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Very Short Introductions #644
Canada: A Very Short Introduction
Canada is not one nation, but English Canada, Quebec, and First Nations. Yet as a country Canada is very successful, in part because it maintains national diversity through bilingualism, multiculturalism, and federalism. Alongside this contemporary openness Canada also has its own history to contend with; with a legacy of broken treaties and residential schools for its Indigenous peoples, making reconciliation between Canada and First Nations an ongoingjourney, not a destination.Drawing on history, politics, and literature, this Very Short Introduction starts at the end of the last ice age, when the melting of the ice sheets opened the northern half of North America to Indigenous peoples, and covers up to today's anthropogenic climate change, and Canada's climate politics. Donald Wright emphasizes Canada's complexity and diversity as well as its different identities and its commitment to rights, and explores its historical relationship to Great Britain, andits ongoing relationship with the United States. Finally, he examines Canada's northern realities and its northern identities.ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
160 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 23, 2020
26 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
April 5, 2022
This book exemplifies the self-congratulatory cringe-liberalism for which its subject is famous.
November 30, 2024
I like how certain reviewers aren't happy with the emphasis on Canada's genocidal history.
That's it. That's my review.
That's it. That's my review.
October 21, 2021
Well, this one was disappointing...
Author Donald Wright completed his degrees at Mount Allison University (BA), McGill University (MA) and the University of Ottawa (PhD). In 1998 he was a Fulbright Scholar in the Department of History at NYU. Prior to joining UNB, he held a joint appointment in the Department of History and Centre for Canadian Studies at Brock University (2000-2005). In 2011-2012, he was a Visiting Fellow at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge.
Donald Wright:
As a proud Canadian, and a resident of one of the world's best countries myself, the author's white guilt and self-flagellation here really put me off...
This book is pretty much ~180 pages of "white man bad."
Improperly titled, the book should have been called something along the lines of "Canada: A Left-Wing Political Examination."
History is not a hard science, and can be up for interpretation. There are many ways to tell the same story. However, a balanced historian should attempt to put their personal biases in check, and present the reader with the many sides of what is almost always a nuanced issue.
Sadly, Wright has not made any discernable efforts towards that end here. The book contains many, many assorted bits of writing and jargon that betray the author's partisan hand. In fact, most of the book reads like evangelizing...
The author even managed to shoe-horn in a bit of writing about anthropogenic climate change here, somehow.
Wright talks about the history of European interaction with the Indigenous population(s) of Canada. He mentions that the concept of Europeans "discovering" the land is false. The Europeans didn't discover it, there were already many groups of people living here, he says.
He's right, the land was not "discovered," it was conquered - just as virtually all the rest of the land on Earth was, at one time or another.
The story of the big history of civilizations is the story of exploration, conquest, warfare, and (often) genocide. These were generally the rule and not the exception.
Was this good, or bad? Well, both, depending on where you sat.
History is never tidy, despite what this author may want you to believe.
The European settlers that established the country now called Canada endowed the land with a set of values, laws, and doctrines that would eventually lead to a society with virtually unprecedented wealth creation and prosperity.
Was Canada a utopia of egalitarian social values in its early days? Of course not. But neither was any other country at the time, either. This obvious context is not presented here.
In fact, the narrative here reads as though the author has never picked up a book on world history before...
The book also suffers from flat, dry writing that makes the end result a somewhat boring and arduous trek. Wright jumps around quite a lot here, with no real regard for continuity. The book has a terrible flow. Points deducted for this subpar writing.
The author also forwards a narrative that Canada has no cultural, or "core" identity. He cites as evidence for this argument the fact that Canada has had large numbers of immigrants for many decades. I don't know where to begin with this ridiculous line of thinking. That a country accepts immigrants does not mean that it does not have its own core identity that the immigrants then assimilate into. Canada's economic, legal, and educational systems were all modeled after their European ancestors; specifically - England and France. Many of our towns, cities, and roadways bear the namesakes of these legacies.
