Includes bibliographical references and index.

"What it means to be Canadian. Charlotte Gray weaves together masterful portraits of nine influential Canadians, creating a unique history of the country over the past 150 years. What do these people - from George-Etienne Cartier and Emily Carr to Tommy Douglas, Margaret Atwood, and Elijah Harper - have in common? Each, according to Charlotte Gray, has left an indelible mark on our country. Gray has chosen people whose ideas have caught her imagination, ideas that over time have become part of our collective conversation. She also highlights many other Canadians, past and present, who have added to the ongoing debate over how we see ourselves, arguing that Canada has constantly reimagined itself in every generation since 1867. Illustrated with evocative black and white images and colourful artistic visions of our country, The Promise of Canada is a fresh take on our history that offers fascinating insights into how we have matured and yet how - 150 years after Confederation and beyond - we are still a people in progress. Biographer and historian Charlotte Gray is the author of Mrs. King, Sisters in the Wilderness, The Massey Murder, The Museum Called Canada, and Canada: A Portrait in Letters"--Provided by publisher.