1.)  Which country is more divided right now, Canada or the United States?

Political discourse is coarsening everywhere these days, but polarization seems dangerously pronounced here in the U.S. Our current moment reminds me of the Quebec separatist era of my childhood, which was also marked by the hyper-politicization of issues that had previously been uncontroversial, set against an urban-rural divide. In the end, Canada sleepwalked its way to a constitutional crisis that almost tore the country apart. Perhaps Americans can look to that Canadian story as a cautionary tale.

2.)  What’s Canada’s best asset?

Despite its fraught history as a colonial nation, Canada has shown a more recent capacity to acknowledge and reckon with its past wrongs. The Spicer Commission’s town halls during the Quebec Constitutional crisis of the 1990s, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on residential schools of the early 2000s, are examples of the Canadian government listening to people’s concerns, and creating a historical record of injustice in pursuit of collective healing and social change. These experiences are cultural assets that will serve Canada in the decades to come as it continues to welcome immigrants and transition to a more knowledge-based economy.

3.)  Who’s your favorite hockey team?

As a kid in small-town Quebec, I used to walk home from school through cold and snow and immediately change into my favorite red, white, and blue hockey sweater with a number 10 on the back — the jersey of my childhood idol, Guy Lafleur. To this day, I remain a dyed-in-the-wool Montreal Canadiens fan.

NOW read David’s essay at New Pop Lit: “New to Class”