Of course, culture is a very complicated concept that is not static or fixed, but to suggest that there is no core Canadian ethos, identity, or culture is little more than incorrect, at best, and borderline laughable, at worst.
Well, as Orwell once said: " some ideas are so stupid, that only intellectuals believe them ."
Wright also goes off on a bizarre tangent here that reads almost like a Marxist critique of capital. He talks about how terrible capitalism has been in Canada, somehow ignoring the fact that (for better or worse) capitalism has produced more abundance, wealth creation, and prosperity, than any other political system in history.
A self-loathing, white-guilt riddled socialist professor in Canada, telling impressionable minds that the Canadian story is one made up solely of genocide, slavery, mistreatment, and racism. Wow, what an unusual, balanced, and nuanced take on a few hundred years of complex history! SLOW CLAP, "professor."
The scary part is that this moron is brainwashing young minds at an institution of "higher" learning. Oh, Canada...
************************
I am usually a fan of offerings from the "Very Short Introduction" series. This one, however, left much to be desired for me...
If you are a Canadian who's feeling particularly masochistic, and would like to shit on your ancestors for the abundance, wealth, peace, and prosperity that you currently enjoy, then give this one a shot. You can self-flagellate while reading these passages aloud to fantastic effect.
If you do not fall into that category, however, you may want to skip this one...
I rarely ever rate books 1-star, but this one is not deserving of any better. Remind me to take a hard pass on any more woke garbage writing from this author.
1 star, and off to the return bin.
Author Donald Wright completed his degrees at Mount Allison University (BA), McGill University (MA) and the University of Ottawa (PhD). In 1998 he was a Fulbright Scholar in the Department of History at NYU. Prior to joining UNB, he held a joint appointment in the Department of History and Centre for Canadian Studies at Brock University (2000-2005). In 2011-2012, he was a Visiting Fellow at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge.
Donald Wright:
As a proud Canadian, and a resident of one of the world's best countries myself, the author's white guilt and self-flagellation here really put me off...
This book is pretty much ~180 pages of "white man bad."
Improperly titled, the book should have been called something along the lines of "Canada: A Left-Wing Political Examination."
History is not a hard science, and can be up for interpretation. There are many ways to tell the same story. However, a balanced historian should attempt to put their personal biases in check, and present the reader with the many sides of what is almost always a nuanced issue.
Sadly, Wright has not made any discernable efforts towards that end here. The book contains many, many assorted bits of writing and jargon that betray the author's partisan hand. In fact, most of the book reads like evangelizing...
The author even managed to shoe-horn in a bit of writing about anthropogenic climate change here, somehow.
Wright talks about the history of European interaction with the Indigenous population(s) of Canada. He mentions that the concept of Europeans "discovering" the land is false. The Europeans didn't discover it, there were already many groups of people living here, he says.
He's right, the land was not "discovered," it was conquered - just as virtually all the rest of the land on Earth was, at one time or another.
The story of the big history of civilizations is the story of exploration, conquest, warfare, and (often) genocide. These were generally the rule and not the exception.
Was this good, or bad? Well, both, depending on where you sat.
History is never tidy, despite what this author may want you to believe.
The European settlers that established the country now called Canada endowed the land with a set of values, laws, and doctrines that would eventually lead to a society with virtually unprecedented wealth creation and prosperity.
Was Canada a utopia of egalitarian social values in its early days? Of course not. But neither was any other country at the time, either. This obvious context is not presented here.
In fact, the narrative here reads as though the author has never picked up a book on world history before...
The book also suffers from flat, dry writing that makes the end result a somewhat boring and arduous trek. Wright jumps around quite a lot here, with no real regard for continuity. The book has a terrible flow. Points deducted for this subpar writing.
The author also forwards a narrative that Canada has no cultural, or "core" identity. He cites as evidence for this argument the fact that Canada has had large numbers of immigrants for many decades. I don't know where to begin with this ridiculous line of thinking. That a country accepts immigrants does not mean that it does not have its own core identity that the immigrants then assimilate into. Canada's economic, legal, and educational systems were all modeled after their European ancestors; specifically - England and France. Many of our towns, cities, and roadways bear the namesakes of these legacies.
