First Drafts: Eyewitness Accounts from Canada's Past

From two of Canada’s foremost historians comes a highly original compilation of eyewitness accounts from our nation’s history. Chosen for their immediacy and engaging qualities, these first-hand accounts are broad in scope, including General James Wolfe’s victory at Quebec in 1759; the escape of a fugitive slave; the hanging of Metis leader Louis Riel; suffragette Nellie McClung’s crusade for women in 1914; the daring World War I exploits of ace pilot Billy Bishop; the Canadian surrender to the Japanese in Hong Kong in 1941; the modern phenomenon of Wayne Gretzky; and Canada’s great success at the 2002 Olympic Games.

Drawn from letters, newspapers, reportage, and diaries, these vivid accounts of history in the making cover the range of time from first contact to the present day, providing an exciting and immediate window into Canada’s diverse history.

J.L. Granatstein, the director of the Canadian War Museum from 1998 to 2000, is a Toronto historian and the author of Who Killed the Canadian Military?.

Norman Hillmer is a professor of history and international affairs at Carleton University and was formerly senior historian at the Department of National Defence. Granatstein and Hillmer have collaborated on five books, including the national bestseller Prime Ministers: Ranking Canadian Leaders.