Canada's Odyssey: A Country Based on Incomplete Conquests

by Peter H. Russell

150 years after Confederation, Canada is known around the world for its social diversity and its commitment to principles of multiculturalism. But the road to contemporary Canada is a winding one, a story of division and conflict as well as union and accommodation.

In Canada’s Odyssey, renowned scholar Peter H. Russell provides an expansive, accessible account of Canadian history from the pre-Confederation period to the present day. By focusing on what he calls the "three pillars" of English Canada, French Canada, and Aboriginal Canada, Russell advances an important view of our country as one founded on and informed by "incomplete conquests". It is the very incompleteness of these conquests that have made Canada what it is today, not just a multicultural society but a multinational one.

Featuring the scope and vivid characterizations of an epic novel, Canada’s Odyssey is a magisterial work by an astute observer of Canadian politics and history, a perfect book to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Canada, Public Policy, Politics

535 pages, Hardcover

First published June 16, 2017

About the author

Peter H. Russell is Professor of Political Science Emeritus at the University of Toronto (Toronto, ON).

Reviews

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

[CanLit 4] Pretty good history of Canadian constitutional politics. Especially helpful for pre-1867, good stuff on the Durham Report and early role of Indigneous groups.

But mostly about changes to what constitutes the country, so lots on non-constitutional changes (immigration, Quiet Revolution), yet almost nothing on the 35+ amendments to the Constitution between 1867-1982 (including all the new provincial/territorial additions). Maritimes omitted altogether

[MargaretDH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Russell argues that Canada is made up of three pillars: Indigenous peoples, the French and the British (who eventually morph into the Rest of Canada), and that Canadian history is mostly these pillars wrangling with one another. The British are almost always on top, but they allow varying degrees of self-determination and power to the other two pillars.

In general, I found his argument convincing, though I think he suggests that Canada's indigenous people have more power than they do. He doesn't deny that they have been victims of a cultural and sometimes literal genocide, but he's more encouraged by recent land claim wins in court than I am.

This is fairly readable, though the subject matter is fairly dry. If you're looking for a general history of Canada that addresses pre and post-confederation, there are a lot of other directions you could and should go. But if you're interested in Canada's constitutional history, and the various policies that have shaped Canada's multicultural and bilingual society, this is a good book to pick up. Like, if you really want to know why the Meech Lake Accords failed, how British Common Law and Quebec Civil Law have been reconciled, or the effect of the PMO growing in power, pick this up! But if you're more interested in the Plains of Abraham and the social effects of the Quiet Revolution, look elsewhere.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very digestible history of Canada - not just the last 150 years since New Brunswick and Nova Scotia joined Canada under a written constitution (the BNA Act 1867), but from the British conquest in the seven years war, after which France gave up Canada as a result of losing mastery of the seas. At that point Quebec and points west were dominated by French and aboriginal peoples. After the American revolution loyalists soon became a majority in Upper Canada, although most loyalists went to the Maritimes or Britain. Peace with aboriginal people and Canadiens (French) was essential to the defense of British North America, so neither were subjugated under British rule - French law, religion, language and traditions continued in Quebec, and treaties were made with Indian nations. Only later, after the anglophone population became dominant and aboriginal populations were reduced by diseases, were aboriginal peoples increasingly treated as conquered peoples, although they never were conquered. Since Lord Durham recommended a merger of Upper and Lower Canada in the 1840s in a failed attempt to swamp French Canadians in a mostly anglophone province, Canada has mainly been a story of the relationship between the French Catholic majority in Lower Canada/Quebec with the anglo Protestant majority in the rest of the country, at least until recently. Since the human rights revolution following world war 2, and the charter of rights and freedoms of 1982, the relationship between Canada and aboriginal nations has been increasingly important.
Quibbles: p.44 The Mohawk river flows east to not west from Albany
p.204 The 1912 extension of the Manitoba-Ontario boundary was to Hudson Bay, but never to the sixtieth parallel
p. 256 2 mentions of "East Asian" should be "South Asian"
p. 450 While it is true that "skewed outcomes have persuaded most parliamentary democracies
in the Western world and the Commonwealth to use electoral systems that provide a fair degree of proportionality", there is no need to include the "parliamentary" restriction - most democracies use some sort of proportional representation
p. 452 "popular government" is a misnomer when such a government is elected by a minority of votes cast.

[Jacques Poitras · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a valuable and engaging book that lays out all the key political compromises and agreements that created the Canada we know today. The thesis, that the British decision to avoid total conquest of its rivals is the foundation for "multinational" Canada, is well-argued and will change the way you think about the country.

[Benji Visser · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ~500 page history of Canada written by a political science professor may not seem like the ideal book to read on a casual saturday night, but you will know more about the Canadian constitution than you ever have before.

Russel covers Canadian history from 150 years before founding until the near present. He discusses the 3 pillars of Canada, the French, the British, and the Aboriginals. His main argument is that Canada's welcoming multiculturalism is a result of the failed British conquest over the French and Aboriginals.

If you have ever wondered why Quebec seems to have it's own legal system, read on.

A sometimes heartbreaking but altogether interesting read that will help you understand the foundations of Canada. I would recommend.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a magnificent book. I learned so much about how Canada’s history has shaped it into a unique country of incomplete conquests. The three pillars of our country, the First Nations, the English, and the French, have had to negotiate and work together to keep making Canada work. Clearly, for the First Nations, this is nowhere near being accomplished, but it is also a work in progress, albeit at a snail’s pace. I highly recommend this detailed but readable explanation of how we got to be one of the most stable, socially democratic, all-for-one-and-one-for-all countries in the world.

[Mitchell Mohorovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read about Canadian history, and its three main pillars, First Nations, the original Canadians (Québecois), and Anglo Canadians.

It’s a balanced, honest, and respectful take on the history and definition of this country.

Its content dives particularly deep into the formation of the Canadian state, the patriation of its constitution, and attempts to modify it further. It’s a massive amount of information, and it’s as inherently complex as the country it works to define.

[Andy Janes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long, slow read, but very well-written. A great look at the history of Canada through this particular lens.

(Did not read on kindle, but this was the only version with the correct cover.)

[Crops · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply the best interpretative book on Canadian History.

[N Rizkalla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very good introduction to anyone who wants to understand the roots of Canada's political structure, government and constitution.