Douglas McCalla – författare
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Although the great majority of Canadians lived in rural communities until the early 1900s, rural life has often been dismissed as marginal to the country’s economic development. Not a Simpler Time challenges this view, arguing that the strategies, skills, and work of rural families were the backbone of the economy. In making this case, Douglas McCalla illustrates how established narratives can constrain new approaches to the past.The book highlights the complexities of rural economies in early Canada, showing that the growth of the colonies that joined Confederation in 1867 relied far more on agriculture than on natural resources – a reality overlooked by proponents of the enduring staples thesis. Building on this argument, McCalla revises old stories: neither the timing nor the character of Ontario’s economic growth stemmed from natural resources; the emergence of a new economic core in the colonies contradicts the perception that they were essentially an imperial periphery; and the First World War did not, in fact, transform the economy as often imagined.That a focus on natural resources still dominates accounts of economic growth in Canada underscores the book’s broader theme: recognizing the limits of older evidence and embracing new approaches will deepen historical understanding. Bringing together two decades of McCalla’s scholarship, Not a Simpler Time will spark debate while offering an indispensable resource for Canadian historians.
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Based in Glasgow and Toronto and later Hamilton, the trading business of Peter and Isaac Buchanan became one of Canada’s largest. The crash of 1857, which abruptly ended an Upper Canadian boom, brought its growth to a halt, and increasing financial problems led to its failure in 1867 and gain in 1872. This history of success and failure reveals much about the Anglo-Canadian trading system and the Upper Canadian economy of the period. The Buchanans’ timing was excellent in 1834 they began operations in Glasgow and Toronto, early in the prolonged era of growth which by the mid-1850s had transformed Upper Canada from a frontier wilderness to a relatively developed agricultural society. In 1840 they added a large branch in Hamilton. Over the years a number of new partners were admitted, and branches were established in Montreal, New York, Liverpool, and London (Canada West). By 1845 the firm dealt in all the major categories of the colony’s imports. By 1856 Peter’s and Isaac’s initial capital had increased sixteen fold, and the total capital of all partners exceeded £360,000.The business’s rapid rise indicates something of the processes, extent, and timing of Upper Canadian business and economic development. It also exemplifies the workings of the British export trade, notably Glasgow’s role, and it clearly illustrates the significance of the metropolitan rivalries of the era. The workings of the international credit system are central to the story. And its failure is equally indicative of the changes in the commercial environment after the boom years.The Buchanans were also significant historical figures. Isaac Buchanan is well known for his career in politics and his many writings on economic issues. His brother played a vital role in promoting the Great Western Railroad of Canada in Britain. Drawing on the voluminous Buchanan Papers in the Public Archives of Canada, this book illuminates a key period in Canada’s economic and historical development.