The Young Seigneur Or, Nation-Making

"The Young Seigneur" by W. D. Lighthall is the story of Chamilly Haviland, a young parliamentarian in post-Confederation Canada, trying to reconcile his French-Canadian heritage with his aspirations for a unified nation. The book begins when Mr. Chrysler, an Ontarian, visits Quebec where he meets Chamilly and learns about the Haviland family's ancestral home, the Manoir of Dormillière. Dreaming of bringing his English-speaking friend into the fold of French Canada, Chamilly begins to navigate the complexities of cultural identity, social responsibility, and the remnants of old social structures as they collide with the burgeoning national consciousness of a newly formed country. As the story takes shape, the intricate link between personal goals and the collective identity of a nation emerges.