Bethune, Brian. “Top 10 Canadian Books of the Decade.” Maclean’s 11 Dec. 2009. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
This list was compiled by a book blogger for Maclean’s. (His bio is not very elaborate, but his profile shows a picture of a well-seasoned gentleman in his late-50s or early-60s, so I will assume he has read a volume of Canadian literature or two.)
At the top of the list is Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake. I believe her to be the greatest figure in Canadian literature: a poet, novelist, critic, essayist, activist, all on a huge number of topics, as well as prominent voice on the Twitter community, no surprise for a writer of science-fiction. Atwood calls her novel speculative fiction, and it deals with topics of globalization, the environment, the internet, and scientific experimentation. Other novels on the list deal with the Francophone experience, media and war from a Canadian perspective, Vancouver Island poetry, First Nations populations (specifically Newfoundland’s), the story of blacks in Canada, immigration, religion, and Canadian Literature itself in Noah Richler’s exploration of key figures and contemporary locations that inspired their work.
Glancing at CanLitGuides.ca, these ten novel reflect many of Canadian literature’s main genres: nationalism, immigrant experiences, and First Nations experiences, among others. I believe their common thread is identity. Based on personal experience as an avid reader and English Literature student, many of the novels on the list that take place in Canada are not popular outside Canada (with the exception of Oryx and Crake and Life of Pi, both of which do not take place in Canada).
One of our conference questions explores ethnic identities in the face of globalization. Identity is complicated, involving the past and the present as well as the place. Canadian stories are Canadian stories, after all. Are there any other reasons why Canadian literature might not have as much interest elsewhere? What constitutes as Canadian lit? Does it have to take place in Canada, or merely feature Canada briefly like Montreal in Life of Pi? Or is it merely the nationality of the writer? Is Canadian lit doomed to be read only by Canadians?
Nonetheless, this is a very interesting list. It presents a mosaic of different voices that have something to say about our nation, some with more commentary than others. Most comment on the past. What issues of today might be tomorrow’s Canadian lit?
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CanLit Guides. Canadian Literature, 2014. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
Good, Alex. “This Is My Country, What’s Yours? A Literary Atlas of Canada.” Quill & Quire Nov. 2006. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
Margaret Atwood. Margaret Atwood, 2013. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Canada Reads 2014, Days 1 – 4. CBC, March 2014. Web. 29 March 2014.
Canada Reads is an annual literary contest organized by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and set up as a debate between five celebrity Canadians. Each debater represents a Canadian novel they believe all Canadians should read, arguing for it over a period of four days. Each day, one novel is dropped from discussion until the last remaining novel is crowned the winner. The debaters select their novels from a shortlist of ten chosen by CBC’s viewers and listeners through online voting. According to debate moderator Jian Ghomeshi, Canada Reads is not just a contest between Canadian novels but “a cultural force” that “turns books into bestsellers” (Canada Reads Day 1).
Special for this year was an important theme, “One Novel to Change the Nation.” Each novel debated offered a unique perspective on a social issue faced by Canadians today or in the past. Novels with subject matter notable for our intervention were The Orenda, written by Joseph Boyden and argued for by Wab Kinew, a CBC media personality and member of the Midewin First Nation, as well as Cockroach, by Rawi Hage, argued for by Samantha Bee, an actor and comedian. The Orenda depicts the longstanding violent conflict between the Iroquois and Huron people just as Jesuit missionaries began to arrive from France to spread their beliefs as well as European diseases. Cockroach focuses on the experience of a destitute immigrant with serious mental health challenges living in Montreal and his life on the margins of society.
As an organization, CBC reaches into the homes of many, if not a majority, of Canadians, and the Canada Reads contest is known to spark the ‘Canada Reads effect,’ where books it features become bestsellers. This all implies that Canada Reads has a very significant impact on the literary choices of Canadians. In recent years, Canada Reads has expanded to a multimedia, online format, including online voting and commentary as well as video and podcast versions of the debates. Canada Reads is an important resource for our intervention because of its popular appeal and participation, online components, dedication to promoting quality Canadian literature, and most importantly, commitment to identifying and addressing serious themes that are relevant to Canadians today, including issues of immigration and colonization.
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Al-Solaylee, Kamal. “The Orenda.” Rev. of The Orenda, by Joseph Boyden. Quill and Quire, October 2013. Web. 30 March 2014.
Beattie, Steven W. “Cockroach.” Rev. of Cockroach, by Rawi Hage. Quill and Quire, September 2008. Web. 30 March 2014.
Dawn, Amber. How Poetry Saved My Life: A Hustler’s Memoir. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press, 2013. Print.
Amber Dawn is a local writer, filmmaker, performance artist, self–described “ghetto feminist” and adjunct professor in the Creative Writing Department at the University of British Columbia. As an emerging Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer writer and activist, Dawn is enthralled by the idea of “Burlesque literature”:
I too try to burlesque the female body within my poetry. To make a swollen spectacle out of the female experience can be a campy way to examine some of society’s more perspective gender expectations and stereotypes. As an example I’ll offer a quote from my poem aptly titled “Hey Fuck Face”: I am thinking about starlets with oversized heads: those Power Puff Girls and Bratz dolls that are doing so well in the marketplace. They wear booty shorts and speak in baby voices, but by god are they introspective. I mean their heads are as big as the eight immortals of Tao. Wow! Workers in China toil up to ninety hours a week to keep up with manufacturing demands — did you know?
Her poem “Hey Fuck Face” is part of a collection of prose presented in the 2013 Vancouver Book Award winning memoir entitled, “How Poetry Saved My Life: A Hustler’s Memoir”. Through her memoir, Dawn offers an unflinching look at life on the bitter streets of Hastings and in the “rug and tug” parlours and brothels scattered across Vancouver. She underscores the need for harm–reduction policies regarding sex–trade work and draws attention to infamous examples of failed law enforcement measures.
