Children at an inner-city school were taught a lesson yesterday about a society slowly becoming colour blind.
United States Consul General for Alberta Tom Huffaker sat down with a wide-eyed group of Grade 5 students at Prince Charles School yesterday, after hand-delivering a stack of books about our southern neighbours and newly elected President Barack Obama.
Huffaker, who described himself to the kids as “just a regular Albertan with a funny American accent” said it was key to assure the class, made up entirely of Aboriginal children, that skin colour is not a handicap in today’s society.
“It’s important to all our kids in both our countries to realize people who aren’t white males can move to the highest positions of leadership in our societies — which they have, and increasingly too,” Huffaker said.
The children asked a number of informed questions about what Canadian leaders are really like, the nature of relationships between the two countries, and the truth behind the economic crisis.
“People who say that we’re going through another depression are economically illiterate … Kids need to understand our societies succeed against much worse circumstances, and we will again this time.”
Recently, President Obama made comments about a serious commitment to U.S. energy independence.
Huffaker said the aim to reduce dependence of unstable suppliers does not include America’s neighbours to the north — Canada.
“Canada is both friendly, and stable. That’s not really what that’s getting at.”
Obama’s first international visit will be to Canada on Feb. 19.