Of course, culture is a very complicated concept that is not static or fixed, but to suggest that there is no core Canadian ethos, identity, or culture is little more than incorrect, at best, and borderline laughable, at worst.
Well, as Orwell once said: " some ideas are so stupid, that only intellectuals believe them ."
Wright also goes off on a bizarre tangent here that reads almost like a Marxist critique of capital. He talks about how terrible capitalism has been in Canada, somehow ignoring the fact that (for better or worse) capitalism has produced more abundance, wealth creation, and prosperity, than any other political system in history.
A self-loathing, white-guilt riddled socialist professor in Canada, telling impressionable minds that the Canadian story is one made up solely of genocide, slavery, mistreatment, and racism. Wow, what an unusual, balanced, and nuanced take on a few hundred years of complex history! SLOW CLAP, "professor."
The scary part is that this moron is brainwashing young minds at an institution of "higher" learning. Oh, Canada...
************************
I am usually a fan of offerings from the "Very Short Introduction" series. This one, however, left much to be desired for me...
If you are a Canadian who's feeling particularly masochistic, and would like to shit on your ancestors for the abundance, wealth, peace, and prosperity that you currently enjoy, then give this one a shot. You can self-flagellate while reading these passages aloud to fantastic effect.
If you do not fall into that category, however, you may want to skip this one...
I rarely ever rate books 1-star, but this one is not deserving of any better. Remind me to take a hard pass on any more woke garbage writing from this author.
1 star, and off to the return bin.
April 20, 2021
Ever since the my first encounter with Canada via How I Met Your Mother's Robin Scherbatsky, Canada has been 'that country' about which I've am curious about but not, patient enough to read upon. Bu Karma has placed me in a strange trajectory, for the better or worse, towards the Great White North.
Half of the difficulty in understanding History of a place, as I've come to understand,seems to lie in choosing the first book that you read about it. Because Good history isn't just about recapitulating events of the past; It is also about developing overarching themes that will support a better analysis of the past.
In simpler words, it is difficult to understand the history of Canada unless one grasps the Themes in Canadian History first.
I admit that the first few books that I chose were for poor book. Sure Conrad Black's Rise To Greatness had an insightful preface, but I felt that in an attempt to redefine Canada as something more dignified than the Yang for America's Yin, the Book ended up dogwhistling to some dangerous parties; meanwhile Pierre Berton's books despite its popularity doesn't seem to have been written for the Non Westerner.
Or maybe it is just me; As a postcolonial Indian, My Historical mental map depends on Indian Historical events as starting co-ordinates rather than on Global ones such as the Wars,something that might come across as strange for the Western person.
What am I getting at? Well I should have started off with this book. It has its own problems, problems inherited by the author when he decided that he would write a book that belongs to the "A Very Short Introduction series"(i.e, some parts of the book feels like a farrago of historical facts), regardless the Author has done a good job in capturing the Themes in Canadian History very well.
Recommended preliminary reading material for anyone interested in getting a 'Sparknote' understanding of Canada.
Half of the difficulty in understanding History of a place, as I've come to understand,seems to lie in choosing the first book that you read about it. Because Good history isn't just about recapitulating events of the past; It is also about developing overarching themes that will support a better analysis of the past.
In simpler words, it is difficult to understand the history of Canada unless one grasps the Themes in Canadian History first.
I admit that the first few books that I chose were for poor book. Sure Conrad Black's Rise To Greatness had an insightful preface, but I felt that in an attempt to redefine Canada as something more dignified than the Yang for America's Yin, the Book ended up dogwhistling to some dangerous parties; meanwhile Pierre Berton's books despite its popularity doesn't seem to have been written for the Non Westerner.
Or maybe it is just me; As a postcolonial Indian, My Historical mental map depends on Indian Historical events as starting co-ordinates rather than on Global ones such as the Wars,something that might come across as strange for the Western person.
