What a treat to read a book with new information about our Canada. That’s just what Waterdown, Ontario secondary-school history teacher Nathan Tidridge has done with his book, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent: Father of the Canadian Crown, published by Dundurn Press this year.Few Canadians will know that Queen Victoria’s father (1767-1820) lived in Quebec and in Nova Scotia for close to 10 years. Tidridge brings out both the dirty laundry of his always getting into debt, being exiled by his father first to Gibraltar and then to the colonies in British North America, and his 27-year affair with a French woman, Julie de St. Laurent (who shared his homes in Canada). But more importantly, monarchist Tidridge uses extensive research to highlight points of Canadian history rarely, if ever, taught in our schools. Some examples include:1. As the fourth son of King George III, his time in British North America was an important tie for British Loyalists but he was also “a great friend to French Canadians, cultivating relationships in Quebec that would endure for the remainder of his life“ [p 25]2. By 1799, he was the commander-in-chief of all British North American forces.3. In 1800 he was writing letters to leading authorities in both Upper and Lower Canada about “his proposed union of British North America, fully fifty years before Confederation!” [26]4. In fact, his letter writing was legendary. In 1806, he personally answered 3,850 letters without the aid of a secretary and in 1807 it went up to 4,500. That probably doesn’t equal the number of tweets and Facebook entries by most teenagers today.5. His home in Quebec City is now the French Consulate.6. After Lord Dorchester proclaimed the Constitution Act in 1791, there were elections for the new legislatures of Upper and Lower Canada. In Charlesbourg (just outside Quebec City) there was a violent demonstration between francophones and anglophones. The Duke of Kent rode on horseback from Quebec City to still the crowds. He spoke in perfect French and concluded: “Let me hear no more of the odious distinctions of French and English. You are all his [George III] Britanic Majesty’s Canadian subjects.” A witness described the scene that followed as “The tumult ceased, and gave place to admiration and applause.” [90] What was particularly important about that impromptu speech was that this was the first time “Canadian” was used to refer to both the French and English inhabitants of the country. Before then, the term “Canadien” was mostly used for francophones.7. Prince Edward (after whom PEI is named) was also a friend of First Nations leaders including Joseph Brant whom he met on his arriving in Quebec City in 1791. In writing to his father about his meeting with First Nations peoples on his 1792 Royal Tour of Upper Canada, he said, “A very large deputation from the Indians of all neighbouring nations came to Niagara to wait my arrival...” His use of the word “nations” was deliberate “referencing the wording of the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which addressed the ‘several Nations or Tribes of Indians’ -- reaffirming their equal relationship with the Crown.” [112]8. He was patron of the first Quebec Sunday Free School (Roman Catholic). For an Anglican Prince to agree to such a patronage was a major step in recognizing and accepting the diversity of religions in British North America. [118] Up until 2013 British Royalty could not marry a Roman Catholic so this happening 200 years ago was a notable expression of support of francophone Catholics.9. The world-famous Garrison Clock in Halifax was order by the Duke in 1800 from the Vulliamy family of Switzerland.10. As commander-in-chief he reorganized the provincial regiments so they could serve anywhere in BNA (rather than remain restricted to their own territories) to create his ‘Canadian Corps’ with ranks standardized among all regiments. This proved helpful in the rebellions of 1837-38. This reorganization was the birth of the Canadian army as we know it. [170] What Tidridge does well throughout his book is highlight that “historical figures fought, loved, hated, and haboured jealousies among themselves, feelings that often crossed international boundaries.” His description of the jealousies of Ontario’s first Lieutenant-Governor, John Graves Simcoe, and the Governor General of the day, Lord Dorchester, are detailed and enlightening. These men did not get along and part of the evolution of our country stems from their dislike of each other and distrust of each other’s motives.This book will reinforce a monarchist’s belief in the unifying power of the Crown in Canada while providing others with fascinating, personal histories of individuals who, like any group of people gathered in a town or small city, fight amongst each other for power and prestige. We truly have an interesting history made up of real people with real feelings and dreams in conflict with each other. They say “winners” write history -- Tidridge helps us see how those winners won and how Canada might have evolved had other men and women won.View article...