Father Lacombe by James G. MacGregor (review)

228 THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL REVIEW separation, andtheywerenotindulgingin xenophobia. They hopedto prodislanderstoreassert localcontroloverpolicyformulationandimplementation, torestore pridein, andefficiency to, small-scale production, andaboveall to turn awayfrom the panderingdependence upon tourism- whichendsup in ferry boatsbeing christened 'Vacationland' and'HolidayIsland.'Theirswasacallwhichstrikes sympathyeverywhere in theAtlanticprovinces, and PremierCampbellwaswisenotto dismiss themoutof hand.In Cornelius Howatt: Superstar. t.BagloleandWealehave collectedthe bestof the group'sarticles,letters,broadsides, pressreleases, and cartoons. It makesuproarious, butalsoserious andenduringreading.If it hadbeen done in Ontario, no inch of Canada would have heard the end of it. ErrolSharpe's APeople's History ofPrince Edward Island pursues manyofthesame themes. Hisnarrativehistory stretches fromtheaboriginal peoples tocontemporary struggles over land ownership, corporatefarming,and 'The Plan.'He hasused primarysources, buthedoesnotclaimtobewritingacademic history.Rather,hisisa popularhistorywithoutthe .moreusualtory or liberalslant.The effort is to be admired, but it is unlikelyto createthe stir amongits readerswhichL6andre Bergeronachievedwith hisPetitemanuel d'histoire du Qudbec. One reasonis that Sharpe isnotsocavalier withtheevidence; butitisalso truethathismarxism does not generate manyfreshinsights. On thenineteenth-century issues of landreformand confederation hisinterpretation doesnotsignificantly differ fromthatof a liberal nationalist. Withrespect tomodernconcerns, hesurveys thekindofexploitation to whichlittlepeoplein smallandpoorprovinces areespecially exposed, buthedoes notsatisfactorily provehisthesis that'}'.E.I.'S economic problem isreallyquitesimple. Situated asitisonthefringeofthehinterland inacolonial capitalist economy, itsfate under capitalism is always to be exploited,neverto be developed.' Nevertheless, Sharpe hasprovided aserious andreadable popularhistory oftheisland, andhehas notisolated itshistoryfromthebroaderCanadianandNorthAtlanticcontext. A seniorofficialin theGovernment of Canadarecently informedNewfoundland officials thattheirdesiretocontroloffshoreresource development constituted 'delusionsof grandeur.'This is the kind of patronizingand centralistattitude which wounds andangers onanational levelwhenitcomes fromWashington. A substantial bodyofCanadians isnowagreed thatthiscountrymustachieve a higherdegreeof self-determination thanit sought inthepast. Anyadvance inthatdirection islikelyto bemadeor brokenin thelargecities andpowerfulprovinces, butisqualitatively no less importantinthesmaller ones. Baglole, Weale,andSharpe havesomething tosay to Canadians aboutthis,andtheyshouldbe read.Thosefashionable people'upalong ' whoprofess anadmiration forSchumacher's Small isBeautiful might gain some credence if theydid. DAVID ALEXANDER Memorial University ofNewfoundland Father Lacombe. JAMES G.MAC GREGOR. Edmonton. Hurtig, •975.PP.35ø.illus.$•o.oo. Goodpopularhistory isarareenoughcommodity inCanada.Canheroes and'good myths'becreatedand preserved withoutturningto legendandunreality? Can a REVIEWS 229 largeaudience bereached withoutover-simplifying andromanticizing? JamesG. MacGregor's Father Lacombe mustbeviewed withinthiscontext. Thisistheengineerturned -historians' fourteenthbookonAlbertaandtheNorthwest, and,althoughnot asgoodashisVilniZemli: theUkrainian Settlement ofAlberta, it gives ahighlyreadable account ofLacombe's sixty-seven years asmissionary, tribalpeacemaker, beggar, and diplomat.The author'savowedaim is to add to the somewhat one-dimensional narratives of KatherineHughesandothers 'theslightly differentpointof viewof a Protestant admirer.'If onlybecause he includes an appreciation of the work of pioneerProtestant missionaries suchasRobertRundleandJohnMcDougall, and because heunderlines theproblem ofcompeting denominations fortheloyalty ofthe Indians,MacGregor adds animportant perspective totheearlieraccounts. Hisuse of the Hudson'sBay Companyarchivesand the Fort Edmontonjournals fills out importantdetails. The authorrightlyfocuses onthefamous Oblate's optimism and restless energy,whichledtoaremarkableseries of newschemes andprojects. At the sametime MacGregormakesit clearthatLacombe's headstrong naturemadehim hardtolivewith,andmayhavehurtless energetic people alongtheway. Butthebookhasmanyweaknesses, someof themmorethanminor.If popular history cannotbe expected to breaknewground,it surelymustavoidglaring inaccuracies andtakeaccount of majorpoints of existing research. In histreatment of the •896federalelection MacGregor hasMackenzie BowellappearasLaurier's opponent; Charles Tupperisnotevenmentioned. In describing the failureof colonization schemes forFrenchCanadians in thewesttheauthorgives nohintofthe pointestablished byA.I. Silver - thatsome of theblamemustbeattributed tothe hesitant toneof promotion adopted byLacombe andArchbishop Tach•,aneffort paleincomparison withtheglowing campaigns being carried oninOntario. Moretroublingisthebook's ambivalent stance towardthenativepeoples. MacGregoroftenidentifies withLacombe's sympathy fortheIndians andM•tis,butit mustbewondered howfarhehasmoved fromclassic paternalism whenhespeaks of 'establishing abridgehead ofcivilization inthemidst ofalmost unlimited barbarism.' And,although thequestion clearly must beasked inthecontext ofhisowntime,how far didLacombe himself escape thisattitude? Symbolized bytheextraordinary '½•,R-president-for-an-hour' luncheon presented inthemissionary's honour inCalgaryin •883,byStephen, Smith, Angus andVanHorne,thedilemma ofLacombe's position couldhardlyhavebeenmoresharply underlined. Whose agenthadhe become? Washe the softener of blowsfor the government and therailway,with crumbsconceded tothenatives (andthechurch),or did heindeedgetthebestof an inevitably badbargain forCrowfoot andthethreatened tribes? Anddidnotsome of Lacombe's verysuccess among theIndiansandM•tisrestuponforces quiteindependent ofhisundoubted talents? It maybetoomuch toexpect inaworksuch asthis, butthebookdoesnotraisethese questions. MacGregor's style, though generally appealing, includes anumber offlowery and datedphrases. Indians are'feather-bedecked,' fatehasa'bottomless vortex.' 'lonely perambulations,' areriskedat night,a problem becomes a 'prettykettleof fish,'a portionof a trainride isdescribed as'sweeping downthisvalleyor overyonder ridge.'Andthereisanoccasional disconcerting switch frompast topresent tense. Katherine Hughes madeLacombe appear largerthanlife.It isdisappointing that 230 THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL REVIEW opportunitiesfor wider revisions are not exploitedin MacGregor'saccount, asthey arein GeorgeWoodcock's Gabriel Dumont, published byHurtig in a similarpopular biography.But Albert Lacomberemainsa remarkableCanadian,and this fresh remembering of hislife willbewelcomed byawideaudience. PAUL CRUNICAN University ofWestern Ontario TheNorth...