Nine stars
At a time when monuments of past political heroes are being torn down—or the debate about doing so turns violent—it is worth looking a little deeper into the pasts of these individuals. While some were seen as heroes in their time, these heroics are now seen through a new lens, perhaps focusing less on their accomplishments for a people and more on their foibles or complete disregard for another group. John A. Macdonald is one such man, a politician whose name seems to have soured two centuries after his birth. While he was Canada’s first prime minister and the hometown hero of Kingston, Ontario, many around the country have begun thinking more about his treatment of the indigenous population than his weaving together four colonies to create the early stages of what is now the country I call home. This left me to wonder more about the man and his inner workings, pushing past the stories that came from scholastic history books. I thought that there would be no better place to look than eminent Canadian historian, Donald Crieghton, whose two volume biography of the man has been bandied about as one of the greatest pieces of Canadian political biography. Passing through the introduction, I did discover that these two books—written in the early to mid-1950s—apparently left out much of the controversial issues that Macdonald is being tarred with at present, more because Creighton did not feel they were issues or worth bemoaning. Still, looking into the life of the man who, until recently, bore the image on the Canadian ten-dollar bill and was a leading figure to bring Canada its formal independence, I thought it important to look deep and explore below the superficial levels to understand how Macdonald became the politician many knew him to be, as well as tackling some of his more controversial decisions throughout a long political career. Macdonald did not steer away from controversy, though one must ponder how pushing modern lenses to define greatness from long ago seems to make sense.
As a note to readers of this review: I will admit that, for some brevity’s sake, as I am tackling this massive tome that encapsulates both biographical volumes, I will not explore each in as much detail as I might had I been able to acquire them as two independent books. However, I will try to offer a summary and, should the reader wish to explore them, they can look to each volume independently for more thorough details of Macdonald’s life.
The Young Politician
Creighton opens the volume with a discussion of the Macdonald family in history, including early members of this Scottish clan who came to the British colony to set-up after England defeated the French and claimed the land for themselves. A young John Alexander Macdonald—having been born on January 11, 1815—made the trip with his family to Canada, where they settled in Kingston and began a fruitful life. Macdonald was a highly curious child, who attended school and excelled as best he could with the curriculum presented to him, but was not always challenged. His interest in things relating to history and legal led him to depart school at fifteen and begin articling in a law firm. There, Macdonald took up a great deal of study on financial laws, as the colonies were still trying to establish themselves with banks and the like. Working in Kingston, Macdonald was able to see politics brewing, with a legislature in Upper Canada (now Ontario) diligently pushing for laws to work within the British system, as Lower Canada (Quebec) did the same. There were many who argued the need to exert partial British control of the region, enough to ensure the North American colonies had a degree of independent thought and provisional power, which led to fiery rebellions in both Canadas. There soon developed a push to create a Canada-wide legislature where such decisions could be met with greater ease. It was at this time that Macdonald discovered his passion for all things political, only further exacerbated when Kingston was chosen as the first Seat of Government. Macdonald entered the fray, seeking to push his Conservative values in a parliament that was not only divided by political ideology, but those of a cultural nature (read: English and French). Still overseen by the British, Macdonald worked through the parliamentary process and fought battles on local issues, at times able to topple the sitting government from the opposition benches. As Macdonald became more adept at his craft, he married and had a child, though the tragedy of sickness in the mid-19th century paralysed him when the news of the little one’s death came to him. Torn between being a great husband and stellar politician, Macdonald tried to balance both, particularly when he saw a prize on the horizon. The banter with British governors who oversaw the parliament on a daily basis and the rumblings of political division in America led Macdonald to ponder if a formalised union of the Canadian colonies might be useful and propitious for all those involved. While the idea was strongly supported by the British—perhaps knowing the geographic distance of these massive colonies and their tranquil ability to run their own affairs—the individual colonies were not as eager to test the waters of independence. Both elected officials and the electorate offered mix sentiments when the idea was brought to them, though Macdonald was a firm believer in the idea and sought to grease palms and browbeat whenever the need arose to help strengthen his idea. Creighton depicts a strong-willed Macdonald doing whatever he could when holding the reins of power in Upper Canada (Canada West). With a precarious balance, Macdonald and other Canada delegates made their way to a Maritime conference with confederation on the agenda. Able to win over many of the easternmost delegates in September 1864, there followed a more formal convention in Quebec the following month, where the 72 resolutions to formalise an independent (confederation) came to the floor. Macdonald rushed the bill, soon named the British North America Act to the UK Parliament, where it was passed by British parliamentarians. With all the documentation in order, the Dominion of Canada was declared on July 1, 1867, paving the way for Macdonald to assume power over the new country and all its early wobbles.
