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Tighten Your Lines and Hang On!You’re in for quite a ride! There is simply no other race like it. The Calgary Stampede’s Rangeland Derby brings together a unique community of men, women and horses for the toughest teamster competition in the world! In 2023, the Rangeland Derby celebrates its 100th anniversary. Every summer for 10 decades, drivers and outriders with their horses and wagons have dashed, yelled and thundered around Calgary’s racetrack. Craving excitement and speed, cowboys and their horses have stoked their version of hell on wheels, creating an electrifying uniquely western event.This book takes its hat off to this incomparable contest and gallops into the lives, stories and true tall tales of the men and women in a community that has no equal.The Calgary Stampede is the Super Bowl of chuckwagon racing. Chuckwagon races originated on the western plains, and nowhere else in the world are they held on the same scale as in Calgary. Here the best drivers and horses compete for the sport’s richest prizes.To compete, every contending cowboy relies upon their family to support their avid racing passion. Working, playing and laughing, the involvement of entire families is rare in any pro sport, but it has always been this way in chuckwagon racing. They share a rare lineage as many families trace their involvement in decades or generations.

John George Kootenai Brown could boast countless adventures: serving in the British Army in India, hunting buffalo on the plains of Manitoba, riding Pony Express for the U.S. Army and fighting as a staunch conservationist in the region that eventually became Waterton Lakes National Park. Follow along in this exciting account of his incredible exploits.

From California's 49ers to the Klondikers in the Yukon, men and women with a lust for fortune and adventure stampeded to the gold fields of the West. All the biggest gold rushes of the 19th-century frontier are recounted in this exciting volume.

A tribute to the courageous chiefs and warriors who fought to protect their people and preserve the Native way of life in the face of European expansion across North America: · Sequoyah, a Cherokee who invented a system of writing for his people · Sitting Bull, the powerful warrior and spiritual leader of the Lakota Sioux who doggedly fought white incursions on Sioux land · Chief Joseph, who led the Nez Perce on a heroic and doomed flight to freedom · Louis Riel, who was hanged as a traitor after fighting to protect Métis rights · Red Cloud, who fought with Sitting Bull to prevent settlers from crossing Sioux lands · Quanah Parker, the last great chief of the Comanche.

The North-West Mounted Police was created in 1873 by Prime Minister John A. Macdonald in order to allow the fledgling nation of Canada to assert its authority over a vast tract of land in the West purchased from the Hudson's Bay Company. That early company of mounted police faced a brutal four-month march across a harsh wilderness. Colonel George French, Major James Macleod, Private Frederick Bagley and the rest of the North-West Mounted Police rode through prairie storms and faced down hostile Natives, starvation, thirst and disease on an epic journey that reduced the proud embodiment of Imperial Britain to a ragtag band of men on the brink of death. These intrepid men not only survived but soon asserted their authority over the renegades that fuelled the West's wild whiskey trade. They then negotiated treaties on behalf of the Canadian government with First Nations tribes and kept Sitting Bull and the Sioux from bringing their war to the Canadian West. This book recounts the remarkable achievements of the police force that would eventually become the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

More chronicles of renowned Native leaders who grappled with the catastrophic arrival of foreigners on their soil, and the measures they took to protect their people: · Tecumseh, the Shawnee leader who tried to unite all tribes into a single alliance · Geronimo, who fought to keep his people's homeland in New Mexico · Crowfoot, the Blackfoot who made not war but treaty with the Canadian government · Crazy Horse, the Sioux war chief who commanded his warriors against General George Custer and the Seventh Cavalry · Wovoka, the Paiute prophet who gave the Ghost Dance to his people · Plenty Coup, a Crow chief who fought with the Americans and tried to bring the two cultures together.

This is the story of the great Oglala Sioux war chief who joined forces with Sitting Bull to keep the Black Hills and other traditional Sioux lands free of white settlers. This is the story of the great Oglala Sioux war chief who joined forces with Sitting Bull to keep the Black Hills and other traditional Sioux lands free of white settlers. Crazy Horse and his warriors were key figures in the defeat of George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, a victory that left Crazy Horse a hunted man. Read this riveting account of the life and death of the legendary warrior whose legacy remains as monumental as the Crazy Horse Memorial now being carved out of a mountain in the Black Hills.

