Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Aboriginal Life

Clearing the Plains examines the systematic dispossession of Indigenous peoples in Western Canada through disease and starvation policies. The text covers the period from pre-contact through Canadian Confederation and into the early reserve period. Author James Daschuk draws on archival records, historical documents, and archaeological evidence to document the spread of diseases like smallpox and the implementation of food restriction programs. The research connects early fur trade operations to government policies that emerged after Canadian Confederation in 1867. Through extensive primary source material, the book traces how disease and malnutrition became tools of colonization in the Canadian West. The narrative follows the consequences of European settlement, railway expansion, and federal policies on Indigenous communities. This work reveals the deep connections between public health, politics, and colonialism in Canadian history. The text raises fundamental questions about the relationships between economic development, state power, and human rights.

Readers describe this as a detailed examination of government policies that led to Indigenous starvation and death on the Canadian prairies. Many note its thorough research and clear presentation of historical evidence. Likes: - Documentation of specific policies and their impacts - Links between disease, colonization, and food systems - Clear timeline of events from 1670-1900 - Inclusion of original source materials Dislikes: - Dense academic writing style - Heavy focus on statistics and data - Limited coverage of Indigenous perspectives - Some sections repeat information "Hard to read but necessary" appears in multiple reviews. Several readers mention the book changed their understanding of Canadian history. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon.ca: 4.6/5 (180+ ratings) Amazon.com: 4.7/5 (50+ ratings) Common statement from reviews: "Should be required reading for all Canadians."

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🌟 The book won multiple prestigious awards, including the 2014 Sir John A. Macdonald Prize and the 2014 Canadian Historical Association Aboriginal History Book Prize. 🍖 Author James Daschuk reveals that Canadian officials deliberately withheld food from Indigenous communities to force them onto reservations and clear the way for the Canadian Pacific Railway. 🏥 The research spans 300 years of history, from pre-contact Indigenous health practices through the devastating smallpox epidemics of the fur trade era to the late 19th century. 📚 Daschuk spent over 20 years researching and writing the book, examining thousands of documents including Hudson's Bay Company records, government correspondence, and Indigenous oral histories. 🎓 The book emerged from Daschuk's Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Manitoba, where he studied the connections between environmental conditions and Indigenous health in the Prairie provinces.