“How Poetry Saved My Life” is a book about intersections. Dawn explores the intersections between literature and orality as she magically weaves verbose poetry with intimate confessional narratives, coalescing to yield a cathartic prose emphasizing the transformative capacity of writing. Dawn invites us to enter the conversation and “re–imagine Them and Us” (Chamberlin 137) by examining the intersections between sex work, gender–norms, queer identity, and survivor pride. In light of recent events surrounding the decriminalization of prostitution in Canada – “The Supreme Court of Canada has struck down the country’s anti-prostitution laws … striking down laws prohibiting brothels, living on the avails of prostitution and communicating in public with clients” (CBC News) – we must consider the specific ramifications for survival sex–trade workers and victims of sex trafficking. Of particular relevance to the goals of our intervention is the voice of men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking. According to the Embassy of the United States:
Canada is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and a destination country for men and women subjected to forced labor. Canadian women and girls are exploited in sex trafficking across the country, and women and girls from Aboriginal communities as well as minors in the child welfare system are especially vulnerable. Foreign women, primarily from Asia and Eastern Europe, are subjected to sex trafficking as well, often in brothels and massage parlors.
Over the course of the next year it will be pivotal to include the diverse voices of individuals engaged in sex work – including survival sex trade workers, commercial sex trade workers and trafficked women – in the drafting of new legislation to ensure that appropriate harm reduction efforts and supportive exit programs are offered to current sex–trade workers.
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“2013 Trafficking in Persons Report: Canada Chapter.” Embassy of the United States Ottawa, Canada. U.S. Department of State, 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
“Amber Dawn: Feminists, funny girls, and freak shows, part one.” National Post. National Post, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
Amber, Dawn. “Ghetto Feminism.” The Tyee. The Tyee, 25 July 2007. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
“City of Vancouver 2013 Book Award.” City of Vancouver. City of Vancouver, 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
“No More Stolen Sisters.” Amnesty International Canada. Amnesty International, 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
“Over 100 arrested in B.C. raid on suspected brothels.” National Post | Canadian News, Financial News and Opinion. National Post, 2006. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
“Supreme Court strikes down Canada’s prostitution laws – Politics – CBC News.” CBC.ca – Canadian News Sports Entertainment Kids Docs Radio TV. CBC Radio–Canada, 20 Dec. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
University of British Columbia. “Amber Dawn | UBC Creative Writing.” UBC Creative Writing: Canada’s most prestigious creative writing program. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
McLean, Stuart. “The Vinyl Café Story Exchange.” CBC Radio: The Vinyl Café. 1998 – 2014. Podcast and radio broadcast. 4 April 2014.
Stuart McLean is a Toronto-based radio host, journalist, and storyteller. For the past 15 or so years, he has hosted a weekly CBC radio show called The Vinyl Café, where he plays (mostly Canadian) music, both live and recorded, and tells stories about a fictitious Canadian family. Over one million people listen to his show each week, either on the radio, on audio or video podcast, or on satellite radio. He also takes his show in the road every year, and has performed in countless venues across Canada, both large and small. He also publishes books of his stories, many of which have received awards and become bestsellers. In recent years he has included an additional story component within his shows: the Vinyl Café Story Exchange. These stories come from listeners, who are urged to send in any story, so long as it is both short and true. The stories McLean chooses to read on the show are ones that celebrate or highlight a small moment in life that might otherwise go unnoticed, but have a simplicity and universality that allow many people to identify with them. McLean’s instructions for these stories are as follows:
“Write to me about a moment that you have experienced or witnessed or heard about that you think is worth writing about. It might be a moment of kindness or a moment of cruelty. It might be a moment of sadness or frivolity. It might be a moment you are proud of. Or it might be a moment you are ashamed of. It might not even be about you. It might be about someone you know or maybe it’s about someone you don’t know at all … maybe it’s something you have seen that made you smile, or cry. Happy or sad.”
Over the years, McLean has collected many stories from listeners across Canada. Some of them are available here in print.
The oral delivery method of these stories, public origin, and multi-platform distribution to a large audience are fairly unique in Canada. While the choice of which stories get publicly disseminated gets made by McLean and his production team, the idea of being able to send in a story, regardless of one’s official experience in writing or storytelling, fosters literary reflection and development of literary content in a broad segment of the Canadian population that might not otherwise consider their stories worth telling. Certainly, there is barrier to participation for non-English speakers, as this show is exclusively broadcast in English (though one of the stories available in text form on McLean’s website addresses a language barrier, funnily enough). However, McLean is passionate about uniting Canadians through these brief snapshots of everyday life. This public story repository and its oral form both tie nicely into the themes of ENGL 470A as well as our conference questions regarding whose narrative voice is presently being heard in Canada.
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CBC Radio. “The Vinyl Café Home Page.” CBC, 2014. Web. 4 April 2014.
CBC Radio. “The Vinyl Café Story Exchange.” CBC, 2014. Web. 4 April 2014.
prospeakerscanada. “Stuart McLean – The Vinyl Cafe Storyteller.” ProSpeakers Canada. YouTube, 20 June 2012. Web. 4 April 2014.
Moss, Laura. “Canada Reads.” Canadian Literature. 182 (2004): 6 – 10. ProQuest. Web. 11 April 2014.
We have already encountered Laura Moss in this course, most recently through her articles and editorial pieces in the journal Canadian Literature. Moss is a literary scholar here at UBC, holding an associate professorship in the Department of English. Her interests lie mainly in the fields of postcolonialism and Canadian and African literatures in English (Moss Research and Publications).
In this 2004 editorial piece, Moss takes a look at the power and consequences of Canada Reads, after the contest had been running for three years. While acknowledging its success in promoting sales and distribution of the books it features, as well as highlighting excellent pieces of Canadian literature, Moss takes issue here with the shallowness of the debates over the novels. Unlike the 2014 contest, which expressly wished to choose a novel that could promote social change in Canada, the early contests discussed by Moss did not include any sort of broader context for selecting a winner, leaving selection criteria up to a panel of judges, judges who “are not experts. They are celebrities.” According to Moss, the effective selection criteria were as follows:
“In Canada Reads, the choice is not whether a novel best represents a region/author/era/ethnic group/subject, or whether it is qualitatively superior, but whether it is the most durable depiction of Canada and whether it is championed by a persuasive and popular advocate.”