What am I getting at? Well I should have started off with this book. It has its own problems, problems inherited by the author when he decided that he would write a book that belongs to the "A Very Short Introduction series"(i.e, some parts of the book feels like a farrago of historical facts), regardless the Author has done a good job in capturing the Themes in Canadian History very well.
Recommended preliminary reading material for anyone interested in getting a 'Sparknote' understanding of Canada.
August 31, 2021
The approach this book takes to the topic of "Canada" is more or less synthetic history, or perhaps you could call it a "topical" approach. In the end, it's more of a political introduction to Canada than an historical survey. As such, it does a reasonably good job of introducing key themes in Canadian political discourse, especially from the 1960s- and onward.
A central theme is that Canada cannot be reduced to a single definition. There is no single national identity, but instead, many Canadas, perhaps roughly as many as there are types of people who claim Canadian identity. This, of course, has been a theme in Canadian thought since Pierre Trudeau emphasized multiculturalism, and perhaps longer than that. This book goes so far as to argue that "the lack of a single national identity is a strength, not a weakness" (p. 3). Pursuing this theme, the chapters are designated with plural nouns: Beginnings, Dispossessions, Nationalisms, Rights, Borders, and Norths. Each chapter demonstrates the diversity of Canadian people, and the diversity of experiences those people have had in relation to these themes.
Personally, I found this approach to the problem of Canadian identity to be perhaps too paradoxical. On the one hand, it's true that there is little sense of cohesion in Canadian society. On the other hand, saying that there is no single identity is a confusing approach. Essentially, it claims that there is nothing which Canadians share, nor any reason why people would use the term "Canadian" as a label. As an identifier, how can a label mean all things to all people and remain useful as a term of designation? Of course, it is this very enigma that animates many of the political conflicts that have defined Canadian political discourse for decades.
In an odd way, I found this "there is no single definition" approach unsatisfying. By attempting to be all things to all Canadians, this book sets up a weird problem. I couldn't help but read the book wondering when the Canada that I know--as an English-speaking western Canadian who grew up in BC and began my career in Edmonton--would appear. If Canada is nothing but the sum of its parts, then every Canadian is going to read this book wondering when their Canada will be represented.
Unfortunately for me, my Canada rarely appears in the book. The prairies are barely mentioned, and BC sort of appears out of nowhere around the time of Confederation when the eastern provinces decide they want to build a railway. The book doesn't mention that part of the motivation for that railway was that the residents of BC and Vancouver Island (two separate colonies at the time, if I recall correctly) were willing to join the United States instead if the Americans built a railway to them first. Nowhere does the book mention the topic of western alienation, though it spends significant time (as it should) explaining the origin and development of Quebec nationalism. In the end, the book alienated me for just that reason. Once again, I was being told that Canada, which can't be defined precisely, is primarily about Ontario, Quebec, and the relationship between English Canada and the First Nations peoples. While indigenous issues remain an unresolved controversy in Canadian existence (and many evils were done against the indigenous peoples), it cannot be true that the settlers who happened to move west of Ontario somehow disappeared from significance. As every Albertan will tell you, equalization has mostly been funded by oil and gas revenues.
This book helped me understand aspects of Canadian identity and existence that simply exceed the scope of my experience. For that I am grateful. But in the end, saying that "Canada can't be reduced to a common denominator because there isn't one," (p. 118) is not a satisfying explanation. The book takes positions on contentious issues of Canadian policy while claiming to present the views of all sides. Is Canada really an undefinable concept, or is this just a display of another attempt to shape Canada into our own image, according to our own preferred policy outcomes?
