Tell us about your book.

Canada’s Constitutional Monarchy has been written to reintroduced Canadians to a rich institution integral to their ideals of democracy and parliamentary government. The Canadian Crown is presented as a colourful and unique institution at the very heart of our complex constitution, exploring its history from 15th century English explorations and16th-century New France. Moving into the 21st century, relationships with First Nations, Heraldry, the Military, Governor General, Heir to the Throne, and many other aspects of the day-to-day life of the country are explored.

How did you come up with the idea for this work?

I teach Canadian History and Civics in Ontario, and have noticed that there is very little mention of the monarchy in any available resources. In fact, the textbooks exploring the Crown that are available to teachers are almost uniformly incorrect – explaining the Crown as nothing more than a colonial vestige. The grade 10 Canadian history textbook used in my school makes no mention of such important events as the 1939 Royal Tour, Canadian Citizenship Act (1947) or the role of the Crown in proclaiming the national flag, national anthem or the repatriation of the Constitution.

I realized that if I was going to teach others about this rich and ancient Canadian institution I needed to educate myself. This book came out of this process.

Did you have a specific readership in mind when you wrote your book?

This book has been written to make the Canadian Crown easily accessible for the general public, and high school students in particular. As a visual learner myself, I made sure a lot of pictures, maps and diagrams were included in the book – appropriate since the Crown, among other things, is a very colourful institution.

How did you research your book?

Once I started this project I encountered some great publications (Jacque Monet’s The Canadian Crown, Dr. Michael Jackson’s The Canadian Monarchy in Saskatchewan and Kevin MacLeod’s A Crown of Maples) and talked with experts across the country. There is a wealth of information when you start digging – I have included a list of all of my sources (including new ones that I have found since publication) at www.canadiancrown.com.

I was honoured to be invited to attend the 2010 Symons Lecture on the State of Confederation. Visiting Charlottetown to hear Governor General David Johnston speak added a whole new dimension to the book – it reminded me of the foundational place that the Maritimes occupy in the formation of this country. I am very excited to see the 2014 celebrations to mark the 150^th anniversary of the Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences (both of which are being championed by the governor general).

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

I started this project to learn more about the institution of the monarchy in Canada, and once I scratched the surface it became apparent how complex and dynamic it is. I also encountered the quirky side of the Canadian Crown – traditions like Ancient and Honourable Hyack Anvil Battery Salute in Westminster, British Columbia. I wanted to include everything and was constantly contacting my editor with additional information even after my deadline. Not wanting to leave anything out I created an electronic “Did You Know?” section on the book’s website that I am still adding to today.

It’s true that this time of year is when Canadians really seem to crank the Neil Young or reminisce about how Canadian beer is way better than American beer. We’re not a necessarily boastful country, but the slight increase in Canadian flags I’ve seen on my drive to work leads me to believe that we’re giving ourselves permission to show our pride a tiny bit more this week.

My roommate in university was from Vermont, and I remember being so fascinated with her love of the band, Barenaked Ladies. While I didn’t exactly share her love of BNL, I thought it was neat that rural Vermont was apparently hopping with Canadian music fans. It gave me a sense of the kind of impact Canadian artists can have across the border, and perhaps around the world.

But, is Barenaked Ladies representative of our country? Is Kids in the Hall? Michael Ondaatje?

From our tweet-backs and posts on our Facebook posts, our country if full of rich musical, performance, and literary talent. And one thing I’ve learned from working in the Canadian publishing scene for the last year and half is that our country is far more than Lucy Maud Montgomery and W.O. Mitchell.

There is tons of unsung, unpraised, undiscovered talent lurking in every corner of each province. Whether your poison is music, art, theatre, television, film, dance, or writing, we are home to some fantastic, risk-taking, poignant voices.

So cheers to your 144th, Canada, and the breathtaking creative minds that make you great.

Many people from my generation likely remember these short promos that put the spotlight on important people, events, and other moments that shaped our national history. We saw that a Canadian gave Superman his start and that iconic Winnie-the-Pooh is inadvertently named after Winnipeg. And while it wasn’t great to learn that developers were exploiting new Chinese immigrants to build the railway, the spot on Dr. Penfield certainly inspired moments of annoying our parents at Sunday breakfasts with, “I smell burnt toast!”

