Recent Prime Ministerial Writings on Hockey History and Foreign Policy
If you are Canadian or have an interest in
Canadian affairs, you might be interested in reading two new non-fiction titles
written by two different Canadian prime ministers (one current and one past) on
two different topics: hockey history and foreign policy. Those interested in
hockey and its history might find the following title to be worthy of interest
and borrowing from Toronto Public Library collections:
A
Great Game: The Forgotten Leafs and the Rise of Professional Hockey
/ Stephen J. Harper, 2013. Book. Adult Non-Fiction. Place
Hold
Join Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister,
the Right Honourable Stephen
Harper, in his story about the early years of hockey in Canada
and Toronto in particular and the advent of professional hockey teams such as the
1908 Toronto Professionals and the 1914 Toronto Blue Shirts each competing for
the Stanley Cup (as the precursors to the Toronto Maple Leafs). Compare the
similarities of today’s game with yesteryear’s including rough play on the ice,
strong loyalties to locally-based teams coupled with similarly-minded news
coverage, and yes, owner/team-player contract disputes and liberal
remuneration. An added dynamic of the earlier version of the game involved
fervent amateurs who played for the love of the game and the rise of the
skilled professionals.
Read an excerpt of
the book here. Mr. Harper’s
proceeds as author “will go to the Canadian Forces
Personnel and Family Support Services (CFPFSS). The specific fund that the
proceeds will be donated to is the Military Families Fund, which provides
emergency financial assistance to military families faced with unforeseen and
often immediate needs that have resulted due to conditions of service.” Mr. Harper is an enthusiastic
member of the Society for International Hockey
Research and worked
on the book over some eight years in his spare time. He did hire and
personally paid a researcher to assist with the research aspects but the book’s
words are Harper’s own as he did not use a ghost writer. Read Jeff Z. Klein’s
review in the New York Times here.
Click here
for Chris Selley’s review in the National Post.
For the foreign policy or political enthusiasts,
consider this book by Canada’s 16th Prime Minister, the Right
Honourable Charles Joseph (“Joe”) Clark, for loan from
Toronto Public Library collections:
How
we lead: Canada in a century of change / Joe Clark, 2013.
Book. Adult Non-Fiction. Place
Hold
Joe Clark only served
briefly as Prime Minister from 1979-1980 (during the Tehran hostage crisis and
the exodus of the Vietnamese boat people) but distinguished himself as Minister
for External Affairs in Brian Mulroney’s Progressive Conservative government in
fighting against starvation in Ethiopia and apartheid in South Africa. Clark is
concerned that Canada’s
diplomatic and humanitarian efforts are being sidelined by a more recent push
towards military intervention without sufficient public discourse. Canada still has
the opportunity to play an influential leadership role in conjunction with its
respected reputation throughout the globe. Read Linda Diebel’s review in the
Toronto Star here.
Or, see what Peter Robb had to say about the book in the Ottawa Citizen here.
Watch CBC Chief Correspondent Peter Mansbridge’s November 2, 2013 interview
with the former Prime Minister on the television program Mansbridge: One on One
by clicking here.
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