Canada – Stories, Visions and Challenges of the Laboratory of the Future

Editions of Mimesis

Paolo Quattrocchi with Giuliano Campagno

Presentation: Thursday, July 7, 2022 at 5.30 pm

Center for American Studies – Via Michelangelo Catani, 32 – Rome

Speakers: Paolo Quattrocchi and Giuliano Campagno – authors of the book

Moderator: Marina D’Amato – Professor of Sociology – University of Rome 3

Thursday, July 7, 2022 at 17.30at Center for American Studies in Romesupply Stories, visions and challenges of Canada’s future laboratoryfrom Paolo Quattrocchi Giuliano Compagno, in collaboration with MIMESIS Edizioni.

“From the strange combination of seriousness and lightness, the opportunity arose to describe Canada from two different points of view: the subjective one, made up of lived impressions and circumstances, and the ideological one, which prompted me to outline Canada as a plausible social laboratory for the old continent and, in particular, for Italy.” Thus, in the annotation of his book Roman born in 1957, Roman, lawyer in an international organization and director of Centro Studi Italia – Canada, explains the reasons that led him to write a book dedicated to the land of maple leaves.

Starting from a biographical note, the book enthusiastically tells the history, politics and characters big and small of a country whose citizens “in one hundred and fifty years (…) managed to create living conditions for all, based on mutual trust and respect. They set an example for many European countries and the world. They have been full and confident.

From his first trip to Canada, which marks the author’s “second birthday”, to long stays from friendships to important meetings, all these lead to him choosing this country as his second home.

The book, in addition to personal stories and events, is developed on various levels: historical, geopolitical, literary, social and cultural.

In detailed and documented discussions, it dates back to the origins of Canada, from Giovanni Capoto’s first landing at Cabo Bonavista in 1497, to Jacques Cartier, appointed by Francis I in 1534 to explore new lands, to Samuel de Champlain. , first an adventurer and then the founder of Quebec.

This is followed by an in-depth examination of central issues related to bilingualism, First Nations, Quebec development and identity, multiculturalism and more.

Particular attention is paid to the relationship between Canada and Italy, the closeness and differences between Canadians and Americans, and key historical events such as the Battle of Ortona in 1943. To liberate the city from the position of Nazi troops, and to the great Italian settlement that would find one of its favorite places in Canada.

An entire chapter is dedicated to the figure of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the leader of the country for almost fifteen years, who created a free, advanced nation in the early 70s and, as the newspapers wrote about his death, ” touched the dreams of a whole generation of Canadians.

To complete the book, there are also many portraits of more or less well-known people who contributed to the nation’s history: from Gilles Villeneuve and his tragic death to Neil Young and his music, David Suzuki and Severn Gullis Suzuki, enthusiasts. and to environmentalists, Elizabeth Arden and her empire in the cosmetics world, actor Donald Sutherland and astrophysicist Hubert Reeves, and scholar and communications expert Marshall McLuhan.

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