Robin Mathews and the Canadian dialectic: Forms of nationalist thought in Canada.

Robin Mathews' vision of a Canadian dialectic is a valuable practical concept because it works within a moral framework, inviting discussion at the same time as it creates a specific positive Canadian nationalism. This Canadian dialectic does not presuppose a single, unifying view of Canadian identity, nor does it produce claims to finality. In espousing a view that results in a dialogue between two competing visions, the dialectic fleshes out historic debates which increase their cultural and historical significance and promotes difference. What Mathews argues is that what is important to Canada and Canadian identity is the fact of an ongoing dialectic that is a valid counterpoint to traditionally dominant views of Canadian literature and culture.