She also worries that the judges are unable to reach “beyond character development, plot, or emotional response to the texts,” leaving much of the serious good in each novel out of the public discussion. However, even after the first three years of less-than-serious discussion of Canadian literature, the ‘Canada Reads effect’ was in full force, and sales of featured novels blossomed. The challenge of the perceived non-seriousness but obvious success of Canada Reads is relevant to our research questions, in that getting less popular literary voices heard in Canada may require an appeal to public emotion rather than intelligence. This year may mark a turning point for the seriousness of debates on Canada Reads, which certainly had very passionate and moving moments related to serious themes, but we have yet to see how readers across Canada will respond to this change in tone.
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Moss, Laura. “Research and Publications.” Laura Moss. UBC Blogs, 2013. Web. 11 April 2014.
Wilfred Laurier University Press. “Catalogue page: Is Canada Postcolonial?“. Wilfred Laurier University Press. Wilfred Laurier University, 2003. Web. 11 April 2014.
Phillips, Logan. “Vancouzy High as Fuck.” The Pedestal Magazine. dirtyverbs.com, 2009. Web. 4 Apr. 2014.
Logan Phillips is a bilingual writer, performer, multimedia artist, world traveller and professor of Hispanic American Literature and translation at Universidad Internacional in Cuernavaca, Mexico. He recently decided to commit himself to pursuing artistic endeavors fulltime and is currently on a tour throughout the United States and Canada, heading towards Mexico and then Europe. Phillips is the author of five poetry books, including Arroyo Ink, a collection of seventeen poems and twenty illustrations. “Vancouzy High as Fuck” is one of the poems included in his chapbook and reflects an intimate narrative intricately lacing raw social commentary on identity, homelessness, vulnerability, crime, drugs, sex work and gentrification with feelings of disconnect in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) of Vancouver, Canada’s “poorest postal code” (Vancouver Sun). Phillips’ reappropriation of the essence of the DTES of Vancouver allows him to recast the diverse residents of the DTES in a rawer and more explicitly humanizing light. But his poem does so much more than that.
Phillips’ poem unveils our obligation to engage in dialogue on the social identity of marginalized folk in the face of gentrification in the hopes of “re–imagin[ing] Them and Us” (Chamberlin 137) in an effort to converge on common ground. It is equally important to engage the voices of the policy–makers and politicians as it is to engage the perspectives of the marginalized folk: the homeless, the survival sex trade workers, the immigrants, the trafficked, the addicted, the criminals, the mentally ill and the abused. “Tiny decisions”, as Phillips suggests, that are necessary in order to avoid the introduction of assimilationist policies, such as the DTES Local Area Plan, that attempt to recognize discrimination and social injustices, but fail to provide the adequate psychosocial and economic support required to justly rectify them.
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Chamberlin, Edward. If This is Your Land, Where are Your Stories? Finding Common Ground. Toronto: AA. Knopf. 2003. Print.
“Downtown Eastside Local Area Plan.” City of Vancouver. City of Vancouver, 26 Feb. 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
“Is Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside really “Canada’s poorest postal code”? | Vancouver Sun.” Blogs – Vancouver Sun. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
Phillips, Logan, and Adam Cooper-Terán. Arroyo Ink. Flagstaff, Ariz: dirtyverbs.com, 2009. Print.
Ong, Walter J. “Some Psychodynamics of Orality.” Orality and Literacy. Ed. Walter J. Ong. Routledge, 2002. 31-77. Print.
Reverend Father Walter Jackson Ong is an expert in a multitude of topics, including English, Psychiatry, but in particular, orality, and cultural shifts from oral cultures to print cultures.
Orality and Literacy, in particular chapter three on the psychodynamics of orality, documents qualities of orality that are not found in print culture. Records are only what individuals can recall, leading to a close relationship with knowledge. Patterns help with memory, such as idioms, repetition for dramatic effect, and stock epithets to draw upon. Think of Homer’s epics. But some aspects are limiting compared to print culture. History cannot be recorded. Planning anything is difficult as it is held mentally. Information is not limited by time. These are major disadvantages, and we can easily see why oral cultures can be considered “primitive” as it is difficult to make these leaps in civilization without print. But print cultures are not perfect either. Print does not carry the unity that hearing information aloud does. Sharing information orally is told through the medium of a person and translated into their own words, adding a personal touch in both lexis and performance. Knowledge is passed on and shared, not hidden between volumes. Orality is circular while print is linear, bringing to mind communal versus individual creation in King’s The Truth about Stories.
I believe this text sheds light on injustices against the “other”, who is often understood in the medium of another culture. Repetition? That’s redundant! Someone who repeats things must be dim-witted. Learning from each other? Everyone can’t be a teacher! How will they know what truth is? And so on. How do learn to listen to those who are different and understand them? How do we leave our judgments behind us? I believe the circles of oral cultures is the answer. There is equality in a circle, and perhaps approaching life with the same attitude will help us find common ground.
As for the internet and digital technologies, perhaps we are coming full circle at least through this medium. The internet is a fusion of orality and literacy, much like our entire course. It is print, yet interactive; print that makes noise, and always, always with more than one opinion. Every opinion you find on the internet will have a legion of opposition once you scroll down.
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Federman, Mark. “What is the Meaning of The Medium is the Message?” UToronto.ca, 2004. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
Foley, James Miles. “‘Reading’ Homer Through Oral Tradition.” College Literature 34.2 (2007): 1-28. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
King, Thomas. The Truth about Stories: A Native Narrative. Toronto: House of Anansi Press. Inc, 2003. Print.
Walter J. Ong Archives. Saint Louis University, 2012. Web. 2 Apr. 2014.
Thein, Madeleine and Elaine Woo. V6A: Writings from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Ed. John Mikhail Asfour and Elee Kraljii Gardiner. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press, 2012. Print.
V6A is an anthology of short stories, poems, memoirs, and essays from Vancouver writers who lived, worked, or grew up in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) neighbourhood. The book follows previous chapbook publications put forth by the Thursdays Writing Collective, a free writing program for DTES residents. Many of the voices in this collection have experienced Canada from an immigrant perspective or one of extreme poverty or both. According to the Thursdays Writing Collective, “[their] writers include people identifying as First Nations, Chinese, Sri Lankan, Turkish, English, Irish, Canadian and many other racialized and genderized backgrounds from different socioeconomic and educational backgrounds.” Over 150 people have written and participated in the collective since 2008.