While the “cool” factor of these commercials may be debatable (one friend proclaimed that were “cheesy” rather than “cool”), this discussion prompted me to search out other possibly “cool” little known facts about Canada. It just so happened at the time that I began work on Fascinating Canada, so perusing the internet for fun facts seemed to be for both work and personal interest.

Through my searching, I came across an online index of Canadian Things. It didn’t seem so reliable, but some further digging confirmed the things I found most interesting. Like for starters, 5-pin bowling is only played in Canada, and was actually founded within Toronto in 1909. Same deal for the handy-dandy paint roller, which has made home improvements easier for amateur decorator since 1940. And well, I think we all appreciate the genius of modern day gingerale (Thanks, Mr. McLaughlin!).

But perhaps my favourite tidbit of Canadian factoid, is one I gleaned from Fascinating Canada: The birthplace of the jock strap is Guelph, Ontario. Guelph. Yep. Good ol’ Guelph.

What are Canadian things you find especially cool? Share them with us in the comments or on Facebook!

As was the case with Princess Diana, Kate has captured the love and respect of millions of people from countries around the world. In fact, the two have a lot in common: neither was born into royalty but came from wealthy, well-respected families, and both remain known for having a certain grace, style, and natural beauty that captivated not only a prince but an entire nation.

On Friday, April 29, 2011, that nation and many others will watch as Kate Middleton marries her prince in a fairytale wedding at Westminster Abbey, becoming Her Royal Highness Catherine of Wales. In celebration of the occasion, Dundurn plans to publish William and Catherine: A Royal Wedding Souvenir, a highly anticipated keepsake that will commemorate the lives of the young royal couple with stories and pictures both past and present. Look for the book in May 2011, and – if you’re anywhere near as big a fan of royal figures as I am – be sure to mark your calendars for William and Kate’s tour to Canada this Summer. I wouldn’t miss it!

Taken from Google Images

It’s official! The entire nation is buzzing about our fourth federal election in seven years. Is it necessary? What are the real issues? What will the outcome be?

If you’re like me, you’re having issues cutting through the clutter of all the political mumbo-jumbo flooding the airwaves. We’re only a week into campaigning and I’m already muting the television when commercials come on, and the prospect of watching a live debate makes me cringe.

Nevertheless, I’m a firm believer in the democratic responsibility we each have as citizens of Canada to vote. People around the world have spent generations fighting for their right to have a say in the state of their nations, so voter apathy isn’t an option in my books. My goal is to become an educated voter, and place my faith in the platform that most closely aligns with my core values.

I stumbled across this pretty awesome quiz on the CBC News website. I’m sure it’s making the rounds, but it’s a nice starting place for those looking to investigate the main ideals of each party. You get to explore where you stack up as compared to each of the party platforms, and cross reference each sub category. Kudos, CBC. Kudos.

The phase I’m entering now is what I’m likening to a question and answer trial. I’m looking at the issues that mean the most to me and asking questions. The answers that each of the party provides will help me decide on whom will receive my vote. For example, “Will it be as hard for my children to pay for university as it was for me?”; “What does the national deficit and the shaky economy mean for my ability to own a home one day?”; and “When are my friends in the military going to be relieved from their duties in Afghanistan?”

There’s also one more looming question…. “What will a Harper majority mean for Canada?”

Now, I’m not coming out as blatantly anti-Conservative, but there are policies of the Conservative government with which I strongly disagree. But the media are warning that this may be the year the majority happens for Stevie H, so I think it’s a viable question.

While the answer to this question is probably impossible to formulate within the confines of this blog post, Dundurn fortunately has a book that will maybe help people out. Dynasties and Interludes looks at the history of the Canadian electoral system, classifying the varying governments into “dynasties” — those long-lived, tried-and-trued eras in Canadian politics that brought about significant change (think Trudeau), and “interludes” — those short-lived blips on our radar that were just layovers for the real thing (think Joe Clark).

Jon Pammett, Lawrence Leduc, Judith I. McKenzie, and Andre Turcotte have done all the leg work to find the patterns and quirks of our electoral history. It’s a pretty good way to inform yourself of the symptoms from which to guage the future. They also wrote a really great op-ed for the Winnipeg Free Press about what the likelihood of a Harper Dynasty in Canada really is.

