A review by sashagrons
A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada by John Ralston Saul

2.0

I like JRS's premise--that Canada is a metis civilization, founded on Aboriginal values as much as on European (English/French) ones, and that is why Canada is different from other developed countries in so many ways--but I think it misses the mark on many levels. First, he fails to properly deal with the oppression of Indigenous peoples and the question of their consent. How would First Nations people today feel about this argument that Canada is rooted in Indigenous values? Perhaps it could be seen as appropriation, not complimentary. Second, I think JRS exaggerates the differences between Canada and other countries. Sure, we're "multicultural," but don't fool us, JRS: systemic racism and white superiority have always existed here and still do. Third, the discussion of Canada's elites in the last third of the book feels out of place and doesn't tie in well to the central premise. It feels like JRS just needed a place to rant (eloquently) about Canada's politicians and health care system, but I really missed how that argument complemented his overall idea of a metis civilization. Finally: JRS, please stop using the adjective "Manichean". Get a thesaurus.