The Scots who populated the New World that became Canada brought vitality and a unique character to a vast land. Adventurous, hardworking and sometimes outrageous, the earliest Scots settlers were rejuvenated by later waves of immigration. Their spirit epitomized a central theme of progress and development that permeates our culture and sense of home. Some even believe the Scots from the Orkney Islands were the first Europeans to land here. Or did they crew boats with the Vikings or St. Brendan? Their numbers filled every province, and we remember famous and familiar names, such as Sanford Fleming, Hugh Allan, Alexander Keith, Robert Service and Alexander MacKenzie. The rogues and scallywags might be less well known, but their stories give great colour to our past. Even Sir John A. MacDonald, Canada's first prime minister and the best-known Father of Confederation, faced scandal and turmoil during his tenure. Still, Canada's Scots brought you the RCMP, the telephone and standard time. Paul Cowan takes us on an insightful, often irreverent journey from the earliest days of exploration and fur trading through the centuries of Canadian history. Sit back and pour yourself a nip of Scotch while he tells tales filled with bold and outrageous characters, the Scots who really did create Canada. (publisher)

How the Scots Created Canada (We Created Canada)

History

COWAN, Paul

Americas

Dragon Hill Publishing

A compendium of knowledge, this fascinating little book covers some 1300 plus place names in the province of Alberta. Included within are hamlets, villages, towns and cities, as well as mountain peaks, rivers, lakes and first nations communities. From A to Z, all the way from Abbot Pass to Zigadenus Lake, you’ll learn about the origins of the names, famous inhabitants and interesting tidbits.

Alberta Place Names: The Fascinating People & Stories behind the Naming of Alberta

Donovan, Larry

Monto, Tom

Harry Jerome was among the greatest runners the world has ever seen. He battled serious injuries, racism and periodically a hostile domestic press as he smashed numerous world records and represented Canada at the Olympic, Commonwealth and Pan-American Games through the 1960s. Running Uphill: The Short, Fast Life of Harry Jerome is the first biography ever published of this important Canadian, who stands as a genuine hero for Canada’s Black community. (http://www.lonepinepublishing.com/cat/9781896124131 2007-07-07)

Running Uphill: The Fast, Short Life of Canadian Champion Harry Jerome

Biographies & Memoirs

Fraser, Fil

Community & Culture

From the moment explorer Giovanni Caboto stepped onto Canadian soil, Italians have left their footprints on Canadian history. In the 1700s, Italians including Alphonse and Henri de Tonti came to New France to trade with the Natives and settle the vast land. In the 1800s, Italian workers built the foundation for railways and highways into Canada’s northern forests. Today, Little Italy is a part of every major Canadian city. The Italian-Canadian vote is even credited with helping keep Canada together in Québec’s sovereignty referendum. "This book captures the essence of what it means to be Italio-Canadian. It celebrates the Italian experience in Canada and the gifts we have brought to our chosen land. It filled me with pride for my rich heritage." –Rita Chiarelli, blues musician "Multiculturalism and bilingualism are fine, as long as it is recognized that in the past adventurous people from Italy discovered and developed this land, and that in the present industrious people of Italian background continue to enrich this country through construction and creation...from arts and crafts to churches and concerts and cuisine and family life." –John Robert Colombo, author and anthologist "This book gives our cultural mosaic, a portal into an unbiased Canadian history. A well-researched and informative body of work, that sets records straight! My children will be reading a more poignant look into the contributions made by Italians on Canada." –Dominic Mancuso, Canadian musician “As a Canadian of Italian heritage, I am deeply proud of both my country and the ethnic roots from which I came. How The Italians Created Canada is a welcome and comprehensive treatment of the historic and current contributions of both Italian immigrants and Italian-Canadians to the national mosaic.” – Bob Lenarduzzi, president, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

How the Italians Created Canada: From Giovanni Caboto to the Cultural Renaissance (We Created Canada)

Di Sciascio-Andrews, Josie

French explorers first came to the New World seeking uncharted lands and unprecedented wealth. What they brought with them, however, was a unique culture that would eventually emerge as one of Canada’s most dynamic and influential societies. Seven million Canadians from coast to coast identify themselves as having French or French Canadian ancestry. They have contributed to every aspect of life in our country—language, government, business, education, cuisine, media and the arts. Fierce battles were fought and wars waged by early colonists and Quebecois seeking autonomy. Nonetheless the country remains united, with French Canadian spirit and participation contributing to the development of Canada—born under two languages and two flags, adding richness and depth to this country’s cultural fabric and to our collective Canadian identity.

How the French Created Canada: From New France to French Canada (We Created Canada)

Perrone, Julie

How the Chinese Created Canada provides an in-depth look at the triumphs and struggles of one of Canada's most vibrant communities. It's possible that Chinese sailors landed on the shores of the country that was to become Canada long before Captain George Vancouver set foot on the west coast, if research proves to be true. But even if the impact the Chinese had on this land was not felt until they came in larger numbers to mine for gold or to build the Canadian Pacific Railway, their influence is seen in every city from Victoria to Halifax. Chinese culture has permeated the fabric of Canadian society with bold, exciting cuisine, art, music and alternative approaches to medicine and healing. Talented and creative individuals have made these concepts an integral aspect of everyday Canadian culture. Regardless of the hardships they endured--hazardous work conditions on the railway line, the government-sanctioned racism of the head tax, the lack of suffrage in a country where they were supposedly citizens--the Chinese persevered and forged a new chapter in our collective legacy. And some of Canada's most influential and interesting people have emerged from the families of Chinese immigrants--Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor General; Norman Kwong, lieutenant-governor of Alberta; Alfred Sung, fashion designer; Stephen Yan, chef and TV host of Wok with Yan; Patrick Chan, Canadian figure skating champion and so many more.

