Sirgudes Torontos eestlasena täheldasin lõhesi mis meie väikeses kogukonnas valitsesid. Mitmed skaudi- ja gaidrühmad, lastelaagrid, kirikud kõik näitasid sellele et soovisime oma kultuurile kestvust kuid ei suutnud kokku leppida kuidas seda teha. Kanada tuttavatele selgitasin Toronto eesti kogukonda tõega naljas: ...“what do you get when you bring two Estonians together....three clubs.“

Kuidas me jõuame edasi kui meie arvud kahanevad? Negatiivset suhtumist on selgelt näha just praeguse Broadview’l asuva Eesti Maja ümber. Sotsiaalmeedia aina võimendab seda häbiväärset mustamist ja interneti vahendusel on seda koigile näha. Tase on langenud sinnavälja kus isiklikult laimatakse neid kes annetavad oma oskusi tegelemaks Eesti Maja tuleviku kestklikuse lahendamisele. Mis on ajendanud neid kes Eesti Maja müügi vastu võitlevad, nii madalale laskuma?


Ametipoolselt audiitor/raamatupidajana olen ma läbi vaadanud ja rahule jäänud Eesti Maja muugi ja saadud rahadega ehitada uut keskust on mõistlik tegu. Ma ütleks seega et arvestades maja füüsilist seisu, rahalist olukorda ja läbiviidavate valikute puudumisel lausa ainus tõsiselt võetav variant. Ilma teiste valikuteta, tulebki esile vastus mu varem esitatud küsimusele: need kes on vasta ei suuda tehtavat lahendust pakkuda ja nii tuginevad vanadele viisidele, lõhestamine mis aastaid tagasi oli moes. Miks seda vana rada käia? Mõistan emotsionaalset kiindumust vanasse kuid kriitika ilma konstruktiivse valikuvariandita on mõtetu.

Toronto eestlastel on palju mille üle uhkust tunda. Oleme esirindel mustalindipäevaga, Victims of Communism mälestusmärgiga ja Magnitsky seadusandluse läbisurumisega. Kui me lõhestume siis tekitame rohkem halba kui vaid meie kogukonna õõnestamist: see mustamine teenib nende huve kes pigem sooviks et me kogukonna hääl lõplikult vaikiks.

Glen Leis, CMA, CPA, MBA

The content of this article was not altered by the editors.

Growing up Estonian in Toronto I was always amazed at the division we had within our small community. With a multitude of Scout Troops, Guide Troops, children’s camps and churches, clearly, we all wanted our culture to survive but somehow we just could not agree on a single way of doing it. When my Canadian friends asked me what the Estonian Community was like I often responded with a joke...“what do you get when you bring two Estonians together....three clubs.“
As our numbers dwindle, how can we possibly move forward with this attitude? The negative impact of this has been no more apparent in the debate over the future of the Estonian House. Making the situation worse, given modern social media, our embarrassing habit of squabbling amongst ourselves and pointing fingers is now up on the internet for all to see. This debate has even gone so far as to include shameful, slanderous personal attacks on the people that have been kind enough to volunteer to deal with the future of the Estonian House. The question at hand is what has driven people that oppose selling the Estonian House to stoop to this level?
As a professional accountant, I am satisfied that the sale of the Estonian House and the use of the proceeds to build a new centre is a viable course of action; I would go so far as to say that given the Estonian House’s condition, its finances, and in the absence of workable alternatives it is the only course of action. The lack of alternatives provided answers my earlier question; those in opposition seem to have nothing else to offer so they have fallen back on the same old squabbling that has divided us for decades. Why are we doing this again? I understand the emotional attachment to the building, but I also know that criticism without constructive input is pointless.
Toronto Estonians have much to be proud of. We have been the driving force behind International Black Ribbon Day, The Victims of Communism Memorial, and The Magnitsky Act; therefore, when we are divided we do far more than undermine our own community. This bickering serves those that would have our voices silenced.

Glen Leis, CMA, CPA, MBA

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