The history of western Canada has its share of disasters, both natural and man-made. The devastation, the loss of life and the courage in the face of adversity make for powerful and poignant stories that are well told in this collection by bestselling author Tony Hollihan. Among them: · In the early morning hours of April 29, 1903, 30-million cubic metres of limestone fell from the face of Turtle Mountain, burying part of the town of Frank, Alberta, and killing an estimated 70 people · Not far from the Frank slide and just seven years later, the Bellevue coal mine disaster claimed the lives of 30 men · Manitoba's Red River has brought disaster many times in the form of mighty floods but never more savagely than when more than 100,000 Winnipeg residents were forced from their homes in 1950 · In March of 1941, a massive blizzard swept across the Prairies, killing 76 people. These accounts and many more make Disasters of Western Canada a must-read for those with a penchant for powerful human dramas and our own colourful history.

This book recounts many of Ontario's worst disasters, both natural and manmade. Among them are the American burning of Toronto in 1812, the Honeymoon Bridge disaster at Niagara Falls in 1938, the Mississauga train derailment of 1979 and the ice storm of 1998.

The east coast of Canada has borne witness to some of the country's worst disasters, in part because of the wild waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Nova Scotia journalist Vernon Oickle recounts the great tragedies of the region, from the Ocean Ranger oil rig disaster off Newfoundland to the Swissair Flight 111 crash near Peggy's Cove, and many more.

From commercials for MatchBox cars to the King of the World and beyond, Leonardo DiCaprio began his acting career on the sound stage of the children's program Romper Room. Although unceremoniously kicked off the show for bad behavior at age five, he knew early on that acting on film was his lifelong dream, and he is now one of the hottest properties in Hollywood. Colin MacLean, entertainment journalist extraodinaire, takes an in-depth, intimate look at the friendly, outgoing, open young man from East Hollywood who never asked to be every young girl's pin-up. Using personal observations from Leo and those around him, MacLean shows how the actor was almost destroyed by his sudden plunge into fame and how he overcame his image as a lightweight playboy. Following the worldwide phenomenon of James Cameron's Titanic, he has proven his ability and continuing box-office clout in films with such distinguished directors as Steven Spielberg in Catch Me If You Can and Martin Scorsese in Gangs of New York and the much-touted The Aviator.

Canada has its own fascinating history of cloak-and-dagger, as you'll discover in this entertaining book by bestselling author and journalist Peter Boer. Canada's most famous spy was William Stephenson, the man called Intrepid. The Winnipeg-born businessman supplied the British with important information on the growing German war machine in the 1930s and went on to head the office of British Security Coordination. It was Stephenson who created a top-secret spy school on the shores of Lake Ontario known only as Camp X. Agents came from all over the western world to be trained in the latest techniques and technologies of the spymasters. This book includes a multitude of fascinating tales of espionage: - Igor Gouzenko was a Russian diplomat who defected to the West with a bundle of classified Soviet documents o Codenamed Long Knife - RCMP officer James Morrison was a man whose love of the good life motivated him to betray his country and the identity of one of the Security Service's most important double agents. - Werner Alfred Waldemar von Janowski was a German agent dropped off on Canada's Gaspé peninsula by a U-boat during World War II with a mission of identifying targets for attack. Unfortunately for Janowski, he was captured on his first day in the country and soon found himself caught in the ultimate spy game--playing a double agent. - John Watkins was Canada's ambassador to the Soviet Union at the height of Cold War hostilities. Watkins also was a homosexual, a fact the KGB tried to use to blackmail him. - Hugh Hambleton was born of an influential family in Ottawa's diplomatic community and worked as an interrogator and intelligence officer for the Allies in World War Two. However, Hugo found his post-war career as an economics student failed to provide him with the attention and excitement he craved. He found what he was looking for as a spy for the Soviet Union o Today Canada has its own ultra-secret anti-terrorist squad known as Joint Task Force Two. This new and elite commando unit has cut its teeth with anti-sniping operations in Bosnia, providing military escorts for Canadian dignitaries abroad, and taking part in special forces operations in Afghanistan.