For one well-known author, Madeleine Thien, “Vancouver’s Strathcona, Chinatown, and Downtown Eastside were the places where [her] family worshipped, ate, came of age, and first belonged to this new country (24).” In her memoir piece “The Fire Before,” she describes her upbringing in the DTES as one where she “carried [around her anger] like a pebble in [her] throat” (30). Part of her anger stemmed from disillusionment with her and her parents’ Catholic faith, something that they also ended up leaving behind after a few years of living in Canada, as well as frustration with the stereotypes and struggles she faced because of the stigma associated with the DTES. Thien is the highly regarded author of four novels and is currently the writer-in-residence at SFU.
Another voice with an intercultural focus is that of Elaine Woo. She is an emerging Vancouver writer and active blogger. Below is an excerpt from her poem “Ride Along East Hastings from the Patricia Hotel to Woodward’s” (94). The first part of the poem describes the speaker’s journey past many “brother[s and] sister[s]” who are homeless and desperate for basic needs in the DTES (94). This is the closing stanza:
The Chinese say everybody
in the world is their brother or sister,
but this trip
earthquake of my fastidious universe
open gash of humanity.
I swan dive under my 200-thread count
snow white drift comforter
and like a snake swallowing eggs
down orange pills that keep my voices silent—
the only distance that keeps me from being one of you.
There are many more exceptional and moving pieces of writing in this collection. Each piece offers a unique perspective on Canada, Vancouver, and the DTES besides giving voice to emerging authors. The most powerful aspect of this collection is its honest and authentic portrayal of an often-misunderstood neighbourhood. This power is very relevant to our questions of whose voices we are listening to in Canadian literature as well as how those voices are being articulated.
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Simon Fraser University. “Writer in Residence, 2013 – 2014.” SFU, 2012. Web. 6 April 2014.
Woo, Elaine. “Elaine Woo.” Elaine Woo, nd. Web. 6 April 2014.
Woo, Elaine. “Home Brew.” Blogspot, 6 February 2013. Web. 6 April 2014.
“‘True Stories’ of Canada: Tim Hortons and the Branding of National Identity”
If you ask anyone to list the popular stereotypes of Canada, their list might go something like this: snow, hockey, maple syrup, polar bears, Mounties, and, of course, Tim Hortons. Why is it that a restaurant chain, serving simply coffee and donuts, has somehow managed to insert itself into the Canadian landscape? Tim Hortons is such a predominant idea in creating Candianness that even popular sitcoms draw from its iconic image.
The origin story of Tim Hortons began with NHL defenceman, Miles Gilbert (Tim) Horton, along with his friend, Roy Joyce. They opened up the first ever Tim Hortons in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, decked with Tim’s hockey image. Ten years later, Horton died tragically in a car accident and Joyce took over. Although Tim’s image was removed from shop interiors and advertising, Tim Hortons continued to emphasize its support for ice-related sports such as curling and hockey. This year, Tim Hortons celebrates its 50th anniversary, boasting its success despite the presence of rising contemporary competitors such as Starbucks and Blenz.
What makes Tim Hortons so Canadian, almost to a point in which Tim Hortons sets the criteria of what Canadian means? In the mid-1990s, Tim Hortons began its advertising campaign, “True Stories”. Canadians were encouraged to send in their stories, in which some were turned into heart-warming television ads. The very first “True Story” featured Lillian, a woman in her late 80s trekking her way up a hill in the small town of Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, just for a single cup of double cream coffee.
The next story is told from another aspect of Canadian narrative: the so-called “immigrant experience”, where one must hold on to their cultural values while still practicing Canadianness. These values are depicted as competing ways of life for both father and son and they are both aware of the struggle to create a Canadian identity while still maintaining “traditional” Chinese work ethics. Yet in the end, both son and father are able to reconcile over a cup of coffee, grateful for each other, despite their differing beliefs of how to live in Canada.
Lillian’s story is one that portrays a more “traditional” Canadianness, shaped by the dominant discourse. Her journey mirrors the journey colonialists took to settle the land of Canada, all in hopes of starting a new life. The second story tells a different tale: of a hard-working immigrant family, trying to create a space in the established white landscape of Canada. Tim Hortons’ “True Stories” campaign is interesting in that while they tell the stories of different Canadians – varying in culture, ethnicity, age, and time – they all come back to the common discourse of what Tim Hortons believes to be Canadian: ritual, kind-heartedness, and perseverance.
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Cormack, Patrick. “‘True Stories’ of Canada: Tim Hortons and the Branding of National Identity”. Cultural Sociology 2.3 (2008): 369-384.
Wah, Fred: “Standing in the Doorway”
“When I was in elementary school we had to fill out a form at the beginning of each year […] The problem was the blank after Racial Origin. I thought, well, this is Canada, I’ll put down Canadian. But the teacher said no Freddy, you’re Chinese, your racial origin is Chinese, that’s what your father is. Canadian isn’t a racial identity” (Wah 53).
During our course, when we thought of the stories in Canadian literature, we often grouped them in two main categories: the narrative of the white colonialists and the narratives of Aboriginal peoples and immigrants of colour. However, Fred Wah’s own writing strays from this binary of “Us and Them”. Instead, Wah’s lived experiences settle on the “and” or what he calls the hyphen of hybridity.
Growing up, Wah spent most of his childhood in his father’s diner in Nelson, working between the kitchen, where the Chinese cooks spoke in Cantonese to Wah and the floor of the diner, where he served white mine workers coffee and ice cream. Wah’s “racial origin” is complex. It is not singular and neither is it fixed. Instead, Wah, because he is of mixed-race, is able to move fluidly between the white world and the Chinese world.
There are many times that Wah is able to perfectly blend in one particular space. In his biotext, Diamond Grill, Wah speaks of how he is perceived as Chinese by a white man, despite his mostly white appearance. In another instance, Wah travels to China and shares with the Chinese tour guide that he is Chinese.
