A Gentleman of Strathcona: Alexander Cameron Rutherford by Douglas R. Babcock (review)

222 THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL REVIEW suchasCanada's toughstance onnuclearmaterialcontrols or theremarksof JulesL/•gerwhenpresenting hiscredentials (•9o) asambassador to France. The Pearson visit as seen from Paris, where I was stationed at the time as permanentrepresentative to NATO, did nothingto divertde Gaullefrom his predetermined course. Whileit istrue thatPearson did notattemptto actas brokerbetween the UnitedStates and France,he did hopeto persuade de Gaulle that Canadians on the whole did not 'share the fears of some that America willseek todominate theworld;or Europe'(•8•). Mostcertainly he couldnot acceptthat Canadashouldbe usedasa foil to manifestFrench independence of America in foreignpolicy. Twoincidents demonstrated how difficultFranco-Canadian relations hadbecome because ofGaullist prejudices and,perhaps, Canadianinnocence or insensibility. Atthestate banquet attheElysee Palace, President deGaulle, inproposing a toast tohisguest, madethenotable gaffereferredtobyProfessor Girard(• 78) in speaking of thespecial bondswith'Notrepeupleinstall/• auCanada.' The primeminister, departing fromhisFrench textprepared inadvance, spoke of 'noscanadiens mortspour la Francependantdeux guerresmondialeset interr/•s enFrance.' DeGaullenoddedhisassent, presumably tothejusticeof Pearson's spontaneous response, but nonetheless on takingleaveof his Canadianguestsaid:'Enfinvous•tesAmerican'! Canadian rationale forsupporting NATO astheframework ofourtraditional trianglewasto receivea serious setback whende Gaulledecidedto withdraw from NAYO'S military commitments followingthe Cuban missilecrisis.De Gaulle took exceptionto the idea that French naval units shouldhave participatedin the precautionarymeasuresdecidedupon by President Kennedy andAmericancommanders, including alerts,withouttheexpress authorizationof the presidentof France.From then on, only the French president wasgoingtoactivate anymilitaryactioninvolving France. Professor Girard's conclusion isthat'themost important aspect ofCanada's foreignrelations duringtheseyears,aboveall because of itsimpacton the futureofconfederation, was therelationship withFrance' (346).It isindealing withthiscomplexissue(Chapter4: 'The Other MotherCountry')that she shows thegreatest understanding andhistorical insight, characteristics which illuminate thewholestudy. Gv•OI•GV• IGNAYIV•I•I• University ofToronto A Gentleman ofStrathcona: Alexander Cameron Rutherford. DOUGLAS R.BABCOCK. Occasional Paperno 8, HistoricSitesService.Edmonton,AlbertaCulture, Historical Resources Division, •98o.Pp.xii, •o3,illus. Douglas R.Babcock's biographical essay onthefirstpremierofAlbertaisone of thosesober,clearlywrittenenterprises whose thoroughresearch necessi- REVIEWS 223 tatessomerepetition,whichunder other auspices mightbe an acceptable master's thesis. The RutherfordPapersareapparentlyneitherextensive nor rich, for references to them are heavilyoutnumberedby citations to other sources, particularly newspapers. The subject, onemorewestern politician of Scottish ancestry whose familystopped off inOntario,enjoyed alifeunmarred byspectacular courtcases ('hedefended, usually withsuccess, people charged withoffences such asstealing oats, setting prairiefires,cattlestealing, stabbing, abduction andindecentassault,' 19)or politicalstorms. Ascasually ashebecame president ofseveral athletic clubs, Rutherfordwas chosen leaderof thelocalLiberalpartyjustbeforeAlberta's creation, andthe federalselection of a Liberalaslieutenant-governor madehisassumption of thepremiership inevitable. He fellfromgrace, although nominally backed by an overwhelming majority,because by 191o his handlingof a transaction involving theAlbertaandGreatWaterways Railway 'displayed negligence and gullibility'(63). 'Almostas passively as he had acquiredit,' the author concludes, Rutherford'letthepowerofhighofficeslipawayfromhim'(67).In lateryears,stillclaimingto bea Liberal,heworkedfor theConservatives. There,perhaps, isacluetoamystery: whydidAlbertaandSaskatchewan, hatched fromthesame spacious egg,growintosuch differentcreatures? The more easterlystartedoff led by partisanLiberal scrappers; Alberta got Rutherford. (Later Alberta'sfirst university,whichhe founded,got him as chancellor, andSaskatchewan's gotDiefenbaker.) In bothprovinces thenature of the governingparty and itsleaderhelpedmouldtheir ownoppositions. Rutherford,thisbooksuggests, wasnotallthatinterested in hisownparty. That maydoRutherfordaninjustice whichabroaderbase of sources could remedy.Certainlytheauthorhasfullyexploitedwhathehad:thebook,after devotingninety-twopagesto Rutherford,allotsforty-seven to the family mansion and itsfurnishings. At perhapsthe firstreceptionin it, the author records withthesame inscrutable objectivity hegives toRutherford's downfall, the librarywasdecoratedwith asters,the dining-roomwith pink sweetpeas (lO4). NORMAN WARD University ofSaskatchewan TheCanadian Career ofthe Fourth EarlofMinto:the Education ofaViceroy. CARMAN MmLtR. Waterloo,Wilfrid Laurier UniversityPress,198o.Pp.xiv, •'•'5,illus. $9.•o. Gilbert JohnElliot-Murray-Kynynmonnd, 1845-1914,who,asLordMelgund, was, from 1883to 1885,militarysecretary toLordLansdowne, and,from 1898 to 19o 4, himselfgovernorgeneralof Canada,hasbeen,ProfessorMiller contends, avictimof themakersof Canadianmythology. JohnBuchan,alater GovernorGeneral,presentedMinto (•,) asa Tory democrat,'a viceroywho ...