Northern Visions: New Perspectives on the North in Canadian History

David W. Leonard is the project historian (Northern Alberta) in the
Historic Sites and Archives Service, Alberta Community Development. He
is the author of Delayed Frontier: The Peace River Country to 1909 and
co-author of The Lure of the Peace River Coun

Proposed new approaches toward the understanding of Canada’s North is
the underlying theme of this book of historical essays. Drawing heavily
from W.L. Morton’s famous dictum that Canada is best understood
through its nordicity (he is cited seven times), 13 historians of
varying backgrounds present their respective cases for a greater
awareness of the North. Most essays are strictly conceptual, and all
suggest that alternative approaches, or “analytical tools,” should
be brought into play when considering the North and its past. Mary-Ellen
Kelm examines the recent historiography of the First Nations, while
Shelagh Grant advises on new directions for the study of Inuit history.
Aileen Espiritu speculates on northern Natives in Russian history. Kerry
Abel explores the example of the “provincial North” of Ontario,
while Nancy Forestell urges that more work needs to be done on women in
the provincial norths in general. Stephen Haycox offers the comparative
conceptual framework of Alaska.

Some essays offer alternative paradigms of approach, some of them
challenging, others obvious. Charlene Porsild suggests that “New
Angles of Repose” can be found in the study of individual northern
communities in a national context, while Ken Coates and William Morrison
challenge historians to consider winter as a backdrop of understanding.
Bill Waiser proposes that northern history has always been affected by
the phenomenon of distance. The longest essay, and the only one to
incorporate a narrative approach, is by David Neufeld, who offers a good
overall review of the “Commemoration of the North” by the activities
of Parks Canada. The series concludes with a historiographic
autobiography by Bruce Hodgins.

In their introduction, the editors lament that “while other northern
countries celebrate their nordicity, Canada tends to shy away from its
northern realities.” This is unfortunate in that many around the world
view Canadians in a positive light because of these realities. Our
self-perception, however, may be changing.