"What do you think?"
Millions of words have been spent by authors and journalists and pundits trying to define Canada and the role of "culture" in the context of a nation. But my experience in the world has been that many people do not necessarily identify with a particular culture or agree with the popular interpretations of what constitutes a nation; most people, regardless of where you go, have the same kinds of concerns and the same basic misgivings and ideas about the places they live in. I'm not convinced that a single, cohesive definition of national identity is possible in a society that is inherently diverse.Our society pays a lot of attention to the idea of being multicultural, but true respect for diversity comes out of an understanding of what individual people believe, and what specific people want. We cannot purport to understand ourselves as members of any particular group unless we understand each other as individuals first.
My project -- and my intent -- is to attempt a portrayal of individual Canadians. I want to ask them what they think of their country. What does Canada mean to them, and what is it about Canada that ensures that they stay put? Do they identify with "contemporary" elements of Canadian society, or are they building their own kind of society? How do they relate to their country, if they do at all?
In discussions about Canadian identity, a great time of time and effort has been made in ensuring that exceptional people -- politicians, writers, pundits, artists -- have their say. Comparatively little attention has been paid to the "average" Canadian. I think it's time we turned the lens around.