Whether the thought of federal politics jumpstarts your pulse or lulls you to sleep, we’re not avoiding this trip to the polls. Get educated and remember to vote.

Tell us about the book.

Arctic Naturalist is the first biography of the late J. Dewey Soper. Dewey (193 – 1982) was Canada’s foremost naturalist and a meticulous and fearless explorer. Greatly respected by his peers, Dewey Soper re-drew the maps of Baffin Island, he discovered the Arctic breeding grounds of the blue goose and he compiled a complete catalogue of Alberta’s mammals. In addition, Dewey donated thousands of fauna and avifauna specimens to museums and universities as well as donating hundreds of his own water colour paintings.

How did you come up with the title?

The title for this one was quite obvious to me from the start. Arctic Naturalist, the life of J. Dewey Soper says it all. I wrote that line down before I had even started the main research.

Tell us about the overreaching theme.

The moment I saw Dewey Soper’s name on a passenger list for an HBC ship heading for the eastern Arctic in the 1920s, I was hooked. Beside the name was one word: Naturalist. Once I learned that no one had explored Dewey Soper’s life in print, I was determined that I should do it. I obtained permission from his family and from the University of Alberta Archives and I began to dig. The more I read about this incredible Canadian, the more fascinated I became. Dewey was incredibly dedicated to his craft, almost to the exclusion, at times, of his immediate family. Having lived a life in exploration, and having visited the Arctic on many occasions, I was able to relate to Soper in a way that most other writers, perhaps, could not have done. The book became a labour of love for me.

What was your first publication?

About 1980, or ’81, I wrote a travel article with the title of Timbuktu: myth and reality. It was published with half a dozen of my colour photographs as a full page spread in the Edmonton Journal newspaper. I was paid $250. My first book was a biography of an extremely popular ‘Welsh’ author and adventure sailor. Wayward Sailor, in search of the real Tristan Jones, was published in 2003. In 2004 it was long-listed for the Wales Book of the Year Award.

What is your next project?

I am just starting research for a book about Hudson Bay, that’s the body of water, not the company. With the working title of HUDSON BAY, in history and literature, the book will explore all aspects of the great bay, including the geography, indigenous peoples around its shores, the wildlife – in the water, on land and in the air, the early explorations and the literature that has resulted.

No really. I read somewhere that statistically, murders are committed most often on Sundays and Mondays. Hell of a way to the beat the “back to work blues.” Most people would just take a sick day. Eeesh!

It’s with that random factoid that we launch our tribute to Canada’s criminal justice system with a week dedicated to… MURDER. Check in all week long for homicide-inspired blog posts and chances to win Dundurn’s recently released (and conveniently titled) Murder by the renowned Ed Butts.

Stop by daily… you never know what our murder investigation will turn up!

I know, I couldn’t believe it either. Even more unbelievable, though, is that they’d hide such an exciting personage from Canadian history on the bill…wait, come back! This really will be exciting, or at least Canadian history. I can definitely promise Canadian history.

Anyway, back to the man on this so-called $100 bill: Robert Laird Borden.

Mr. Borden was the last Canadian Prime Minister born before Confederation and set his career goals early, obtaining his first teaching position at age 14.  He left this career path behind at age 20, claiming there was no future in education. Funnily enough, this was exactly what some of my own teachers often said. They were an unhappy lot.

The future Prime Minister spent the next four years articling at a Halifax law firm before placing first in his bar examinations. Did I mention he managed that without the benefit of a university education? Keep that one a secret, folks, and be especially careful not to tell any undergraduates. They’re having a tough enough time already.

By 35 he was a senior partner at his law firm, and a short time later began his political career as a Liberal. He would eventually break with that party over free trade issues and join the Conservatives. In 1896 Mr. Borden was elected to parliament, his party having run on the slogan, “No truck or trade with the Yankees”.

In 1901 Mr. Borden would be chosen as Conservative party leader, losing to the Liberals in 1908, and setting the stage for a rematch in 1911. And what a rematch it would be, pitting an increasingly embattled Laurier against the newly resurgent Conservative party. The consequences would be widespread, reverberating both in Canada and abroad as tensions in Europe neared the breaking point.  In fact, there was so much going on that I don’t think I can really do it justice here on the blog. Well, not without adding at least a couple of thousand words to this entry.

