Canadian literature born in U.S.: scholar

TORONTO, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- An English professor at the University of Toronto says popular Canadian literature was in fact created in the United States, a report said Wednesday.

Nick Mount contends Canadian fiction and non-fiction were created in New York City around the turn of the 20th century, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said.

In his yet-to-be-titled book, Mount relies on census data that show in 1901, when Canadian literature was in its infancy, only 56 people in Canada identified themselves as writers.

This is because a "shocking number had left for New York and, to a lesser degree, London," he says.

"Most scholars are aware that many Canadian writers such as Ernest Thompson Seton, Sophie Almon Hensley and Palmer Cox had to leave Canada to make their fortunes," Mount says.

"Many Canadians started to get published in American magazines through the efforts of these expatriates," Mount says in his book. "Also, these expatriate writers proved to those still in Canada that it was possible to make a living from books, poetry and magazine articles."