What do you miss most about Canada? What do you miss least?
I miss the changing Ontario leaves and the friendly people who I'm apart from in Canada. On the other hand I don't miss what comes after the leaves changing: a sweater-optional winter is fine by me!
What aspect of Canadian culture do you follow, and why does it matter to you?
It's hard to follow Canadian culture from inside the noisy belly of America but I do get CBC’s Top Stories directly to my phone daily. I always keep tabs on The Ottawa Animation Festival and look out for the Gemini and Juno Award winners every year. Canadian excellence matters to me.
Lenora Hume at Desert X, a site specific art installation exhibit in the Coachella Valley of which she was a founding member. Artwork by French sculptor Claudia Comte.
Can you share any thoughts about Canada’s 150th anniversary this year? And what about UWaterloo’s 60th anniversary?
I have vivid memories of attending Expo 67, the pinnacle of Canada’s centennial celebration. I really don’t like to think about that being 50 years ago, but here we are. It's been amazing seeing Waterloo rise and rise to become the renowned school it is now. When I meet people around the world, Waterloo is a great point of connection and always is spoken of with admiration. I am very proud to be a graduate of Waterloo.
Is there anything that the U.S. does especially well that Canada or Canadians could learn from?
Not a lot in the present moment, unfortunately! Maybe self-belief and boldness, but not always in a good way. At this juncture in history I think Americans can and should learn from Canadians, who are generally much more sensitive to other cultures. Marshall McLuhan wrote about the world becoming a global village, America First is setting us back.
Lenora Hume lives in Los Angeles, California. She previously worked with the Walt Disney Company as a producer of animation; she is currently an Independent Animation Production Executive. Read this 2004 Arts and Letters profile of Lenora.