Not to worry, though, you’ll be able to read all about it in an upcoming Dundurn release: Canada 1911: The Decisive Election that Shaped a Country.  It will certainly provide a more erudite examination than I could ever hope to, and I am thoroughly excited to see what Patrice Dutil and David MacKenzie have to offer. Who says Canadian history is boring?

This was around the time that the movie version of Apollo 13 was hitting theatres. I didn’t get to see it on the big screen, but I did rent the movie. And I was hooked. Floating around with the stars, touching (what seemed like) the outer most edges of the galaxy? Sign. Me. Up.

I even went so far as to research what space camp actually entailed (a month in Florida? Score.), and while I was disappointed to learn that no, you don’t actually get to go into space at space camp (excuse me, false advertising), you got to go in the zero-gravity chamber and flight simulator. Awesome.

Now, what my 10-year-old brain had not yet realized is that my aptitude for the sciences was probably not at the level needed for space camp. After all, space camp is a pretty elite, baby-genius-hang-out kind of place, no? You have to demonstrate a strong ability in all fields of science… even at the elementary level. And while  yes, I was one of those “over-achievers” and identified as “gifted,” I wasn’t by any means a science whiz. Add this to the very limited amount of places in space camp, the high price of camp tuition, and my parents’ reluctance to invest that much money in what they were sure was a “passing fancy” of mine (fact: they were right), and space camp never came to be.

(Side note: Years later I realized that it wasn’t the actual space travel involved in the cinematics of Apollo 13 that incited my fixation on space camp. It was the drama and turmoil and whatnot created in the movie. I cite this as a later example of why I studied drama in university and had aspirations of becoming an actor.)

Over the last few weeks I’ve gotten to re-live my childhood space camp fantasies as the newest title from John Melady, Maple Leaf in Space, has arrived back from the printers. The book looks at all of the Canadian astronauts that have ventured to the realms of the universe and the fun facts associated with the various missions. Included in our YA non-fiction catalogue, it’s really not just a YA book. I’ve been flipping through the chapters all week and pulling out great little tidbits. Example: A coke machine in space? Maybe intergalatic travel would have been as cool as I thought.

Maple Leaf in Space is making its way to bookstores everywhere. If you’d like to relive your childhood astronaut fantasies by doing something more (and less creepy) than dressing up as an adult-sized Buzz Lightyear, check it out.

A lot of us have personal stories that make Remembrance Day important to us. Three out of four of my grandparents served Canada in World War Two: a grandmother who was in the Army, a grandfather who joined the Navy (but never made it out of Halifax after a botched appendectomy), and another grandfather — one who died before I could hear the stories firsthand — who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day hours before anyone else to set up communications lines for the incoming attack.

Aside from honouring the work of my grandparents, my Remembrance Days of past were mainly confined to paying tribute to those from decades previous who had fought, and often died, for the freedom of future generations. When I was a kid, we weren’t involved in any “long term combat missions.” The horrors of war were all in textbooks, far away from our realities.

As combat in Afghanistan continues, we have a new generation of veterans to honour. Men and women are once again sacrificing their lives for our nation, and let me tell you, when you read a list of the Canadian soldiers lost in Afghanistan combat, take a look at their ages, and realize the vast majority are years younger than you… well, that’s a reality check like no other.

So, this Remembrance Day has been a bit different for me. It’s about remembering those who came before us, while praying for the safety of those currently out on guard for our country. It’s unifying the past and present.

Fortune Favours the Brave is a collection of  stories of courage from the Canadian Military, spanning all of the major conflicts in which Canada has been involved. From the Boer War to Operation Medusa in Afghanistan, the moments of bravery, tenacity, and long-lasting sacrifice are honoured in this book. Compiled by Col. Bernd Horn, and with a foreword by Senator Romeo Dallaire, anyone will see that Canadians are among the fiercest fighters — and fight humbly, at that.

To those who fought years before,
to those who who will for years more,
to those who fought and were lost,
to those who continue to pay the cost…

Thank you.