A central theme is that Canada cannot be reduced to a single definition. There is no single national identity, but instead, many Canadas, perhaps roughly as many as there are types of people who claim Canadian identity. This, of course, has been a theme in Canadian thought since Pierre Trudeau emphasized multiculturalism, and perhaps longer than that. This book goes so far as to argue that "the lack of a single national identity is a strength, not a weakness" (p. 3). Pursuing this theme, the chapters are designated with plural nouns: Beginnings, Dispossessions, Nationalisms, Rights, Borders, and Norths. Each chapter demonstrates the diversity of Canadian people, and the diversity of experiences those people have had in relation to these themes.
Personally, I found this approach to the problem of Canadian identity to be perhaps too paradoxical. On the one hand, it's true that there is little sense of cohesion in Canadian society. On the other hand, saying that there is no single identity is a confusing approach. Essentially, it claims that there is nothing which Canadians share, nor any reason why people would use the term "Canadian" as a label. As an identifier, how can a label mean all things to all people and remain useful as a term of designation? Of course, it is this very enigma that animates many of the political conflicts that have defined Canadian political discourse for decades.
In an odd way, I found this "there is no single definition" approach unsatisfying. By attempting to be all things to all Canadians, this book sets up a weird problem. I couldn't help but read the book wondering when the Canada that I know--as an English-speaking western Canadian who grew up in BC and began my career in Edmonton--would appear. If Canada is nothing but the sum of its parts, then every Canadian is going to read this book wondering when their Canada will be represented.
Unfortunately for me, my Canada rarely appears in the book. The prairies are barely mentioned, and BC sort of appears out of nowhere around the time of Confederation when the eastern provinces decide they want to build a railway. The book doesn't mention that part of the motivation for that railway was that the residents of BC and Vancouver Island (two separate colonies at the time, if I recall correctly) were willing to join the United States instead if the Americans built a railway to them first. Nowhere does the book mention the topic of western alienation, though it spends significant time (as it should) explaining the origin and development of Quebec nationalism. In the end, the book alienated me for just that reason. Once again, I was being told that Canada, which can't be defined precisely, is primarily about Ontario, Quebec, and the relationship between English Canada and the First Nations peoples. While indigenous issues remain an unresolved controversy in Canadian existence (and many evils were done against the indigenous peoples), it cannot be true that the settlers who happened to move west of Ontario somehow disappeared from significance. As every Albertan will tell you, equalization has mostly been funded by oil and gas revenues.
This book helped me understand aspects of Canadian identity and existence that simply exceed the scope of my experience. For that I am grateful. But in the end, saying that "Canada can't be reduced to a common denominator because there isn't one," (p. 118) is not a satisfying explanation. The book takes positions on contentious issues of Canadian policy while claiming to present the views of all sides. Is Canada really an undefinable concept, or is this just a display of another attempt to shape Canada into our own image, according to our own preferred policy outcomes?
January 18, 2024
What is this book supposed to be?
It calls itself an introduction to Canada, but at times it leaned into being a left-wing screed. Not that I have a problem with left wing screeds. There is a time and place for them, but not in a “Very Short Introduction.” The Very Short Introductions should present a consensus view of Canada; Wright spent more time questioning capitalism and banging on about imperialism. Which is another problem with this book.
Not only does partisanship not fit with the Very Short Introduction series, but it is also distracting him from doing what he should be doing in the book: introducing Canada. After having read his book, I still feel uninformed about the early settlement of Canada. He spent so much time talking about contemporary grievances of Canada’s first nations that he forgot to do the hard work of explaining the history of those grievances.
Conservatives frequently charge that left-wingers in education favor posturing over content; this book is a good example of that. He spent so much time woking it up that he forgot to actually do what he was supposed to do; introduce Canada.
It calls itself an introduction to Canada, but at times it leaned into being a left-wing screed. Not that I have a problem with left wing screeds. There is a time and place for them, but not in a “Very Short Introduction.” The Very Short Introductions should present a consensus view of Canada; Wright spent more time questioning capitalism and banging on about imperialism. Which is another problem with this book.
Not only does partisanship not fit with the Very Short Introduction series, but it is also distracting him from doing what he should be doing in the book: introducing Canada. After having read his book, I still feel uninformed about the early settlement of Canada. He spent so much time talking about contemporary grievances of Canada’s first nations that he forgot to do the hard work of explaining the history of those grievances.
