The North as Identity

In Canada, we have come to pride ourselves in being a multicultural and accepting society. Every year, thousands of immigrants from countries all around the world flock to Canada to be a part of our great nation. Since our transition from colony to country in 1867, the Canadian people have strived to achieve a universal, national narrative that all Canadians could subscribe to, in the hopes of uniting the country from sea to sea to sea. One such narrative that has been often utilized is the Myth of the North. This northern concept of national identity has been often panned by various writers since its inception, but has retained its significance and application in spite of these critiques. However, is this idea of the “North as Identity” at all valid in today’s multicultural society? This essay will examine two key works in order to attempt to answer this question. The first, Canada and the Idea of North by Sherrill Grace, will discuss the ways in which we as Canadians have used the North as a means of self-identification throughout our history. The second, Limited Identities Revisited: Regionalism and Nationalism in Canadian History by P.A. Buckner, will provide a modern examination of the Limited Identities critique, which will be used to counter the Myth of the North, and prove the thesis of this paper: that Canadian identity, in today’s multicultural society, can’t come from a singular concept that we all share in common; instead, it must come from an understanding and acceptance of all that makes us different.

Johnson, M. (2011, December 4). The North as Identity: Towards a More Inclusive Narrative. (A. Gibson, Ed.)

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