In "Remembering Africville" the film documents that the City of Halifax denied the residents the following services: running water, paved roads, and electricity. Africville predated impositions by the City of Halifax including the city dump, two slaughterhouses, and a prison. The justification for the removal of the community and the destruction of homes was that the homes did not meet "minimum standards". Who sets those minimum standards? Who is responsible for the maintenance of minimum standards in a community that paid taxes yet was denied basic services? What does reparative justice look like for the residents/descendants of Africville? What instructions would you give the City of Halifax to address the loss of Africville?