A Postmodern Constitutionalism: Equality Rights, Identity Politics, and the Canadian National Imagination

In the 1990s, "identity" has become the centrepiece of theoretical work in a variety of disciplines. We now know that, in the conditions of late modem (or postmodem) society, identity is complex-it is fragmented, intersected, subject to alteration, socially constructed and it exhibits only a partial fixity at any moment. Most important, identities are to be valued, respected, and understood on their own terms. However, we also have relearned (if we ever forgot) that identities can be dangerous and fatal, especially when they coalesce in the form of nationalism. In this article, I will explore the intersection of nationalism and identity in the Canadian context and will use as an example to explore these broad issues, the constitutional recognition of sexual orientation as a prohibited ground of discrimination.