Time Bomb: Canada and the First Nations (Point of View)

A look at how a major confrontation between Canada and the First Nations could erupt, and how it might be prevented.

There are few greater tragedies than a war waged by a society against itself. As Time Bomb shows, a catastrophic confrontation between Canada’s so-called “settler” and First Nations communities is not only feasible, it is, in theory, inevitable. Grievances, prejudice, and other factors all combine to make the likelihood of a First Nations uprising very real.

Time Bomb describes how a nationwide insurgency could unfold, how the "usual" police and military reactions to First Nations protests would only worsen such a situation, and how, on the other hand, innovative policies might defuse the smouldering time bomb in our midst.

The question all Canadians and First Nations must answer is this: Must we all suffer the disaster of a great national insurgency or will we act together to extinguish the growing danger in our midst?

Douglas L. Bland served for 30 years as a senior officer in the Canadian Armed Forces and held the chair of defence studies at Queen’s University for 15 years. He is the author of six books and numerous published contributions on Canadian and international security affairs. His political novel, Uprising, was published in 2009. He lives in Kingston, Ontario.

Bonnie Butlin is an expert in security and intelligence. Co-founder of the Security Partners' Forum, she is also the managing director of the Canadian Security Executive Forum. Voted "one of the most influential people in security" by Security Magazine in 2013, Butlin will be inducted into the International Women in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Hall of Fame in November 2014. Bonnie lives in Ottawa.