Canada in Question

At a time when Canadians are facing the most serious economic and social crisis since the Second World War, Peter MacKinnon’s thoughtful reflections on the importance of citizenship to our democratic survival makes for essential reading for all Canadians."
The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of Canada

What does it mean to be a Canadian citizen in today's global world? While particular aspects of this question have received some interest, Peter MacKinnon contends that the broader topic of citizenship hasn't received the attention it deserves. In his latest book Canada in Question: Exploring Our Citizenship in the Twenty-First Century, MacKinnon presents a panoramic view of Canadian citizenship and sets forth a call to renew it.

Beginning with an update on the status of Canadian citizenship, MacKinnon reminds us that, with the exception of Indigenous peoples, every family that currently resides in Canada migrated to this country at some point in the last 400 years.  Any definition of our "citizenship" needs to   acknowledge and address the ramifications of this fact; notably, the tragic legacy of settlers mistreating Indigenous peoples and the recent influx of immigrants and migrants.  

McKinnon also investigates the ties that bind current generations of Canadians to both their country and their fellow citizens. He examines how these bonds are increasingly challenged by global influences, including identity politics, populism and social media. Such polarizing forces can send us to our respective corners, wary of meeting on the common ground of citizenship. They must be addressed, contends MacKinnon, for the country to thrive and survive.

Canada in Question is a concise yet comprehensive look at the contemporary issues surrounding what it means to be Canadian today. It is essential reading for every Canadian citizen interested in exploring their country's place in the twenty-first century.

PETER MACKINNON is President Emeritus of the University of Saskatchewan and currently interim executive director of the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary.