Last Steps To Freedom: The Evolution of Canadian Racism

by John Boyko

To understand Canada one must understand racism, for Canada was born and grew as a racist state. Race riots, segregated schools, racially-based union membership, mass deportations of innocent people, the state sanctioned kidnapping of children, a conscious attempt at cultural genocide and much more have shaped Canada's history. Last Steps to The Evolution of Canadian Racism encourages Canadians to look truthfully at their past, admit mistakes, atone for crimes and applaud progress. The book is organized chronologically, by region, and by ethnic group. It traces the experiences of Chinese, Ukranian, Jewish, Japanese, Black, and Native Canadians. In each case, early activities and contributions by groups and individuals are explored. People mysteriously absent from our history books such as Viola Desmond, Big Bear, Ivan Pylipiw, and others are celebrated. The systemic racism against which they struggled is explained.

Genres: Canada

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 16, 1998

About the author

My 8th book, The Devil's Trick: How Canada Fought the Vietnam War, will be published by Knopf Penguin Random House in Canada and the US on April 13, 2021. It explores the largely unknown ways in which Canada was involved in the war and changed by it.

Sir John's Echo: The Voice for a Stronger Canada, was released by Dundurn Press in 2017.

Cold Fire: Kennedy's Northern Front, was published by Knopf Penguin Random House in Canada and the US in 2016. It was short-listed for the Dafoe Prize for Non-Fiction.

Blood and Daring: How Canada Fought the American Civil War and Forged a Nation was published in 2013. It was a national bestseller and chosen as one of the Globe and Mail's Best Books of the year. It was shortlisted for a Governor General's award for its translation into French.

My other books include Bennett: The Rebel Who Challenged and Changed a Nation, Into the Hurricane: Attacking CCF and Socialism in Canada, and Last Steps to Freedom: The Evolution of Canadian Racism.

I enjoy writing my Monday morning blog (johnboyko.com) and I also write op-eds for newspapers across Canada and entries for the Canadian Encyclopedia.