“[…] he just laughed at me. I don’t blame him. He, for all his racial purity so characteristic of mainland Chinese, was much happier thinking of me as a Canadian, something over there, white, Euro. But not Chinese (53).
This is where “Us and Them” intersects. Instead of placing our hands on the glass and watching what is in front of us, never being able to be on the other side, Wah is able to break the glass, or open the door, and experience what it is like to be “Us” and “Them”. The only downside is he runs the danger of not being able to “pass” as Chinese, as white, as Canadian. Wah’s story sits on the teetering edge of here and there – joining them together but not quite.
It is important to realize the variety of stories in the Canadian landscape. Not just varieties that sit neatly in categories, but those that challenge the rigid lines of society, that push for space, that need to be heard in order to be recognized. Otherwise, these stories become invisible, lost in the often overlooked and forgotten “and”.
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Chamberlin, Edward. If This is Your Land, Where are Your Stories?: Finding Common Ground. A. A. Knopf: Toronto, 2003.
Wah, Fred. Diamond Grill. Edmonton: NeWest, 2006. Print.
Follow
In response to your Canada Reads Annotated Bibliography:
Well I guess I now have a few more books to add to my reading list, especially if The Orenda is the one novel that will change the Nation. I did not stay up on this year’s Canada Reads, but I have in the past. I actually read Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan after it won the Giller prize in 2011. I became aware of this book after Edugyan spoke at the Writer’s festival in Vancouver and my Dad game me a signed copy. I am a jazz fan, so the book was of interest to me right away. I was not aware that it was among the nominees for this year’s prize. I liked it, so now I suppose I will have to read the books that edged it out of contention. Had my Dad not of given me the book, I would have definitely heard about it as it was frequently discussed on CBC and the radio show Q.
I have been reminded of the annual Canada Reads program over the last few years since I have become a more avid radio listener. I support the endeavor and the format of such an event, but I have never actually analyzed the extent to which it represents the state of Canadian literature or any sort of Canadian consensus. As you say, it does seem to be an important resource for any intervention strategy concerning the future of Canadian literature. The ‘Canada Reads effect’ extends far beyond those who tune into the program, and the various formats by which the program is delivered (online via text, video and podcasts) gives Canadians every chance to get involved. Such a public debate about literature that exhibits books that touch on issues such as race, gender and inclusion etc., has to be a positive thing. The program, which is meant to inform Canadians about various social and historical issues through fiction and reading, while also entertaining an audience, makes a great venue for a discussion about the future of Canadian literature.
It also provides a great platform to discuss the themes and questions that your group brings up in your intervention – how is literature and storytelling used to connect us to one another, how does literature interact with the digital era, how is cultural diversity addressed in literature, and what happens to ethnic identities in a globalized world? In our Intervention Strategy, we look at related issues, especially concerning the questions you raise about whose voices are being heard, and whose voices are missing in Canadian literature. We look at the cross-linguistic issues in Canadian literature and the barriers surrounding language and language rights. By focusing on the topic of Language and connecting its themes to issues concerning the problems with linguistic borders, diasporas, and the complications and biases in Canadian publishing, we too ask the questions about whose voices are being neglected. We hope to understand the implications of this type of neglect on the future of Canadian literature as our project unfolds.
I would be interested to explore some of these questions in relation to Canada Reads over the years. Whose voices have been left out there? Does a program that is directed by CBC devotees have the power to decide what it means to be Canadian? What role does language play? (There is a separate French version of Canada Reads, Le Combat Des Livres) And what about storytelling and those stories that cannot be published? Can you imagine a public competition for the top Indigenous story of the year?
I have always been interested in how the books are chosen in the first place to represent Canada and Canadians in this competition. I have also been interested by the notion of Canadian national pride that the program promotes. The program talks about Canadian values, hopes, dreams, and illusions about life in Canada as it whittles down a list of nominated books in the hopes to, at least for 2014, find the novel that will change the Nation. Jian Ghomeshi says that this year’s winner, The Orenda, addresses an unresolved relationship at the heart of the Canadian Identity as it depicts the longstanding violent conflict between the Iroquois and Huron people just as Jesuit missionaries began to arrive from France to spread their beliefs as well as European diseases. It is great to think that such a book could change a Nation by informing its inhabitants about our history of violence and colonization. If only it were that easy.
Hi @paulseymour! Thanks for sharing your personal experience with Canada Reads and Edugyan’s novel.
I’d like to respond to the great questions you put forth about language barriers in literature, specifically in Canada Reads, as well as the potential search for a “top Indigenous story of the year.”
First of all, regarding language, I agree that the diverse nature of our population and the increasing numbers of Canadians who primarily use languages other than French or English in their day-to-day lives make universal (or perhaps national) communication challenging, whether it be in the form of cultural communication (literature, for instance) or even passing on public information pertaining to people’s basic needs. I think literature can certainly benefit from contributions in many languages and Canadian literature is no exception. However, we need to develop a common platform for discussing, interpreting, and understanding literature in order to include as many voices as possible in the dialogue. The actual manifestations of this idea could involve computational translation tools, human translators, and multimedia content to name a few. But I have one hesitation about this approach: wouldn’t it also be handy to choose a common language to work in? We grow up tacitly accepting this as English or French, but maybe these are not the best choices for every part of Canada. Another way of getting at this point is through the question, is language a definitive Canadian property, or are Canadian ideas infinitely translatable into other languages? It’s hard for me to comment on this as I only speak English and French, but I can imagine from our earlier lessons regarding First Nations spirituality and perspectives that certain concepts are indeed untranslatable, and therefore picking a common language has huge significance in the definition of Canada and its literature.
The idea of an Indigenous literary contest is really exciting to me. As we have learned more about storytelling and orality throughout the course, I think a contest that involved the cyclic and oral traditions of First Nations storytellers would be fascinating to observe. I wonder though if a contest is the best way to showcase these stories, though. Would that format be amenable to the principles of First Nations storytellers (thinking back to Harry Robinson), whose stories tend to evolve and grow as they are told again and again, not to mention how they shift depending on the teller and the audience?