How the Chinese Created Canada (We Created Canada)

Adrian Ma

Jeff Pearce's irreverent romp through the annals of the history of the English in Canada: * This was the territory that England used as the staging ground for many battles and wars with the French and the Americans * It was an Englishman, John Graves Simcoe, who enacted the first anti-slavery act for the entire British Empire...right here in Canada! * Sir Isaac Brock was a larger-than-life hero of the war of 1812, who dared a duelist to shoot at him from the distance of the width of a handkerchief and who bluffed his way into capturing Detroit * Get to know the fabulous fraud Grey Owl, who didn't want to be an Englishman at all and who started the conservationist movement * Our English connects help explain the October Crisis, an episode in our history still greatly misunderstood * The British North America Act (BNA) governed Canada until our constitution was repatriated in 1981. So make yourself a cup of tea and tuck into an insightful and intriguing chronicle of how there will always be an England...in Canada.

How the English Created Canada: An Intriguing History of Explorers, Rogues, Fur Traders, Pioneers, Prime Ministers, Heroes and Scoundrels (We Created Canada)

Jeff Pearce

Finally, you'll know what's been hiding under the bed...• Zombie• ghost• werewolf• skeleton• mummy• ghoul... and more! An intrepid adventurer's notes on crypto-beasties from around the globe…with illustrations.

Field Guide to Monsters

Children's Books

Zenko, Darren

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Across the country and throughout time, Blacks have played pivotal roles in the unfolding of Canadian history. Woven into the fabric of the country itself, they have made serious contributions to this great nation. In the early 1600s, African navigator Mathieu De Costa used his knowledge of Mi'kmaq languages to enable communication between the Europeans and Aboriginals. Arriving in 1605, he was the first Black to come to what would become Canada. Over two centuries later, Sir James Douglas recruited 800 former American slaves and freemen to settle in Victoria, BC, where they staved off the threat from an America that would gobble up land and stretch up the west coast from California to Alaska. Josiah Henson escaped half a lifetime of slavery and came to Dresden, Ontario through the underground railway. He established a highly successful business, met Queen Victoria, had dinner with the prime minister and became friends with the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was also an unofficial ambassador for Canada. And, more currently, Blacks have made great strides in Canadian sports, entertainment and politics, as well as business, academia, the judiciary and a broad range of public service. So take a seat and discover the surprising and satisfying history that is finally making it in the mainstream. Reviews of How the Blacks Created Canada: "Sir James Douglas was a mullato of elegant mien whose enlightened governorship of British Columbia was a major influence in maintaining that wild frontier within Confederation. The elegant governor who first thought up the idea of a trans-Canada highway, was just one example of the Black influence on Canadian history. This is an unusual book because it concentrates on the achievements of the many  Black Canadians whose contributions to the country's economic and cultural development have been overwhlemingly positive, but not---until now--nearly adequately recognized. Fil Fraser, who for a time was a one-man Canadian film industry and went on to pioneer some mighty inspiring television productions--is the multi-talented guide to this fascinating world of litle known but essential contributors  to the Canadian mosaic." --Peter C. Newman,best-selling Canadian author and commentator.“Some books we want to read. Some books we need to read. Fil Fraser’s astonishing How the Blacks Created Canada is both – a wonderful read as well as an abject lesson in who we are. The author creates a remarkable, unbroken line from Mathieu Da Costa, who led Champlain’s explorations, to Governor-General Michaelle Jean, who is still breaking new ground in this complicated country. Thank you, Fil Fraser, for opening our eyes and for offering those eyes a feast of words filled with delight and new information.”--Roy MacGregor, Globe and Mail columnist and Author of "Canadians: A Portrait of a Country and Its People"

How the Blacks Created Canada (We Created Canada)

Canada’s sixth province since 1871, British Columbia has certainly had time to stockpile its share of strange and peculiar citizens and circumstances. From the intriguing and uncanny to the downright wacky, many of these stories have served as inspiration for some of BC’s most colourful place names: - Babine Lake takes its name from the French word for "large lip" and refers to the former practice of the local First Nations people of inserting pieces of wood or bone about a half inch in diameter between the teeth and lower lips of their women - Barkerville was named for Billy Barker, a gold prospector from the Cariboo Gold Rush Days who struck it rich but later died in poverty - In 1920, the residents of Harper’s Camp voted almost unanimously in favour of changing their community’s name to Horsefly in honour of that pesky insect that visits every summer - Lulu Island, on which the city of Richmond sits, was named for 16-year old American actress Lulu Sweet who won the hearts of a detachment of Royal Engineers - Lytton was named for Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton, the playwright who gave us the phrase “The pen is mightier than the sword - Mount Merritt on Hunter Island was named after Charles Cecil Ingersoll Merritt, a World War II hero who won the Victoria Cross at Dieppe and was still in a German prison camp when the mountain was christened in his honour -Murderer Creek near Quesnel Forks was named after the notorious thief, murderer and cannibal Boone Helm who is suspected of hiding somewhere along this gulch his loot from another one of his brutal crimes - Naramata got its name after the town’s founder heard the dead Sioux Chief Big Moose mention it as he spoke through a medium at a séance

British Columbia Place Names

Thorburn, Mark

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