Eastern and Western Perspectives: Papers from the Joint Atlantic Canada/Western Canadian Studies Conference ed. by David Jay Bercuson, and Phillip A. Buckner (review)

REVIEWS 285 uloushistorical account. The bookshouldappealtostudents of politics andto interested local readers. Daweargues thatthepolitical development of OxfordCountywasshaped by land settlement, thatlandpolicywaspolitical.He believes, but doesnotreally explain,that thischangedwith localelectiveinstitutions in •849 and railway development in the •85os.The bookstops, ratherabruptly,in •853,ostensibly because of thesechanges. In fact,thebookstops because electoral boundaries werechanged after •85x(88),andtheauthorclosely identifies withchanges in politicaladministration or framework.Earlier,for example,he hadclaimed thattheproclamation of BrockTownship in •839 'madefor thestartof a new day'(6•). Thiscanbeeffective, as,for example, inthe•83oswhenhetiedlocalaristocraticcontrolof the machineryof localgovernment to developments on the provincialscene. Nonetheless, the provincial scene intrudestoomuchandis assumed to haveexplanatorypower.A particularlyimpressive aspect of the bookisitsuseof political pollbooks, andthedevelopment of mapstoshowthe distribution of voters for the several candidates. His conclusions are too modest - candidates tendto drawstrongest supportclosest to their homes.This, he assumes, reflects local6liteleadership bymagistrates andmerchants. The Scottishness of Zorraisnotedatseveral points. There isstillmoreroom,though,to explorethehopesandfears,andthebackground of individuals andgroups. Eventhoughthe bookentices the browser,it isnot easyreading.For one thingDawemoves tooabruptlyfromonesubject toanother.Forexample,after aparagraph withreferences from •837to•843,anewparagraph begins 'It was at aboutthistime;whichturnsout tobe1844(7•). Still thisis an admirableand accuratelittle bookthat attemptswith some success toblendthelocalandtheprovincial. V. LWOOD jo•v.s TrentUniversity Eastern andWestern Perspectives: Papers fromthe Joint Atlantic Canada/Western CanadianStudies Conference. EditedbyDAVID JAYBERCUSON andPHILLIPA. BUCKNER. Toronto,University of TorontoPress, •98•. Pp.xii, •7. $•5.oocloth,$•o.oo paper. Thisbookincorporates tenof twenty-seven papersfromcombined sessions of the Atlantic Canada Studies Conference and the Western Canada Studies Conferenceheldin Fredericton andCalgaryin •978.The logistics of thesegatheringswerecomplicated but'regionalpride'forbade'asingle combined meeting in centralCanadaat Torontoor Ottawa.'Happily,this prohibitiondid not extendto a Universityof TorontoPress impri•nt. The editorsoffer in their Prefacea livelydefenceof the country's flourishing'regionalstudies.' 'Local and regionalthemes'are now studiedin Canadaas 'endsin themselves; a 286 THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL REVIEW transformation saidtohaveevokedamongsome a'reaction...bothpredictable andemotional.' Furtherexposition ofthispointwouldhavebeenwelcomed by thisreader,buttheeditorsareonsuregroundintheircomment 'thatCanadian studies will gain,not lose,througha greaterunderstanding of the regional dimension.' The firsteightpapersthatfollowarenicelypaired.The lateRobertPainchaud 'ssensitivecommentary explores 'the strategiesfor survivance' the Franco-Canadian communitiesof theWesthavefollowedsince•945- George F.G.Stanley's contribution, theworkofamaster, offersacomprehensive interpretationof Acadianhistoryandwillfinditswayontomanyreadinglists. The papersof E.R. Forbesand LewisG. Thomasallowfor a usefulcomparison of Maritimeandwestern historiography. Forbes celebrates theemergence from the'badold days'of our historical writingwhengraduatestudies were'under thecontrolof a few"great"men in oneor twocentralCanadianuniversities.' LewisThomas's more light-heartedapproachisespecially interestingfor its account of 'thefirst generation of university historians in the west... immigrantslivingand writingin an immigrantsociety.' Solidcontributions follow fromT.W.Acheson ontheStJohnmerchant community, •82o-5o,andAlanF.J. Artibiseon prairie ubandevelopment. J. Murray Beck's explorationof the political cultureof theAtlanticregiondrawsonhisintimateknowledge of the folkways of theMaritimes,whileDavidSmith's complementary paperon the Westadvances the argumentthat multiculturalism isan 'affront' to descendantsof 'non-English,non-French'westerners. Gerald Friesen's account of prairiefictionstands verywellbyitselfbutanAtlanticcounterpartwouldhave beenuseful.The lateDavidAlexander's analysis of 'economic growthin the Atlanticregion, •88o-•94o' typifieshisbreadthand lastingcontributionto Canadianletters.Hispaper,togetherwiththose of E.R.Forbes andT.W.Acheson ,are reprintedwith minoreditorialchanges from Acadiensis. There isno index. Here, then, is a livelyand informedvolume,thoughone withouta coherent theme. Pw,zEi• •^i•¾ University ofWestern Ontario Canadian Official Publications. old^ B.BISHOP. Guidesto OfficialPublications, IX.Toronto,Oxford Univesity Press/Pergamon Press, •98•. Pp.x, •'97.$4•.oo Olga Bishophasan acknowledged reputationfor her teachingandbibliographical research in the fieldof officialCanadiangovernmentpublications. Her previous booksincludePublications oftheGovernments ofNovaScotia, Prince Edward Island, NewBrunswick, 1758-1952 (•957)andPublications ofthe Government ofthe Province ofCanada, 1841-1867 (!963).Her currentbook,whichisvolume9 of thePergamon series of Guides toOfficial Publications, dealswiththefederal governmentof Canada. ...