This is by no means the absolute response to the thoughtful, lengthy post you have supplied us (hopefully my group members will add even more!), but I have quick thought to add on to your comments regarding what books get selected. I have a feeling that while there are many potential voices and topics that have not yet joined the ranks of the list historically, Canada Reads to me feels accepting enough that all stories will be treated equally, not discriminating except for quality.
Perhaps I have been spoiled by the internet-age, but your entry with the Tim Horton’s ads really caught by eye and I found that they had more of an impact on me than I had expected. While I’ve seen my fair share of media promoting a certain mythos of Canadian identity, the way that these ads felt so in-your-face with what Canadian culture is suppose to represent made me question how marginalized groups in our society must feel seeing ads such as this.
While I don’t recall seeing those two specific Tim Horton’s ads on TV while I was growing up, I can definitely see why they’re viewed as impact parts of Canadian cultural development in the 90’s; this was a time where economic recession and the influx of Asian immigrants posed a threat to the stability of the Canadian cultural fabric; not that that was necessarily a bad thing, but just a quickening of a pace that has already been apparent throughout the 80’s. But what I always like to question regarding ad such as these that project a sense of meta-national identity is whether the ads themselves are a reflection of society, or do they have a more progressive agenda in pushing the envelope forward? Recent controversies regarding large household companies in the US promoting same-sex and mixed race families (see Cheerios, Honey Maid, etc.) fall into this category of analysis quite well.
My inclination is for the latter; that they trying to promote a certain outlook that most Canadians can’t really relate to in a “I’ve been there” sense (Living in a Maritime fishing community, dealing with the difficulties of being “in-between” cultures) but are yearning and wanting to live in a society that does. And by doing so, they help enforce a culture that may not actually be representative of what we see in reality. In the Tim Horton’s world, there are no immigrants that suffer from identity confusion or marginalized cultural groups.
This outlook is further enforced by our institutions. The history of the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) demonstrates well that Canadian elites have always held a deep seeded fear of losing something that they have not had a full grasp on defining. The current CRTC mandate actually states:
“Reflecting Our Canadian Values:
Canadian attitudes, opinions, ideas, values and artistic creativity are shaped by our history and geography, our institutions and our linguistic and cultural diversity. They’re part of our shared experience and our Canadian identity.”
Yes, it’s true that we’ve come to accept the linguistic and cultural mosaic as “Canadian values”, but what does that mean for people that don’t subscribe into this mold? Say, Indigenous groups across Canada? That’s not to say that Indigenous groups don’t believe in multiculturalism or acceptance, but more often than not, the mainstream multiculturalism that Canadian companies and broadcasters project do not include an Indigenous perspective; Where is the Tim Horton’s ad with Aboriginal Communities? Would it be an offensively inaccurate portrayal of Aboriginal life if they actually did make one?
Overall, I think this particularly discussion will relate well to our own research group regarding Diasporas and identity within institutions; without support for Indigenous cultures (and in your case, other cultural groups as well) to promote further education and development, the dominant societal view makes it too easy for everyday Canadians to fall into the belief that there are no cultural disputes nor identity crises within our beautiful Mosaic – that a Double-Double is what has broken down the cultural barriers and not the hard work and dedication of purposeful intent to understand each other.
Hi Edward (@edwardleung),
Thank you for your insight! I too was intrigued by Tim Horton’s “True Stories” advertisement campaign. I couldn’t help myself from laughing at the stereotypical representations of multiculturalism and the seemingly clever way Tim Hortons managed to weave itself into our origin and immigration stories. I especially like your idea of an idealized sense of identity. I too fear that this vein of thinking pushes us into a melting pot/assimilationist sense of cultural identity.
I think we must also consider this advertisement in the context of its natural habitat: commercialism. These types of advertisements appropriate our individual and collective stories of immigration and identity by inserting “Tim Hortons” itself as the site and source of such monumental and personal events. Events that shape Canada’s national identity. In this way, Tim Hortons has positioned itself to capitalize on discourse surrounding Canadian national identity by morphing its brand image to meet the needs of an idealistic multicultural Canadian identity.
When Tim Horton’s resorts to depicting a stereotypical idea of Canadianess in order to appeal to the Canadian consumer, they inherently contribute to the revision of ideologies concerning our national identity. In the case of the “Proud Fathers” Advertisement, Tim Hortons propagates the stereotype of Chinese immigrants being hard–working and studious. Tim Hortons coffee, then, represents the medium through which the grandfather and the father can rekindle their bond and reminisce. This advertisement, however, is laced with subtle undertones of assimilation as we see each generation increasingly adopt “Canadian” values, activities and ideals while shedding their unique cultural traditions.
Zara
Hi @ZaraD
I absolutely agree with your assessment of the stereotypes in the “Proud Fathers” Tim Horton’s ad! It portrays the cultural integration of immigrants as a simple thing that can be overcome by acts of coffee-generosity, or that children growing up in Canadian society do not face the confusion of being different than their peers but have no answers as to why they are different – because all the ads on TV tell them that they are not different from their sub-urban white friends who’s family has been here for three generations.
I think this connects well with Fred Wah’s book “Diamond Grill” which I had the pleasure of reading early on in my undergrad; he describes a similar problem as a child growing up in urban Canada and feeling distinctly white, but was discriminated by his peers and institutions because they do not recognize how he feels about his own identity, just how they perceive what they see in front of them.
This is also a growing problem moving forward for the quickly urbanizing Indigenous youths as well; famous Aboriginal politics scholar Alan Cairns reflects on this geographic and economic phenomenon prominently in his works, and its a topic that has been gaining momentum in literature as well. If economically successful immigrants that supposedly share similar values out of choice are still having troubles finding an identity within Canadian society (enforced by, as you said, consumerism), what change do Indigenous youths have when facing the same problem when they are forced to move to urban centres in pursuit of a better economic situation? What support do they have in those communities?
—
Cairns, Alan, “Citizens Plus: Aboriginal Peoples and the Canadian State”, UBC Press, 2000.
