theatre was between 1/3 and 1/2 full,” writer Laura Stovel said later. Saul spoke extensively about his new book, A fair country: Telling truths about Canada.
In his book, Saul argues that Canadians have forgotten – sometimes deliberately – the long history of cooperation between Aboriginal people and the first European settlers, traders and travelers. Canadian culture has been much more influenced by Aboriginal cultures than we care to admit. The Canadian preference for equality, diversity and inclusion of new cultures, our ability to work with political complexity and our connection with nature – the qualities that make us distinct from other national cultures – are rooted in our many years of cooperative interactions with Aboriginal people. If we are looking for a template for the future, he says, maybe we need to acknowledge and reclaim our true past. Laura Stovel photo
