Canada's Rumrunners: Incredible Adventures and Exploits During Canada's Illicit Liquor Trade

Geoff Hamilton is a Killam Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of
British Columbia.

This book looks at Canadian rum-running during America’s Prohibition
Era (1920–33). The author provides a concise history of liquor
production, distribution, and prohibition in both Canada and the United
States, then moves on to describe a number of notorious figures involved
in the smuggling of large quantities of alcohol across the border. He
demonstrates clearly that “America would have been a much drier place
during Prohibition if Canadians had not rushed to the aid of their
neighbours,” and that “this could not have happened to the extent it
did without the support of the Canadian government and two families, the
Bronfmans and the Hatches.” The book includes a short bibliography and
several black-and-white photographs.

Montague’s style is appropriately spirited, and the book is full of
genuinely intriguing material. From descriptions of the landmark court
cases that cleared the way for Canadians to export alcohol southward, to
the border battles with American law enforcement, to the importance of
rum-running in establishing the fortunes of prominent Canadian families,
readers are given an entertaining overview of some of the most important
protagonists. Among the most memorable stories is that relating to the
existence of a purported underwater pipeline between Windsor and
Detroit: “In the Detroit River, a small jut of rock on the American
side harboured a small lighthouse and its keeper’s shack. Rumrunners
ran a cable under the river from there to Windsor, built a large steel
container, equipped both ends with motor-driven winches, loaded the
container with whiskey, and hit the switches.” Those looking for an
accessible introduction to Canadian rum-running will find this book of
interest.