A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada
Author:
Genres: History, Politics & Social Sciences
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genres: History, Politics & Social Sciences
Book Type: Hardcover
Leo T. reviewed on + 1775 more book reviews
High blown writing by a distinguished author of fiction and nonfiction (the latter considering political science and philosophy), who has been translated into several languages other than French. Saul urges Canadians to act 'in a way true to ourselves' rather than remaining in the cocoon of what Canadian civilization is and 'how it came to be.'
Be sure to read the first 1 1/2 pages.
There are some endnotes.
No index, so I downgraded my rating by one star.
I read with interest that the Canadian delegations in London, 1866-1867, wanted Canada to be styled as 'the Kingdom of Canada.' The British vetoed that because of American sensibilities and thus it became the 'Dominion of Canada.'
"The United States didn't want a large, independent country on its northern border. That was what the name Kingdom suggested Canada would be. They rushed to get through their purchase of the Alaskan panhandle just as the new country was being declared. Whatever Canada hoped to be, Washington wanted to hem it in and make it as weak as possible. Their leaders were very open about this de3sire in multiple speeches, documents, and messages (251)."
Mr. Saul does not have John A. Macdonald, et.al. on a pedestal and criticizes the 'colonialists' of Canada.
In other essays, there is strong criticism of the widening income gap in recent decades between CEOs and children eating through food banks. Mr. Saul assures readers that charitable contributions by the former are only eyewash. (Chapter 17 'Signs of Failure' pp. 177-214)
Be sure to read the first 1 1/2 pages.
There are some endnotes.
No index, so I downgraded my rating by one star.
I read with interest that the Canadian delegations in London, 1866-1867, wanted Canada to be styled as 'the Kingdom of Canada.' The British vetoed that because of American sensibilities and thus it became the 'Dominion of Canada.'
"The United States didn't want a large, independent country on its northern border. That was what the name Kingdom suggested Canada would be. They rushed to get through their purchase of the Alaskan panhandle just as the new country was being declared. Whatever Canada hoped to be, Washington wanted to hem it in and make it as weak as possible. Their leaders were very open about this de3sire in multiple speeches, documents, and messages (251)."
Mr. Saul does not have John A. Macdonald, et.al. on a pedestal and criticizes the 'colonialists' of Canada.
In other essays, there is strong criticism of the widening income gap in recent decades between CEOs and children eating through food banks. Mr. Saul assures readers that charitable contributions by the former are only eyewash. (Chapter 17 'Signs of Failure' pp. 177-214)