Conservatives frequently charge that left-wingers in education favor posturing over content; this book is a good example of that. He spent so much time woking it up that he forgot to actually do what he was supposed to do; introduce Canada.
April 16, 2022
This is one of the worst books I've read in the last two years. It should have been entitled a 'contemptuous whine about Canada.'
October 2, 2022
Canada: A Very Short Introduction introduces key turning points and controversies in Canadian history as well as legal and political decisions that continue to shape Canadian society today. There is a section about the north but very little about the Canadian west. There is little social history and Canadian literature is not introduced until the discussion of the centennial of Canada's confederation. Introduces readers to some aspects of Canadian history, law and politics but doesn't really capture what it's like to live in Canada, past or present.
December 31, 2022
Niewiele wiedzialem o historii Kanady. Do dzis glowa tego panstwa jest krolowa Elzbieta II. Mimo to ten kraj cieszy sie wielka niezalznoscia. Z jednej strony znajduje sie w cieniu USA, z drugiej strony cieszy sie wysokim standartem zycia, zrownowazonym rozwojem gospodarczym oraz wiekszym egalitaryzmem I sprawiedliwoscia spoleczna niz USA. Ciekawa jest historia niektorych prowincji, ktore stopniowo dolaczaly do unii kanadyjskiej.
July 6, 2024
Disappointing.
Recently I picked up a copy of "A Scattering of Seeds -The Creation of Canada" and found it deeply interesting and moving, well worth the little sum I paid for it. So I thought I would look for something else to help me understand Canada, a country to which two of my brothers emigrated in the 1970's. Sadly this was not to be that book. It seemed dull and unbalanced, some provinces got almost no attention while Quebec a great deal. The author progressive ideology is too much emphased in a short book which left me speed reading page after page. The book "A scattering of Seeds" covers many of the same issues but in a way that drew out my sympathy, it was dealing with real people, this with dry ideology.
Recently I picked up a copy of "A Scattering of Seeds -The Creation of Canada" and found it deeply interesting and moving, well worth the little sum I paid for it. So I thought I would look for something else to help me understand Canada, a country to which two of my brothers emigrated in the 1970's. Sadly this was not to be that book. It seemed dull and unbalanced, some provinces got almost no attention while Quebec a great deal. The author progressive ideology is too much emphased in a short book which left me speed reading page after page. The book "A scattering of Seeds" covers many of the same issues but in a way that drew out my sympathy, it was dealing with real people, this with dry ideology.
August 15, 2025
This book does a wikipedia-level job of explaining the history of Canada, but then adds social justice, self hatred, diversity for the sake of diversity, etc which both reflect a specific subset of Canada (and why we hate them), and fail to present the multiple fairly contentious issues Canada has faced over the past ~300 years and today. There were a few cases where it got slightly close (Quebec separatism), but didn't actually explain why people had the positions they had, just did a minimalist recounting of the interactions between groups. Some of this is unavoidable due to format, but overall it was just not a very effective exploration of Canadian history. It also remained pretty uninformed/silent on economic and other issues driving any of this.
November 26, 2020
Book was a bit all over the place. Didn't feel it had a good flow. In addition the print size is way too small. As someone with good eye vision I found this to be a nuisance as I had to hold the book closely to read comfortably.
June 20, 2024
A decent overview, but it is severely lacking detail, as well over half the book is dedicated to a radical rewriting of the Canadian story. To do this it introduces politically charged data, and leaves out vital context.
October 13, 2024
Too heavily skewed towards discussion of politics and the civil/first nation’s rights movement, the story sorely lacks a thorough survey of this vast country from a geographical and biological point of view.
August 23, 2022
A solid overview, helped by your own critical thought. Did the job and gave me a lot more understanding of Canada without belabouring minutia.
Really curious to read more about Quebec.
Really curious to read more about Quebec.
