Description

This book is an analysis of pan-Canadian nationalism on a political level. It does not question whether nationalist approaches to issues such as free trade, foreign investment or culture are normatively 'good' or economically beneficial-matters that have arguably been exhausted in recent years. Rather it studies what these approaches are and how they have influenced government action. Specifically, it considers the interplay between nationalist ideas and organizations on the one hand and federal politics on the other. Bashevkin's overall purpose is to shed light on larger questions of social action and state response: How have nationalists shaped Canadian politics and society? How successful have they been in articulating a pan-Canadian vision of the country? To what extent has their influence been limited by the pull of competing regional, cultural and ideological identities? What are the future political prospects of pan-Canadianism?