The Tyee

A Canadian cultural critic, trying to characterize his country's literature, once said that even if a Michael Ondaatje novel were set in Egypt, you could still hear the Canadian wind whistling through the pages. Now, that's a finely attuned sense of hearing, indeed. But is it a stretch? More recently, architectural writers have assumed the challenge of defining the qualities that will-- once and for all--distinguish us (that is, our cultural achievers who represent us) from the rest of the world. While noble and heartfelt in their intentions, they exhibit what you might call the cold-north-wind syndrome: if you can't find a visible generalization applicable across this huge and diverse nation of ours, then at least try to hear the wind blow.