My Canada

P.J. Hammel is a professor of Education at the University of
Saskatchewan.

Glen K. Cowan, author and initiator of the People to People Petition for Canadian Unity in 1980, although pleased with the “No” vote in the Quebec Referendum, found himself without “illusions about the difficulties in ongoing relationships between French- and English-speaking Canadians as about other Canadian issues, nor... serious doubts that we can find working solutions if not perfect ones.” To contribute even further to Canadian unity and understanding he asked, “Why not… invite a cross-section of convinced Canadians from every part of the country to write down their usually unexpressed convictions about Canada?” and so “A book was born… non-political and non-governmental, expressing like the petition, only personal views....” The result is a book of “Insights from the many writers... [which] have increased my own appreciation of Canada. May readers of all ages and from all areas find the same.”

Here, then, are recorded the thoughts and feelings of Canadians — sports men and women, Natives, Quebecois, artists, performing personalities, and the ordinary man and woman in the street — telling us what Canada means to them.

“I am an unabashed Canadian nationalist” (Gordon Sinclair, p.39). “It is time we developed in our own minds and in our hearts a patriotism, a loyalty, a love for Canada, this marvellous land of which we are not always worthy” (Huguette Plamondon, p.40). “The ordinary guy knows damn well that this is his country. He can’t describe it. He doesn’t talk about it. But he doesn’t have any doubt. Just knows it is a fact” (Alden Nowlan, p.91).

One hundred and thirty-eight Canadians are quoted in this work. Every reader will find several that reflect and strengthen his own unexpressed feelings. Unvarnished patriotism; recommended for all Canadians!

Royalties from this book will go to the Terry Fox Fund for cancer research, the Terry Fox Canadian Youth Centre, Ottawa, and the Roger Doucet Humanitarian Fund for cancer patients, Montreal.