Canada: An Illustrated History

William A. Waiser is a professor of history at the University of
Saskatchewan. He is the author of Saskatchewan’s Playground: A History
of Prince Albert National Park and Park Prisoners: The Untold Story of
Western Canada’s National Parks, 1915–1946

Writing a general history of Canada is no easy chore. Canada is a
complicated country, and trying to provide a comprehensive yet balanced
account has defeated even the most experienced scholars. Derek Hayes is
the latest to take up the challenge. Building on a series of successful
historical atlases, he has turned his geographical talents to the larger
story of Canada. He both succeeds and fails.

As one might expect from Hayes’s past work, Canada: An Illustrated
History is a richly illustrated book full of great colour portraits,
wonderful archival photographs, and other diverse illustrative material.
The work also deals with lesser-known aspects of Canadian history,
taking full advantage of the recent writing on race, class, and gender.
And whereas other general histories have given short shrift to the
pre-Confederation era, Hayes devotes a little more than half the book to
the earlier period.

The book’s less-successful aspect is the treatment accorded
Canada’s Native peoples. Aboriginals, Metis, and Inuit are part of the
unfolding story, but only until the late 19th century. Once the 1885
North-West Rebellion has been stamped out, Native people seem to become
irrelevant and are never really heard from again. Indeed, Hayes even
misses the chance to mention the largest mass hanging in
post-Confederation history when eight warriors were publicly put to
death for their part in the 1885 troubles. Equally unsatisfactory is the
author’s handling of the post–World War II period. Only one chapter
is devoted to the past 60 years, and many issues, events, and themes are
examined superficially, if at all.

In the final assessment, though, the book will delight those readers
who prefer a heavy dose of illustrations with their history.