July 24, 2022
Interesting things learned from the book:
+ Canadians have a self-identity that is “not American”, in building peace not war, environmentalism not exploitation.
+ Canadians find a way around the thorny culture wars that are plaguing the US: abortion, women’s rights, gun law, labor rights, indigenous rights… It’s sobering to listen to this book while the US is broiled in maddening culture war controversies, with the legislative (congress) unable to update and codify laws to reflect the majority view of the general public, and the judiciary impose the view of the minority. It’s sobering to view the civilized discussion in Canadian parliament, while the US congress is marred by mob violence, driven by lies and delusions.
+ How Canada tried to build practical, non-ideological foreign relationships – with a clear understanding that theirs is a middle-sized country, and had to play their strength to the fullest. You’d ponder, perhaps it’s these clear-headed awareness that made it possible to not indulge in “world first” delusion.
+ Canada’s special relationship with Britain (UK mattered politically, although US mattered economically). Borrowing money from the US. Build a ministry to represent negotiate with US directly.
+ War between New French and British North America, how Quebec changed hands.
+ How (Pierre) Trudeau clamped down on violence from Quebec separatist.
+ Canadians have a self-identity that is “not American”, in building peace not war, environmentalism not exploitation.
+ Canadians find a way around the thorny culture wars that are plaguing the US: abortion, women’s rights, gun law, labor rights, indigenous rights… It’s sobering to listen to this book while the US is broiled in maddening culture war controversies, with the legislative (congress) unable to update and codify laws to reflect the majority view of the general public, and the judiciary impose the view of the minority. It’s sobering to view the civilized discussion in Canadian parliament, while the US congress is marred by mob violence, driven by lies and delusions.
+ How Canada tried to build practical, non-ideological foreign relationships – with a clear understanding that theirs is a middle-sized country, and had to play their strength to the fullest. You’d ponder, perhaps it’s these clear-headed awareness that made it possible to not indulge in “world first” delusion.
+ Canada’s special relationship with Britain (UK mattered politically, although US mattered economically). Borrowing money from the US. Build a ministry to represent negotiate with US directly.
+ War between New French and British North America, how Quebec changed hands.
+ How (Pierre) Trudeau clamped down on violence from Quebec separatist.
July 20, 2025
As advertised, a short overview of Canada. Still, it covers " a lot of ground " as one thing the reader learns is that Canada is the second largest nation in terms of square area. This is not a compendium of trivia but a historical review of the nation's founding and development. This includes mistreatment of of the indigenous and struggles with multiculturalism. From the outside, this would appear to be on three fronts: indigenous, English, and French. However, it is much more than that including Japanese-Canadians that were interred in WW II as those in the USA and multiple other significant groups, including Ukrainian Canadians who are the plurality in several rural areas of Western Canada and responsible for that "bread basket" region.
There is military history from the colonial era, Boer War (Canadians sympathetic to the Afrikaners), WW I (A significant number of Newfoundlanders volunteered to serve, most notably in the 1st Newfoundland Regiment, which suffered heavy losses, particularly at the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel), WW II and more.
There is some review of the relationship of central government and the provinces. For instance, the provinces control Education issues. Of course, there is much about the Quebec nationalism which has strayed into terrorism and is not settled as yet, it seems.
There is military history from the colonial era, Boer War (Canadians sympathetic to the Afrikaners), WW I (A significant number of Newfoundlanders volunteered to serve, most notably in the 1st Newfoundland Regiment, which suffered heavy losses, particularly at the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel), WW II and more.
There is some review of the relationship of central government and the provinces. For instance, the provinces control Education issues. Of course, there is much about the Quebec nationalism which has strayed into terrorism and is not settled as yet, it seems.
July 23, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Canada: A Very Short Introduction by Donald Wright is a concise and informative overview of Canadian history, politics, and identity—but it may leave readers wanting a bit more depth and cohesion.
