Canada-1892: Portrait of Promised Land

Kristopher Churchill is a Ph.D. candidate in history at York University.

Written in anticipation of the 125th anniversary of Confederation in
1992, this beautifully produced, respectably written, and lavish tome is
intended for a general audience. With the text based exclusively on
familiar secondary sources, however, professional historians will
probably content themselves with a brief examination of the delightful
(juxtaposed) contemporary and period photographs and illustrations.

Newman argues that “in the history of every country there comes a
pivotal moment when its urban future overtakes its rural past.” For
Newman, that moment was 1892, and he takes the reader on an east-west
guided tour of major Canadian cities, portraying, as did Donald
Creighton, “character and circumstance” on the brink of profound
change.

As we might expect, Newman is at his best describing the opulent,
powerful few; the majority are afforded a small role. The author also
includes glimpses of groups like the Plains Indians and Chinese
laborers, both pressed into marginal positions by the dominant
anglo-majority. Underlying this darker side runs a seam of tension
between English and French Canada, divided along religious and language
lines.

Having acknowledged these warts, the tone of the book remains
optimistic, even triumphant. This is history written from the
“establishment” down. As inthe conservative nation-building accounts
of Confederation in the 1960s, Canada is portrayed as a survivor, at
times constrained by the burden of its past, but poised on the edge of
inevitable greatness. While Newman’s portrait of the nation-state
provides a comfortable vision, it never fully addresses the complexities
of region, class, gender, and ethnicity.

Technically, this book has some blemishes. Standard accounts of
modernization use more quantifiable economic data and usually begin with
the ascent of the Liberal Party under Laurier, two factors that make
1896 a more satisfying starting point. Those who recognize marketing
strategy will concede Newman this stretch. Others, while appreciating
the author’s attempt to include women in the historical record, will
question a full-fledged women’s movement as early as 1892. Those who
study popular culture will be disappointed, as Newman deals with
avant-garde, not majority, culture.

All in all, an attractive presentation that will grace the coffee
tables of Newman’s targeted audience, if not the shelves of serious
scholars.