Exploring Liberalism and Its Contradictions

In George Grant's famous 1965 essay, Lament for a Nation, the Red Tory philosopher argued that Canadian nationalism had died. He believed that when Canada was tied to the UK, the country was committed to a collective common good. But when it became integrated with the U.S., Grant says Canada abandoned this idea. Sixty years later, our relationship with the U.S. is being tested, igniting a rise in nationalism. PhD student Bryan Heystree finds hope in Grant's work and says there's valuable criticism worthy of our attention in the 21st century.