Wright does a solid job summarizing the key themes and challenges that have shaped Canada, including Indigenous relations, immigration, and national unity. It’s a quick read, and for those new to the subject, it serves as a decent starting point. However, the structure at times feels a bit choppy, and some sections only skim the surface of complex topics that deserve more exploration.
This book is helpful if you're looking for a brief academic-style introduction, but it’s not the most engaging or memorable read in the series. A good primer—but not quite as compelling as it could’ve been.
Canada: A Very Short Introduction by Donald Wright is a concise and informative overview of Canadian history, politics, and identity—but it may leave readers wanting a bit more depth and cohesion.
Wright does a solid job summarizing the key themes and challenges that have shaped Canada, including Indigenous relations, immigration, and national unity. It’s a quick read, and for those new to the subject, it serves as a decent starting point. However, the structure at times feels a bit choppy, and some sections only skim the surface of complex topics that deserve more exploration.
This book is helpful if you're looking for a brief academic-style introduction, but it’s not the most engaging or memorable read in the series. A good primer—but not quite as compelling as it could’ve been.
January 3, 2021
Excellent little introduction to Canada that filled out and added to my history classes back in school. Wright does a fine job of showing how Canada is and always has been pluralistic (first nations, english, french, Newfoundland, immigrants from everywhere, etc.). He highlights some of the wonderful things about Canada while also looking at its failings (especially in regards to relations with the first nations) and pointing forward.
July 8, 2023
For readers wanting a concise history, other books might be better suited such as A Little History of Canada. This book is more geared towards history buffs who already have an idea of Canadian history and seek varied interpretations of it.
November 16, 2020
Canada a very short introduction!
This is book that should be on everyone’s reading list.
It outlines all the major events, factors, people.
As a Canadian citizen it would be easy that take all the benefits for granted but we must remember that all the gains and gifts that we have came at a price.
This is book that should be on everyone’s reading list.
It outlines all the major events, factors, people.
As a Canadian citizen it would be easy that take all the benefits for granted but we must remember that all the gains and gifts that we have came at a price.
July 14, 2021
a good refresher because school days were long long ago. pretty comprehensive. only a couple of jarring points because the author seems kind of "woke". Anthropogenic global warming is not a scientific fact so the chapter on carbon reduction is kind of pointless. the "wearing a niqab veil in court" is also a little iffy. Justice Rosalie Abella tried to argue it doesn't hurt court proceedings much if a witness is covered up like this. She also argued a religious cult in Alberta didn't have to get their photos take for a driver's license because this tiny group can be accomodated by the government making a blank card.
October 3, 2022
This was primarily an introduction to the history of Canada, but also discusses the main different cultures in this very large country. There is a small population spread over a very large area. The author is concerned with the indigenous and Metis people as well as English speaking and French speaking cultures. He also looks at the concept of "the north" as it is used in Canada.
September 5, 2023
The Book gives a brief about Canada, starting from earlier settlement to today. While focus has been given briefly to the activists and some movements for the empowerment of aboriginal people, too much has been missed in the process.
Overall, a good book for the beginners who want to further study the history of Canada.
Overall, a good book for the beginners who want to further study the history of Canada.
October 20, 2020
I'm pleased that this VSI acknowledged the variety of problems that Canadians (both Indigenous and settlers) have faced and it wasn't a puff piece on how great Canada is (I'm a Canadian iI know we're not great)
October 19, 2020
Solid, well-done read that delivers what it promises to be. One of the much better Very Short Introductions I've read.
May 3, 2021
Very readable and informative.
June 16, 2021
Refreshing and successful attempt to make Canadian history and identity actually interesting.
July 19, 2021
3.5 ⭐️
A helpful overview of Canada’s history. By it’s nature, many topics and people were skimmed over quickly or left out completely.
A helpful overview of Canada’s history. By it’s nature, many topics and people were skimmed over quickly or left out completely.
September 3, 2021
(audiobook)
Wonderfully informative. Everything I hoped it would be. I learned so much about Canada's orgin story.
Wonderfully informative. Everything I hoped it would be. I learned so much about Canada's orgin story.
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