Quebec City. (beta.qc.bluecross.co)

Here, in order of presentation in Canadian Architect, the journal of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, are this year’s winners of the biennial Governor General’s Medals in Architecture. No private houses here – this year’s program celebrates architecture “In the Public Interest.”

The article does not offer readers any photos of the winning structures, just links to specific articles detailing each entry. That gave me a few additional moments of potential joy during which to imagine that the next one I clicked on might be worth looking at. Alas, no such luck. Maybe it could be said that each is more regrettable than the one before, but it is difficult to “rank” in any real order the hodgepodge of entries here.

(I have placed a photograph of Quebec City atop this post as evidence of what Canada was once capable.)

Canada tries to copy the United States even as it seeks to express its distance from the yuge neighbor to the south. In the case of architecture – or at least the celebration of the best of architecture – Canada seems to be copying American practices. Canada is not alone in its failure to recognize that the profession and the industry of architecture is dragging the Maple Leaf down no less swiftly and no less certainly than Old Glory has been hag-ridden by architecture down here. Very sad.

As a service to the masochists among my readers I have besmirched this post with screenshots of the Governor General’s dozen 2016 laureates.

Bridgeport Active Healthcare, Toronto, Ontario

Cogeco Amphitheater, Trois Rivieres, Quebec

Wong Dai Sin Temple, Markham, Ontario

ArtLab, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg

Glacier Skytwalk, Jasper National Park, Alberta

Wood Innovation & Design Centre, Prince George, B.C.

Ronald McDonald House, Vancouver, B.C.

BC Passive House Factory, Pemberton, B.C.

Regent Park Aquatic Centre, Toronto, Ontario

Corporate headquarters, Caisse Desjardins, Levis, Quebec

Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, Ontario

Central Library, Halifax, Nova Scotia