Editing Michael Ondaatje (section)

==Early life and education==

Ondaatje was born in [[Colombo]], [[Sri Lanka]], in 1943, to Major Mervyn Ondaatje and Doris Gratiaen of [[Tamils|Tamil]] and [[Dutch Burghers|Burgher]] descent ([[Dutch people|Dutch]] and [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]]).<ref name=":2" /><ref name="Zepetnek2005">{{cite book|author=Steven Tötösy de Zepetnek|title=Comparative Cultural Studies and Michael Ondaatje's Writing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n8OlcZ55iRcC&pg=PA6|date=January 2005|publisher=[[Purdue University Press]]|isbn=978-1-55753-378-4|page=6}}</ref> In 1954, he re-joined his mother in [[England]].<ref name=":2" /> where he attended [[Dulwich College]]. He emigrated to [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]], in 1962,<ref name=":1">"(Philip) Michael Ondaatje." In ''Gale Online Encyclopedia''. Detroit: Gale, 2016. ''Literature Resource Center''. Retrieved 30 November 2016.</ref> studying at [[Bishop's College School]] and [[Bishop's University]] in [[Lennoxville]], [[Quebec]], for three years.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> He attended the [[University of Toronto]] receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965,<ref name=":2" /> followed by a Master of Arts from [[Queen's University, Kingston|Queen's University at Kingston]].<ref name=":0" />

The poet [[D. G. Jones]] noted his poetic ability.<ref name=":2" />

Ondaatje began teaching English at the [[University of Western Ontario]] in [[London, Ontario]].<ref name=":1" /> In 1971, he taught English literature at [[Glendon College]], [[York University]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />