To Be Canadian

Finished April 7
The Unfinished Canadian: The People We Are by Andrew Cohen
This is one of the shortlisted books for the Evergreen award. Cohen is a well-known journalist and he has researched his topic well. He looks at the Canadian identity: historical, mythical and realistic and makes suggestions for the future.
He draws on the writing of many others who have looked at this perpetual question, both Canadians and observers of Canada. He discusses our dismaying lack of knowledge of our own history, and how little we are required to learn of it.
He talks about our relationship with our neighbour to the south and how we like to deny the similarities we have. Yes, we do have differences, but we also are more similar to them than we are to any other nation. He includes our reputation for doing good, but also shows that, as a country we have done and could do much better. There is much to think about here, and a challenge for use to improve for the future.
We are, as he says, yet unfinished and have so much potential.