Nerves and nostalgia

Margaret Lock

pp. 87-103

in: Beatrix Pfleiderer, Gilles Bibeau (eds), Anthropologies of medicine, Wiesbaden, Vieweg+Teubner, 1991

Abstract

The British North America Act of 1867, the founding document of Canada, in contrast to the American Constitution, proclaims no majestic vision of a new society with equal rights and freedoms guaranteed for all citizens. From its inception, Canada recognized collectivities as fundamental units and emphasized group rights over those of individual citizens. Whereas in America "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' were enshrined as fundamental ideals, in Canada "peace, order, and good government" were laid down as overarching goals. In the Canada of today, despite its conservative past, perhaps because of an historical sensitivity to group rights, cultural survival is actively supported hand in hand with equal economic opportunity. To this end a minister of multiculturalism was recently appointed by the federal government (albeit in all probability as a piece of political opportunism in election year).