Sir John A. Macdonald: And The Apocalyptic Year 1885

Witness to Yesterday (The Champlain Society Podcast on Canadian History)

Greg Marchildon speaks with Patrice Dutil about his book, Sir John A. Macdonald - And The Apocalyptic Year 1885. In 1885, Sir John A. Macdonald faced a series of unprecedented challenges during his long political career. These included threats to Canada's sovereignty, armed resistance in the North-West, food insecurity among Indigenous peoples, a financial crisis jeopardizing the Canadian Pacific Railway, protests against Chinese immigration, nationalist dissent in Quebec, a devastating smallpox epidemic in Montreal, and opposition to expanding voting rights. Political historian Patrice Dutil examines how Macdonald, at the height of his powers, managed these crises, stabilized his government, and helped secure the future of Canada. Patrice Dutil is the author or editor of a dozen books, and a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University. He founded and edited the Literary Review of Canada and led the Champlain Society for seven years and used to be a host on Witness to Yesterday. Dutil is a senior fellow at the Bill Graham Centre and the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. His works include Ballots and Brawls: The 1867 Canadian General Election and Prime Ministerial Power in Canada (co-edited with Roger Hall). Image Credit: Simon & Schuster If you like our work, please consider supporting it: bit.ly/support_WTY. Your support contributes to the Champlain Society’s mission of opening new windows to directly explore and experience Canada’s past.