Hi Edward (@edwardleung),
I personally empathize with Wah’s identity struggle. As an Indo-Canadian whose family is from Africa, I resented having to answer questions about my heritage and culture because I didn’t know how I was to identify with that part of myself when I was younger. I do not speak traditional “Indian” languages (Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu…) and my family had assimilated western culture to the extent that it felt like cultural appropriation to say that I was Indian. And it didn’t help my case that my eyes were green either. Ha!
Unfortunately, we aren’t taught how to navigate through these situations in grade–school. I suppose that the beauty of the identity struggle is that it is a life–long struggle. Identity is, as I suggested in a conversation on your team’s annotated bibliography page, a complex cocktail of gender identity, status, occupation, race, religion, culture, language and ethnicity. I learned that I was so much more than the colour of my skin, so much more than the stereotypes exploited by Tim Horton’s “True Stories” advertisements to turn a profit.
I think you make a valid point about the fate of Indigenous’ youth identity in the face of globalization. If we can agree that “identity” is a complex cocktail of multiple factors, we need to ensure that we consult a wide range of voices representative of this diversity when drafting new initiatives, services and legislation. If not, I fear we run the risk of introducing well–meaning policies that attempt to recognize discrimination and social injustices, but do very little practically to offer useful solutions.
Phillips’ poem, “Vancouzy High as Fuck” serves as an introspective rhetoric urging us to “re–imagin[ing] Them and Us”(Chamberlin 137) by challenging the dichotomies and norms we use to rationalize the creation of distinct cultural silos, religious silos, gender identity silos, occupational silos, etc., in the hopes that we may discover shared values in an attempt to converge on common ground.
Chamberlin, Edward. If This is Your Land, Where are Your Stories? Finding Common Ground. Toronto: AA. Knopf. 2003. Print.
Hey guys.
On the topic of your Fred Wah annotation – I find it interesting that in the clip of the interview you posted, the first question the interviewer asks has to do with race, asking how he faced the challenge of dating ‘outside his race’.
I got chills at the first quote, with the teacher telling Wah that Canadian was not a race, and that he didn’t belong to that designation anyways. I think we forget, sometimes, as focused as we are on breaking down the “Us and Them” binary, that people exist outside of those binaries as well – in the ‘and’ or the ‘hypen of hybridity’ (I really love that phrase). Being unable to “pass” for either is even more isolating, and doesn’t even allow for the illusion of belonging.
By being told to write down “Chinese” on on his form, part of Wah’s identity is being scrubbed away. His father may be Chinese, and that culture and identity is a part of Wah’s ‘self’, but obviously not the whole. His identity is being forcibly taken from him by an outside source, which makes me uncomfortable, but is something that happens often, and something we should put some serious thought into. I feel like this video easily fits into the course material think about the theft of personal identity in Indigenous cultures, especially in those who cannot “pass” for either group – white Canadians or First Nations. We as a nation seem to have a tendency to dictate other peoples’ identities, and that’s a seriously valid point to bring to this conversation.
I have to admit, I’ll be adding Diamond Grill to my list of books to read, thanks for sharing it!!
Hi @catrites,
I will agree I found it extremely interesting while I was watching the interview with Wah and the interviewer asked about Wah dating outside of his “race”. Aside from it making me wonder if the interviewer had read the book at all, it also got me to thinking about what “race” is. From my readings, I have realized “race” doesn’t have a definitive definition but the most simplest way to define it is to say: “race” is an ascriptive characteristic based on looks but then evolved into a social construct. So that I can say “white” and people not only think about a person who has pale skin, but all the stereotypes and characteristics associated with whiteness that have been given to us all our lives through socialization.
So what should we do when “race” isn’t clear? I also got chills when I read that passage months ago and was even a little angry if I must say. It was just a giant reminder that the world we live in today is still very used to binaries and clear cut categories of what is and isn’t. But it’s the fact that we are studying these ideas in our course that give me hope that the world isn’t so black and white.
Thank you for the comment and your insights! You raised very good points! And I hope you do enjoy the book. I have to warn you, it is a bit of a difficult read (when I read it in my seminar class, some of my classmates didn’t like it at all!) but it’s quite interesting and enlightening at times!
Hi Chris,
Canada Reads does seem to be accepting of all types of books and stories. I hope that it continues to widen it’s net in the years to come to include all sorts of stories, authors, and perhaps new mediums as well. I know that in the last few years, however, that the system for choosing which books will be debated on the final stage has changed to an on-line public recommendation format. This on-line system, which relies on votes, creates an environment where marketing and popularity determine the outcome. Because of this, it seems that a lot of voices are being left out, or are being bullied out, of determining Canada’s top story of the year. All stories should be given the chance to be treated equally, but when there is publishing, entertainment and money at stake, I think some things get overlooked. on-line CBC fans should have a say, I think, but the choices should then represent what CBC fans are thinking-not all Canadians. Perhaps it should be called CBC Reads. This Globe and Mail article addresses this thought in more depth:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/with-canada-reads-the-cbc-is-bottom-feeding-on-culture/article545439/
On a side note, I just read that Green Grass Running Water was debated on Canada Reads in 2004.
Hi Paul (@paulseymour) and Chris (@chrischeung),
Haha Paul. I’m somewhat inclined to agree with your motion to rename Canada Reads. It’s true; we can question the validity of the contest. It is kind of strange that book bashing occurs, with novelists pitted against each other fighting it out till the bitter end. We’re walking a dangerous line and we’re tipping towards farcifying Canadian literary scholars and their works. That being said, your link to the news article suggests that the door is open for discourse around revision. How might we modify the rules of the “game” in order to provide a more inclusive environment where all voices are heard? Perhaps an intersection between literature and orality may prove more inclusive? Or, perhaps we can change the tone of the program so that it is not centered on competition and book bashing?
One a side note, I looked into the voting system Canada Reads employs and found an article that suggests that Canada Reads votes aren’t taken into consideration:
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/bound-not-gagged/2014/03/are-you-pro-or-con-canada-reads
Interesting.
“Are you Pro or Con Canada Reads?” rabble.ca | News for the rest of us. rabble.ca, 6 Mar. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
Enjoyed the Pro or Con Canada Reads article, @zarad!
