How The Scots Invented Canada

by Ken McGoogan

No matter where you enter the history of Canada ? through exploration, politics, business, education or literature -- you find that the Scots and their descendants have played a leading role. Today, almost five million Canadians identify themselves as Scottish, and their influence is felt throughout the land. Starting with his own deep roots in Scotland and early Canada, Ken McGoogan has created a lively, entertaining narrative that focuses on more than sixty Scots who have led the way in shaping this country. Early arrivals included explorers Alexander Mackenzie, Simon Fraser and the ?Scotch West Indian,? James Douglas. Later, Scots such as Lord Selkirk and John Galt encouraged thousands to immigrate. Nation-builders followed, among them John A. Macdonald, James McGill and the reformer Nellie McClung. Then came the visionaries, Scottish Canadians such as Tommy Douglas, Doris Anderson and Marshall McLuhan, who have turned Canada into a nation that revels in diversity. McGoogan commemorates the first settlers to land at Pictou, Nova Scotia, and celebrates such hybrid Canadians as the Cherokee Scot John Norton, Thérèse MacDonald Casgrain and the kilt-loving John George Diefenbaker. He honours the war contributions of Scottish Canadian regiments, and he toasts Sir Walter Scott and the beloved Robbie Burns. Beautifully illustrated and handsomely packaged,How the Scots Invented Canada is an exuberant celebration of the building of a nation.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Canada, Scotland, Cultural

415 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Maxwell Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this book was an adventure!

Covering Canadians of many professions (e.g., politicians, writers, soldiers, and doctors) of Scottish descent over three hundred years of Canadian history, this book did not hold back from describing the individuals' Scottish traits, ancestry through parents, and kind of upbringing in Canada, whether in Cape Breton Island or British Columbia. Such Canadians included William Lyon Mackenzie, Sir John A Macdonald, Margaret Macdonald, Lucy M. Montgomery, John McCrae, and John Diefenbaker, who without them, our sense of Canada would not exist.

Yet, there are problems with this book. Namely, I found that the book has a liberal bias and portrayed post-modernism and its view on Canadian identity positively, while at the same time unfairly criticising George Grant, a notable Red Tory and author of 'Lament for a Nation'. In addition, when covering the 1982 Constitution Act, the author falsely declared that was the true independence of Canada.

Overall, a very detailed book on Scottish influence in Canada, but just mind the politics and you will enjoy the book. I recommend it to Canadians studying demography, history of Scotland and/or Canada, and those with Scottish ancestry.

[James Edgar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good read for anyone who wants to know when and how the Canadian West was explored and settled. But, more than that, it's a testament to the Scottish education system and the fruits of those labours.

[Todd McFarland · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a stretch to try to connect the Scots to the creation of Canada. It indeed happened but wow, this borders on annoying.

[Thebruce1314 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting more of a cohesive argument for the thesis that the Scots invented Canada, but what I got was probably more enjoyable. Rather than being an academic tome of researched material, this is more of a compendium of brief biographies and tales about those with Scottish blood who helped to shape Canada. Some of the connections seemed a bit contentious, and the repetition of how amazing Scottish people are got to be a bit nauseating (despite my agreement!). While I found some of the chapters to be more enthralling than others (obviously personal interest in historical eras plays a part here), I actually really enjoyed the book as a whole.

Scottishness aside, I learned a few things I didn't know about Canada's history, and the bite-size chunks were perfect for times when I could only get through a few pages.

[Joe Corrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps a narrative that hasn't aged well. Written in 2011 prior to more widespread awareness of the negative impact of colonialism that came to widespread culture with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report in 2015 and the subsequent widespread discovery of unmarked residential school gravesites, it seems smug and out of touch. I appreciate the insights into the lives and contributions to our Canadian culture of various prominent individuals of Scottish heritage. Never-the-less the title is very much out of place and the author should consider a less cultural insensitive name for his book.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. I think he would have been better served to pick 10 or 12 Scottish Canadians and devote a chapter to each. As it is some figures get 3 or 4 pages others a dozen maybe a couple a longer piece. The people left out could have been in an Appendix entitled "Other Prominent Scottish Canadians".

The book drags in the middle but there are some interesting figures in the latter third. I think some more culling of the herd could have been done thus freeing up space to devote to 'favourites'.

[Daniel Macgregor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall not a bad piece of popular history. The main narrative that Scots built Canada, while being interesting, is usually clouded by the rapid jumps into small biographies of notable Scottish immigrants or descendants (of varying degree). However, the biographies themselves are interesting enough to vindicate the book writ large, and there are enough threads drawn though the many chapters to bring the main narrative together well enough.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the profiles. I learned so much more about Canadian History. I felt he repeated himself sometimes, some people were in more than one section but that's one of the downsides with dividing it by subjects instead of by time or specific people.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basically started this book when a neighbour of mine lent it to me. He’s from the Scottish highlands, and told me that I may find it interesting. Well, let me Telya I did what an amazing book. This is to know some facts about Canada. It was brilliant! Ken McGoogan is a fantastic author!

[Stephanie Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was amazed at how far back he was prepared to go to get a Scottish connection. So this is where that darn work ethic came from. I have to go back two generations for a Scottish connection myself.

[Michael Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply great!

Easy to follow, yet chock full of content! Really enjoyed this account of how our ancestors contributed to our great country. Thanks for your hard work!

[Joy D · Rating 3 out of 5]

While providing a small portion of Canadian history from a Scottish perspective, it sure doesn't tell the whole story. I picked this up from a Little Free Library in my neighbourhood, shortly after receiving my ancestry.ca results. I learned I have more Scottish than Irish dna so intended to learn more. And I did. But it took me months to finish because I had trouble accepting this version.
McGoogan recounts the early explorers' drive from east to west but hardly mentions they wouldn't have survived without the guidance & aid of our First Nations people. He shares stories of harsh expedition's through the Northwest Passage without proper acknowledgement of the Inuit. He writes a section on the "leaders" involved with the building our our coast to coast railway, which he entitles Steel Ribbon Blues. But he fails to mention the exploitative conditions forced onto new immigrants to build that railway, in particular the 15,000 Chinese labourers, of which at least 600 died.
If we want reconciliation, we need more truth. All of the truth, not just part of it.

[Joshua Friesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. He profiles each Scottish person well in an enjoyable informative way.