From the Wikipedia entry “Canadian literature,” accessed January 22, 2011. Traits common to works of Canadian literature include:

Failure as a themeHumourMild anti-AmericanismMulticulturalismNature (and a “human vs. nature” tension)Satire and ironySelf-deprecationSelf-evaluation by the readerSearch for self-identitySouthern Ontario GothicThe underdog heroUrban vs. rural