Canadian Crimes and Capers is a rascal-laden romp through the annals of our nation's criminal history that demonstrates you'll find good and bad in any country. Here are some of the evil-doers you'll meet between the covers of this fascinating book: Edwin Alonzo Boyd, dashing and clever veteran of World War II, was also a bold bank robber who became notorious for his sensational escapes from the Don Jail. Hilda Blake earned notoriety as the only Manitoba woman ever to die by the hangman's noose after the Brandon housemaid shot her mistress twice in the back. The Black Donnellys, a fierce family of Irish immigrants, feuded for 20 years with their neighbours in Lucan, Ontario, until a cold winter's night in 1880 when a bloody slaughter brought the fight to an end Dr. John Schneeberger tried to escape conviction by cutting open his arm and inserting a tube of blood to confound police with bogus blood tests . Mad Trapper Albert Johnson led the RCMP on a wild 50-day chase and shoot-out across the Yukon wilderness before the Mounties got their man . Billy Miner charmed the folks of Mission, BC, with his refined manners and cultivated speech, while at the same time pulling off Canada's first train robberies right under their noses . Bank manager Nick Lysyk embezzled over $16 million from a Bank of Montreal branch in Edmonton. When he was caught the money had disappeared on big houses, fast women and even faster cars. ...and there's yet more murder and mayhem to be found in Canadian Crimes and Capers.

One of Canada's best-kept secrets is the amazing list of inventions, both great and ridiculous, that were created by Canadians! Author Lisa Wojna celebrates Canuck ingenuity and tells the stories behind an array of innovations. From the space shuttle's Canadarm to the electron microscope, Canadians can lay claim to many creations. Some have changed our world for the better; others are just wonderfully weird. Great Ideas · telephone · goalie mask · standard time · Superman · snowmobile · kayak · insulin · zipper · Robertson screw · egg carton · snowshoe · paint roller · basketball What were they thinking? · disposable ship · mechanical skirt lifter · Earth Paper · rocking chair butter churn · square bullets · synchronized swimming · salmon leather · jolly jumper · poutine · cylinder boat · 3-D jigsaw puzzle. · hat with a water reservoir for a flower You'll be amazed, astounded and occasionally downright embarrassed. But you'll finally be able to answer Trivial Pursuit questions about Canadian inventions. And, yes, Canadians invented that game, too.

Canada has an exciting legacy of courageous women who pushed through gender barriers and often exercised great daring, forging new paths and opportunities for other women. This collection of stories tells of strong, determined women whose dreams and experiences changed the shape of Canadian history and culture: · Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian woman astronaut to go into space. There she studied the effects of weightlessness on humans · Jeanne Mance, co-founder of the city of Montréal and a revolutionary in health care · Catherine Schubert, mother of three children and about to give birth to a fourth, scaled the Rockies on her journey to the gold fields of BC · Thanadelthur, a Chipewyan woman who negotiated peace between her people and the Cree, ending a long and bloody feud · Marie-Anne Lagimodiére was the first white woman to raise her family on the wild prairie of the Canadian West, and she became the grandmother of Louis Riel · Faith Fenton, teacher by day and journalist by night, is best known for her journey over one of the toughest trails to the Klondike · Emily Carr, a true visionary and one of Canada's most famous artists, was happiest when she found a remote Native village to capture on canvas in her unique style · E. Pauline Johnson-Tekahionwake, daughter of a Mohawk chief and an English woman, spent endless hours in her canoe writing haunting poems about a vanishing way of life · Sharon Wood, the first North American woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest taking the more difficult West Shoulder route.

