Canada: The State of the Federation 1998-99

Graeme S. Mount is a professor of history at Laurentian University. He
is the author of Canada’s Enemies: Spies and Spying in the Peaceable
Kingdom and The History of Fort St. Joseph, and the co-author of
Invisible and Inaudible in Washington: American

Editors Lazar and McIntosh agree with Professor Charles Taylor that
democratic government is the only means through which most people are
able to exert a degree of control over their own destinies.
Unfortunately, Canada’s federal government loses authority to the
provincial governments, as well as to international organizations in the
private and public sectors. Canada’s system of national parties
suffered major setbacks in the elections of 1993 and 1997, and
government grants to the CBC and the publishing industry have declined.
At the same time, high-quality foreign alternatives are accessible as
never before. Quebec keeps threatening to secede, while the First
Nations want increasing autonomy. York University’s Reg Whitaker
demonstrates that the role of government is changing, and that even in
Canada groups like Quebec’s Cree population are seeking foreign allies
as they pursue their goals. Claire Sjolander portrays government as a
partner of big business.

Nevertheless, there are solid reasons to hope for Canada’s survival
as a viable nation. Frank Graves believes that Canadians do value their
country. According to Kathleen Day and Quentin Grafton, some 150,000
undergraduates have studied outside the province where they live. Many
Canadians have relatives who live in another province. There is
excellence in Canadian culture.

There is also excellence in this collection of well-documented essays
by competent authorities. A list of significant events that occurred
between July 1997 and June 1998 proves useful, while graphs clarify and
support the writers’ arguments. A French-language summary, usually one
paragraph in length, introduces each of the articles, all written in
English (even the one by Marc Vachon and Franзois Vaillancourt). The
summaries may persuade francophones to read those sections they find
interesting, although those who have difficulty with English will
probably have trouble doing so. A proper index would probably have been
of greater value.