Hard Work Conquers All: Building the Finnish Community in Canada

by Michel S. Beaulieu (Editor), David K. Ratz (Editor), Ronald Harpelle (Editor)

Above the entrance to the Finnish Labour Temple in Thunder Bay is the motto labor omnia vincit – "hard work conquers all" – reflecting the dedication of the Finnish community in Canada. Hard Work Conquers All examines Finnish community building in Canada during the twentieth century. Waves of immigrants imbued the relationship between people, homeland, and host country with the politics, ideologies, and cultural expressions of their time. This collection of essays explores the cultural identities of Finnish Canadians, their ties to Finland, intergenerational cultural transfer, and the community's connections with socialism and labour movements. It offers new interpretations of the influence of Finnish immigration on Canada.

256 pages, Hardcover

Published December 19, 2017

About the author

Michel S. Beaulieu is a Canadian born writer and academic. He holds a Ph.D in History from Queen's University and is currently Chair and Associate Professor of History at Lakehead University located in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. His work has primarily focussed on Canadian northern, labour, military, Aboriginal, and film history.