The Unmaking of Canada: The Hidden Theme in Canadian History Since 1945

J.L. Granatstein is a history professor at York University and author of
War and Peacekeeping and For Better or For Worse.

The three authors of this book are well-known left-wing journalists.
Their previous works include a biography of Brian Mulroney and a
devastating analysis of his first four years in power. This study is a
continuation of these themes. The current Canadian crisis is, they argue
correctly, a product of a multiplicity of issues, the most influential
of which are the constitutional process unleashed by Pierre Trudeau, the
Free Trade Agreement created by Mulroney, and the big-business agenda
masterminded by those who seek the mythical “level playing field.”
The net effect of these interlocking issues has been the unmaking of
Canada, the weakening of the central government to the point that the
centre cannot hold. The only answer, they conclude, is a democratic,
binational Canada—or no Canada at all. In effect, they endorse
sovereignty-association as the best available alternative. Their
argument is clear and their case is powerful, but the truth is that
there is almost no support in English Canada for the option they
suggest. Their solution, many believe, would continue to expose the rest
of Canada to Quebec’s never-ending blackmail. This book is helpful in
showing how we got into our present situation, but as a guide to the way
out—if there is a way out— it is less than useful.