The Old Chieftain
As the second volume opens, Macdonald has been overseeing the Dominion for a few months, happy with its progress. As Prime Minister, Macdonald is able to oversee much of the country’s progress, but is also keenly aware of its drawbacks. Creighton presents early in the piece that the Maritime provinces began to get cold feet soon after Confederation and sought a remedy to remove themselves from the mix. While not overly worried, Macdonald must face provincial politicians who want to dissolve the union as it stands, while also sending protest politicians to Ottawa in the form of Nova Scotia anti-confederationists. This sentiment is sure to pass and Macdonald does his best to wait out the skirmishes. Bracing for a new and forward Canada, the country looks to stand on its own feet, which includes creating treaties and setting longer-term policies. America becomes an early ally and treaties are drawn up. But Macdonald is also looking further East and West, wanting the Dominion to dominate. He welcomes Prince Edward Island into the mix, and has his eye on British Columbia, as well as the area formerly known as Rupertsland. Manitoba becomes a key player in the mix of Canada expanding westward, though there are still some wrinkles that must be flattened in order to bring about a successful union. Creighton speaks of Macdonald trying to hold the country together on two fronts—separate but equally important—an anti-free trade policy and rail transportation. As the biography continues, the reader discovers that Macdonald and his Conservative Government are keenly protectionist, seeking to strengthen Canada from within. While trade with the United States is feasible, it should not be done on the backs of Canadian farmers and other manufacturers. On the other hand, there must be a means to ship products with ease, as well as help redistribute the population, with railways being the most effective. Macdonald wrestles with his opponents, pushing an election promise to its limits, to ensure that the western portions of Canada are laden with track to facilitate easier travel from Ottawa out to Vancouver, with many stops in between. The major dust-ups that Macdonald faced brought him closer to old age and he contemplated retirement, but was soon faced with yet another crisis he did not wish to leave in the hands of others. The Northwest Rebellion, headed by Métis leader Louis Riel, was a form of protest by the indigenous populations about the seizing of their lands, as well as numerous other issues that Creighton does not list or explore in detail. Riel was eventually captured and Macdonald did not intervene with his trial or sentencing, permitting the man’s execution as a form of warning for others who thought it their place to rise up against the Government of Canada. Tired and ready to leave the public spotlight, Macdonald agreed to a final campaign in 1891, at the ripe age of 76. He had seen Canada through a great deal and was not ready to let her stand alone, or at least under the tutelage of other men. Creighton draws the biography to a close with a final campaign for John A., before a debilitating illness overtakes him in the late spring of 1891. Leaving an indelible mark on the country, Macdonald would leave a legacy not soon forgotten. A brilliant piece of work that encapsulates one of Canada’s best known historical figures. Highly recommended for the patient and curious reader who seeks to explore themselves, as well as Canada throughout the 19th century.
This was surely a fascinating exploration not only of John A. Macdonald, but also the coming together of the colonies before the formal union under Canadian Confederation. Donald Creighton does a fabulous job in his two volumes of depicting the man, the leader, and the new country as it came together to become the Dominion of Canada. Creighton pulls on so many instances in Macdonald’s life to develop a wonderful foundation for the man’s growth as a person and political figure, one who brought so much to Canada that it would seem foolish not to praise him—besides for his position as Canada’s first Prime Minister—though there are surely others who have come to find weaknesses that cannot be overlooked. Macdonald forged new pathways and helped to create lasting and well-founded constitutional documents that are still applicable today. Creighton shows the passion that Macdonald brought to his speeches, his leadership, and his dealing with others. While surely not a man who spent much time with his family—as there is little mention of them throughout the massive narrative—but when wife, children, or birth family do receive a paragraph, Creighton is sure to offer essential praise and provides the reader with the needed insight. As I mentioned earlier in the review, Creighton’s critics bemoan his lack of attention on the indigenous (Indian) issues throughout the development of Canada’s history. Creighton, himself, argues a lack of importance of this, which is surely where modern historians and protestors alike find great fault with the man. He did oversee early implementation of the Indian Act and the creation of residential schools as a means of assimilation, but none of that came out in this book. Shameful, I will agree, but I turn to my fellow readers (of the book and this review) to ask the following: do we judge our heroes based on their actions at the time or through the lens of today? Can all the praise and wonders that fell onto the shoulders of John A. Macdonald, leading to schools, streets, statues, scholarships, etc., be nullified because a twenty-first century revisiting of sentiments sour the past? Must all heroes and political leaders stand the test of time? Should flawlessness be key to being deemed heroic? So many questions filled my mind as I read Creighton’s massive tome, as I try to look through lenses of nineteenth, mid-twentieth, and early-twenty-first centuries in order to judge John A. Macdonald. Is there a single answer that supersedes all others?
Before I drown myself in introspection and bore the review reader, let me look at a few of the writing aspects of Donald Creighton’s work. These two massive tomes—more than 1,000 pages of narrative before notes and bibliography—offer a flood of information for the curious reader. Creighton’s dedication to the effort allows readers to feel as though they were watching Macdonald mature into a preeminent politician and world leader, at a time when he had few on which to base his decisions. As others have noted, Creighton injects not only the history into his writing, but also a strong sense of description, which adds depth and flavour to the narrative. From the opening pages of Volume One, the reader can picture the boat flowing down the St. Lawrence as the Macdonald clan arrived in their new land. Creighton does this throughout, helping to add a visual layer to an already politically rich story. Blood, sweat, and tears surely went into these volumes, which earned much praise at the time of their publication and, I would venture to say, remain stellar pieces some sixty years later. Canadian history may not be centuries long or as full of wild and crazy vignettes, but Creighton effectively argues that there is much to be said about the creation of the Dominion of Canada and its first political hero. John A. Macdonald is, like a fine scotch, surely not to everyone’s liking, but to be admired for some of its nuances.
Kudos, Mr. Creighton, for this powerful biography. I can see how modern folk would have issue with some of your depictions, as well as with your subject matter, but I cannot dismiss the publication or the man so quickly!
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