This text contains Professor Benoit Pelletier's speech presented as a plenary at the British Association for Canadian Studies 35th Annual Conference, Democracy as a Work in Progress: The Intellectual and Cultural Dynamics of the Canadian Idea, University of Cambridge, 6–8 April 2010. Further updating of the text occurred prior to going to print (December 2010). Benoit Pelletier reminds us that, since its creation in 1867, Canada has provided a part of the answer to one of the major challenges confronting us today, which is the challenge of managing interdependence and enhancing diversity. The author also examines some of the components of Canada's identity. Among these are federalism, constitutional monarchy, parliamentarianism, constitutionalism and the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, the constitutional and quasi-constitutional protection of human rights and freedoms, a cumbersome constitutional amendment procedure and democracy.