I added an editorial piece about Canada Reads to our annotated bibliography that addresses the trivialization of serious literary works on some of the earlier Canada Reads contests.
As for the online voting system, from what I can gather, a separate award is independently given at the end of the contest to the book with the most public votes. This year The Orenda also won in this category.
Hi Keely (@keelyhammond),
Thanks for the clarification! That makes more sense. It would seem redundant to have Canada vote but not use the votes!
Hi @edwardleung, @zarad, and @catrites, I like a point that all of you shared: how an identity can be twisted, shaped, and enforced upon a person. It might have some truth to it, but it can be retooled to a specific use, like you guys suggested, such as the construction of a national identity, or even commercialism.
@paulseymour, I like how you mentioned how “the program, which is meant to inform Canadians about various social and historical issues through fiction and reading, [is] also entertaining an audience, makes a great venue for a discussion about the future of Canadian literature”. Canada Reads is annual, after all, allowing for different voices and different lessons each year. But despite the fact that all the Tim Horton’s commercials do contain different voices and stories, they seem to have a common purpose of stirring up Canadian identity. The illusion of inclusion seems dangerous, reminding is the importance of critical thinking.
As for @catrites comments on Wah’s struggle, I wonder if a similar challenge still exists today: the difficulty of accepting Canadian as an identity. I remember a class I once had critiquing Maclean’s annual issue on universities, and how a Caucasian female is always on the cover. Regardless of how accepting individuals are of other ethnicities being counted as Canadian, I understand it is a challenge to imagine a nation whose citizen could be… well, absolutely anybody at all! But perhaps this is the “common ground” view we should be aiming for. Thoughts?
Hey @chrischeung,
I think the struggle to accept “Canadian” as an identity is still very much prevalent. We still see Canada as an extension of the British colonies, and we associate all things British with whiteness. Therefore, the association of other ethnicities as “Canadian” doesn’t seem to come easily. Other cultures get erased from our associations.
I’m working on one of my bibliographies right now (yeah, I know…SO late!), and in it, I’m reading about black diasporas in Canada. And like @cristakoo pointed out on our blog, black identity in Canada gets overshadowed by the African-American struggle for identity in the US. This doesn’t make a Canadian’s struggle any less important – but it does make it less visible, and like Wah, they have an identity placed ON them, instead of the freedom to establish themselves.
I think in Vancouver we tend to see different ethnicities, and wonder where they’re from. Vancouver is so international that it’s easy to forget that many, if not most of the people we’re looking at are native-born Canadians.
I like the idea that the nation whose citizen could be any one at all could be the common ground, Chris. That would be a great way to model our thoughts as we try to establish a Canadian identity, which – I feel, is where all these dialogues have been leading us.
@keelyhammond your suggestion to “develop a common platform for discussing ,interpreting, and understanding literature in order to include as many voices as possible in the dialogue” intrigues me. With the progression of technology and the ability to comment, like and share online forums I feel that we have come a long way. The production of news has become bidirectional and collective, allowing many different perspectives to be heard. I just read that “Google has scanned more than 7 million books in 100 languages, making them searchable through Google Book Search, and available as downloadable, full text files if not under copyright protection”. These books are also being translated into many different languages allowing individuals to access and interpret international literature.
In answer to your question; “are Canadian ideas infinitely translatable into other languages” I believe that general translations can be made, however I think an exact translation would be near impossible. Having a common language would be extremely useful not only to interpret Canadian literature but to interpret all. While this would be undoubtedly valuable, I feel that it is not really feasible. Attempts have been made in the past but, there just seems to be too many people! I think that the best way to “include as many voices as possible in …dialogue” would be to take advantage of the various new media tools that are available and to continue to read and comment on translated global literature.
Hi @mayasandiford!
Glad to hear your perspective on language, inclusion, and literature. I am now curious: do you think that learning many languages might ease our ability to communicate across cultures? I’m heard of many places around the world where as children, people learn many languages in the course of their ordinary lives, and I wonder if the cultural perspectives they gain alongside the language serve them in cultural communication as well. Here in Canada, we don’t emphasize language learning in school outside of the two official languages. but I can imagine the value of learning, for instance, a First Nations language in school. Not only would we gain the ability to directly communicate with First Nations people on their own terms, but we would also gain perspective on their culture in a truly unique and powerful way. Introducing First Nations languages as part of the Canadian school system would also be showing how much respect and value we place with these languages, their origins, and the people who speak them. Let me know if you have any additional thoughts on this topic!
Hey guys!
The post on Stuart McLean caught my attention as my mother frequently listens to his show on the radio. However, I was not aware that he read other peoples stories on his show. As mentioned, I too I feel like this is a great way to provide people with the opportunity to be heard, regardless of the extent of their writing experience. However, because the show “is exclusively broadcasted in English” many Canadians whom speak different languages do not have the opportunity to contribute and share their stories on McLean’s show. Since he has such a huge following; “over one million people listen to his show each week” I think it would be quite impactful if all Canadians, regardless of the language they speak, could have the opportunity to share their stories on his show. This would be possible by hiring a translator for non-English stories sent in. Providing an inclusive platform that allows all Canadians voices to be heard would allow more diverse and unique stories be heard, uniting all Canadians regardless of their cultural background.
What strategies would you guys suggest to be able to incorporate “all voices” in these types of platforms?
Hey @keelyhammond!
Thank you for your prompt response.
While knowing multiple languages would be an obvious asset to any body, I think that in Canada especially, French Emersion should be a required from K-12. When I was in grade school I had the option to take French or Spanish. While I choose French, I learnt very minimal French and I am nowhere near fluent. Perhaps schools should set French emersion classes as a requirement in all Canadian schools, and include languages other then French as possible electives. Although I speak Japanese and English I have had little opportunities to utilize my Japanese in Canada. I definitely wish I had the opportunity to take French emersion classes, as I know being fluent in French would be a huge asset.
I think your suggestion to introduce First Nations languages would be great! Since so much of the First Nations peoples culture and customs were lost through colonization, I think that learning First Nations language would be an effective attempt to restore very important part of their culture.