Recent Prime Ministerial Writings on Hockey History and Foreign Policy
November 5, 2013 | John P. | Comments (0)
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.