The thirsty days of Prohibition in Alberta began at midnight on June 30, 1916, but many had been drinking so hard that the booze had long ago run out. Suddenly, the rumrunner was king, and backyard stills popped up everywhere. Even though the government introduced new laws and set up a new police force, liquor was still being made, sold and consumed by those who could outwit the law. Here is Frank W. Anderson's rollicking account of the Prohibition years:• the schemes by temperance and moral leaders to convince the government to pass a Prohibition bill to halt the use and trafficking of liquor• the loopholes in the law that rumrunners could easily drive their product through• the escapades of Emperor Pick, the Bottle King, whose lucrative bottle-collecting business was a front for his more secretive liquor trafficking business• the covert operations of John Greenburg and Mike Segal, whose backwoods still was never found• Mr. Big's many hideouts along the Crowsnest Pass road where he could cache the liquor if the police was chasing him or his cohorts• and stories of ordinary citizens across the province who risked their lives and livelihoods just to be able to lift a glass.The question remains: Did Prohibition really serve its purpose of preventing crime or did it have the opposite effect?

It seems that so many of today's Hollywood stars come from Canada, but at one time only a few could claim to have conquered Tinseltown. Here are the biographies of those Canadians who crossed the border and beat down the studio doors of Hollywood to leave an outstanding legacy that inspired later generations of talent: · Mary Pickford, a Canadian dubbed America's Sweetheart, was instrumental in creating the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and in helping to form United Artists · Lorne Greene, famed patriarch of Bonanza's Cartwright clan, was a generous father figure to a younger generation of Canadian actors · Fay Wray, a young girl from southern Alberta, became famous as Hollywood's Queen of Scream and is forever remembered for her role in King Kong · Raymond Burr, the actor who seemed indistinguishable from his two renowned television roles as Perry Mason and Robert Ironside · Christopher Plummer, who came to motion picture fame opposite Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music, has enjoyed a long and diverse career in film and on stage · Norma Shearer, considered the very definition of glamour during her glory days in Hollywood, had a trophy case filled with five Oscars by 1936 ·William Shatner, forever an icon of film and television as Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise, has more recently found fame again with his unique brand of self-deprecating humour · Leslie Nielsen, possibly one of the most original talents to come out of Canada, earned his fame through comedic roles in Airplane! and the Naked Gun series and more...

We want women leaders today as never before. Leaders who are not afraid to be called names and who are willing to go out and fight. I think women can save civilization. Women are persons. -Emily Murphy, 1931 Emily Murphy and four other determined women took their fight to be legally declared persons all the way to the Privy Council in Britain, and in 1929 they won. Almost eight decades later, Canadian women continue to challenge their limits. Great Canadian Women honours the legacy and continuing struggle of women of talent and courage who, from all walks of life and vocations, have contributed significantly to Canada's evolution. These women and countless others have ignored or conquered society's strictures to fulfil their destinies and change forever their country: · Marion Orr, who ferried fighter planes to England during World War II and established flight schools in Ontario · Louise Arbour, the controversial Supreme Court Justice who was appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2004 · Anne Murray, known as Canada's Songbird and the first Canadian artist to have an American gold record · Barbara Frum, the dedicated newscaster and journalist for CBC Radio who pioneered the popular and influential current affairs program As It Happens · Rene Caisse, inventor of Essiac, a herbal remedy that has been touted as a cure for cancer · Helen Huston, a medical missionary who brought health care and a hospital to the people of Nepal · Charlotte Whitton, the brash and colourful mayor of Ottawa; the first woman to hold such an office in Canada · Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, a national organization that promotes peace and disarmament to the international community. And many more...

These women have never followed the rules. From the earliest days of Canada's history to the newspaper headlines of today, these women fought for their beliefs and made a difference. Read about: · Kate Ryan, the original Klondike Kate, frontier nurse and the first female member of the North West Mounted Police · Naomi Klein, journalist, author of the international bestseller No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies, and anti-globalization activist · Nell Shipman, silent film actress, producer and director who did her own stunts and was the first woman ever to do a nude scene in Back to God's Country, the most successful Canadian silent film ever made · Jenny Smillie Robinson, Canada's first female surgeon who operated in a private residence because no hospital allowed her privileges · Penny Hoar, Rhinoceros Party candidate, comedienne, and sexual renegade · Alanis Obomsawin, documentary filmmaker and humanitarian activist · Cougar Annie, Clayoquot Sound pioneer who survived four husbands, chased off cougars with a shotgun and cleared a still-surviving two-hectare garden out of the wilderness · Daurene E. Lewis, who was elected as North America's first black woman mayor in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia · Mina Hubbard, who trekked across Labrador in 1905 to complete the voyage that killed her husband, Leonidas Hubbard, and prove that he had not been responsible for the failure of his expedition. And many more...

