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Last week, Library and Archives Canada noted something that has apparently been true for years: The Government of Canada is sitting on the country’s most diverse collection of pornography.

Well, not pornography, per se, but erotica: literature or images meant to appeal to prurient interest. After all, the mandate of the archives is to “preserve the documentary heritage of Canada” — and a lot of that heritage has included looking at dirty books.

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The National Post decided to see whether the library was as good as its word and delved into just how steamy a bunch of Canadian government archives could possibly be. Our best findings are below:

(Note: The following post obviously acknowledges the existence of sex. If you are a minor or offended by these types of things, please read these Andrew Coyne columns instead).

The world’s first Harlequin romance

Naturally, Library and Archives Canada is absolutely stuffed with Harlequin romance novels. Harlequin is a Canadian creation and — while we may like to pretend otherwise — has likely shaped world literature more than any other Canadian export. The Manatee is the world’s first Harlequin novel, and appears to be about a gruff sailor who has a thing for the wooden figurehead on the front of his whaling ship. (Library and Archives was not able to provide cover art for its edition of the novel, so special thanks to the blog Fly By Night for the image).