The central symbol for Canada-and this based on numerous instances of its occurrence in both English and French Canadian literature-is undoubtedly Survival, la Survivance.

The moment of betrayal is the worst, the moment when you know beyond any doubt that you've been betrayed: that some other human being has wished you that much evil

he might die for her, but living for her would be quite different.

A divorce is like an amputation: you survive it, but there's less of you.

I lie on the floor, washed by nothing and hanging on. I cry at night. I am afraid of hearing voices, or a voice. I have come to the edge, of the land. I could get pushed over.

The use of "religion" as an excuse to repress the freedom of expression and to deny human rights is not confined to any country or time.

We shouldn't have been so scornful; we should have had compassion. But compassion takes work, and we were young.