Full of passion, tragedy and the bizarre, these tales profile some of the most amazing Canadian love stories. Read about royal assignations, murderous loves and couples who shaped our country's history:- Wayne Gretzky and Janet Jones, whose fairy-tale romance swept the nation- the tempestuous marriage of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, handsome playboy prime minister, and 22-year olf flower child Margaret Sinclair- Sir Wilfrid Laurier's close relationship with his law partner's wife- Francis Rattenbury and Alma Pakenham, a romance destined for tragedy- Pierre Sevigny, defense minister, and Gerda Munsigner, alleged spy, whose scandalous affair rocked the nation- the on-ice sparks between Jamie Sale and David Pelletier- Amanda and Rick Hansen's bond of commitment and perserverance- Marie La Tour's desperate bid to save her husband and regain Fort La Tour- Georges and Pauline Vanier, whose selfless generosity was inspired by their love- the Black Donnellys' murderous marriage- Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, who lived with his beloved Julie in Halifax for nearly half his life until he was called home to do his royal duty.And many more...

Canadians have always had a pioneering spirit. We've explored our country and our planet, and now we're exploring space. Read more about Canada's amazing contributions to space research and discovery: · The development of the Canadarm and Canadarm2, essential tools for the space shuttle program · The Alouette I ionospheric research satellite, the first satellite ever built outside of the US and USSR to make it into orbit · James Chamberlin and Owen Maynard, who went from the collapse of Avro to engineering key components for NASA's Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and shuttle programs · The birth of Canada's commercial satellite industry with the Canadian launch of the world's first communications satellite · Robotic technology developed in Canada that helped the shuttle program return to flight in 2005 · Dr. Gerry Bull, the Canadian defence scientist who spearheaded the High Altitude Research Project which studied the use of cannons to launch satellites in the 1960s · Ionospheric research by Canadian scientists to help improve radio communications in the far north · Julie Payette and Chris Hadfield's part in the construction and research work on the International Space Station · Marc Garneau, the head of Canada's space program, who is setting his sights on Canadian technology and a mission to Mars. And more...

This book tells the stories of heroic Canadian soldiers who escaped from behind enemy lines during the wars of the 20th century. Learn about the Wooden Horse escape and the tragic Great Escape of World War 2. The book includes hair-raising accounts of Canadian soldiers who managed to break to freedom from prisoner trains and eastern front work camps and those who made their way back to Allied territory from behind enemy lines.

Our best friends. They can be pets or working dogs; they race for sticks and balls or find survivors of disasters, and they are the subjects of some of the most amazing and touching stories: * Employees of the Albany post office adopted a stray puppy named Owney, and in his life he traveled hundreds of thousands of miles with the mail to places around the world * John Dignard, victim of a brain injury, introduced the concept of memory dogs by training a German shepherd help him * Rescue dogs working 9/11 found a few survivors, but the remains they uncovered provided closure for grieving families * Times were tough for Jude Stringfellow, but a bipedal puppy named Faith taught her to hope again * The Sica family's golden retriever, Bullet, saved their three-week-old son from certain death from an undiagnosed heart condition * Stubby, a mongrel boxer mutt, became a hero on the front lines when his frenetic barking alerted sleeping soldiers to poisonous gas * Skippy, a hearing-ear dog, has given Kerena Marchant a taste of what freedom really means * Blue heeler cross Skidboot has made appearances on Jay Leno, Oprah and the Late Show with David Letterman to perform his amazing tricks * And so many more heartwarming stories.

