Shakespeare's plays were written long before Canada existed and To Kill A Mockingbird is set in the US deep south and has nothing todo with the Canadian experience or the "fabric of Canadian culture". I can say the same about Heart of Darkness, Wuthering Heights, and other books in the curriculum.

There is no reason that the books in the curriculum need to remain static. The "basics of Canadian culture, literature and the arts" includes voices from many peoples, let's be sure the curriculum reflects that. There are plenty of examples of acclaimed and award winning Canadian writing to choose from.