Lament for a Nation: The Defeat of Canadian NationalismCanadians have relatively few binding national myths, but one of the most pervasive and enduring is the conviction that the country is doomed. In 1965 George Grant passionately defended Canadian identity by asking fundamental questions about the meaning and future of Canada’s political existence. In Lament for a Nation he argued that Canada – immense and underpopulated, defined in part by the border, history, and culture it shares with the United States, and torn by conflicting loyalties to Britain, Quebec, and America – had ceased to exist as a sovereign state. Lament for a Nation became the seminal work in Canadian political thought and Grant became known as the father of Canadian nationalism. This edition includes a major introduction by Andrew Potter that explores Grant’s arguments in the context of changes in ethnic diversity, free trade, globalization, post-modernism, and 9/11. Potter discusses the shifting uses of the terms “liberal” and “conservative” and closes with a look at the current state of Canadian nationalism. |
Contents
ix | |
Introduction to the Carleton Library Series Edition | lxix |
Foreword | lxxvii |
Chapter One | 3 |
Chapter Two | 8 |
Chapter Three | 26 |
Chapter Four | 37 |
Chapter Five | 52 |
Chapter Six | 67 |
Chapter Seven | 86 |
Afterword | 97 |
Common terms and phrases
accept actions age of progress American appeal argues argument assumptions become believed Britain British called Canada Canadian nationalism capitalism Carleton University century civil claim committed conservatism conservative constitutional continental continuance corporations culture decision defence desire Diefenbaker Diefenbaker’s disappearance doctrine dominant economic election empire English-speaking established example existence expressed fact fate followed force freedom French George Grant Green homogeneous hope human important independence individual inevitable interests issue Lament later lead leaders less Liberal limited live loyalty Marxism means ment Minister nationalist nature necessary necessity never Ontario particular party past Pearson philosophy political politicians possible progress Quebec question reason relations remain ruling seems sense served simply social society stand thought tion Toronto tradition turn understand United universal values western writing