Loving or aloof, mischievous or cuddly--for many people, their cats are an integral part of the family. Here are extraordinary stories of some of the world's most charismatic and captivating cats: * Princess Kitty, dubbed 'The Smartest Cat in the World,' was trained to play the piano and do 100 other incredible tricks * ASPCA 2007 cat of the year, Winnie, led her family to a carbon monoxide leak * Simon received the Dickin Medal for his efforts in consoling the wounded on the British navy ship HMS Amethyst * A hospice cat named Oscar can predict patients' deaths * Fred, the 'Undercover Kitty,' won the Law Enforcement Appreciation Award for helping to nab a fraudulent vet * Scarlett, an incredible mother cat, damaged her eyes saving her five kittens from a New York inferno * Smart and adventurous, Macavity caught a bus several times a week to the nearest fish and chips shop * Lewis, nicknamed 'The Terrorist of Sunset Circle,' was put under permanent house arrest after biting and scratching six neighbors * And many more.

Canadians don't spend a lot of time bragging, but as this collection shows, our citizens have a lot to be proud of--the many amazing firsts that have come from this country and its people and their impact on our culture and the world: * Alexander MacKenzie was the first recorded explorer to complete the transcontinental crossing of North America * In 1885, Banff National Park was the first patch of land ever recognized as a national park * Canadian-born Gideon Sundback was the first to patent a 'separable fastener,' a.k.a. the zipper, in 1913 * The first kidney transplant performed between identical twins took place at Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital in 1958 * Montreal's Maurice Richard was the first hockey player to record a 50-goal season in 1944-45 and the first to score more than 500 goals in his career * The Hudson's Bay Company, established on May 2, 1670, is the oldest, continuously operating company on the continent * The 12.9-kilometre-long Confederation Bridge between mainland Canada and Prince Edward Island is the world's longest uninterrupted span * In 1962, at just 15 years old, Petra Burka became the first woman figure skater in the world to complete a triple Salchow * And so much more.

Animals have extraordinary minds capable of exceptional acts of perception, generosity, bravery and kindness. Their connection with humankind gives us a glimpse into their world and their desire to share it with us. Here is a collection of fascinating, heartwarming and humorous tales about some of the animal kingdom's amazing inhabitants and their often mysterious connection with us: * After being attacked by a great white shark while surfing, Todd Endris was saved from sure death by a pod of dolphins that encircled him and kept the marauding shark away until he was able to ride a wave back to shore. * An orphaned black bear cub and a 10-year-old boy become best friends, napping together, and even tumbling and wrestling. * When a three-year-old boy toppled into the gorilla enclosure at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo, Binti Jua, a young female gorilla, rescued the child and delivered him safely to the zookeepers. * African grey parrots are capable of speaking at least 350 words, but Harvard avian researcher Dr. Irene Pepperberg and her African grey parrot, Alex, proved that birds have cognitive abilities and are capable of more than just mimicking words. * A pride of three lions rescue an injured Ethiopian girl from her attackers and watch over her until her family finds her. * And many more.

Canadian soldiers, sailors and pilots have fought consistently above their weight class in the forefront of the world's major conflicts. And it was a Canadian, Lester B. Pearson, whose idea of a peacekeeping force defined Canada's world role in a new way, drawing respect and recognition from countries around the world: * Afghanistan: Operation Medusa, an attempt to retake the Panjwavi District in Kandahar Province from the Taliban, turned into a deadly battle for Canadian troops. * Croatia: Sent as peacekeepers, Canadian soldiers engaged in fierce action and were respected for their role in quelling the civil war and genocide. * Korea: Members of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry repelled a massive Chinese attack and won the only U.S. Presidential Citation ever awarded to a Canadian battalion. * World War II: In some of the fiercest battles of the war, Canadian forces were in the forefront during the Dieppe Raid, D-Day and the Battle of the Atlantic. * War of 1812: Les Canadiens and the British troops fought to defend Canada, while Laura Secord walked into history. * Seven Years' War: During a naval blockade on the Restigouche River, a French fleet was destroyed at the cost of only 24 British casualties. * And more.