Making Law, Order, and Authority in British Columbia, 1821-1871

by Tina Merrill Loo

In 1821 British Columbia was the exclusive domain of an independent Native population and the Hudson's Bay Company. By the time it entered Confederation fifty years later, a British colonial government was firmly in place. In this book Tina Loo shows how the new regime was shaped by an ideology of liberalism. The history of pre-Confederation British Columbia is a spirited one, rich in lore and adventure revolving around the fur trade, conflict between settlers and the Hudson's Bay Company, and, above all, the gold rush. Loo takes the familiar themes as a starting point for fresh investigation. By detailing specific incidents and then drawing from a wide historical field to sketch in new background, she is able to locate alternative perspectives and restructure much established history. Her inquiry moves from the disciplinary practices of the Hudson's Bay Company, through the establishment of courts in the gold fields, to conflicts over the role of juries and the nature of property. Always returning to her major theme, the author structures her analysis of events around the discourse of laissez-faire liberalism and shows how this discourse styled the law and order of the period. Loo narrates history with wit and elegance, bringing life to even the most technical aspects of her investigation. This is the first comprehensive legal history of British Columbia before Confederation.

239 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1994

Reviews

[Sandra Oldfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an easy book to read but I enjoyed the choice of key cases to make a point about how British Columbia established law and order.