Ontario Since Confederation: A Reader

Ontario Since Confederation contains some of the most recent scholarship in the field of post-Confederation Ontario history. This comprehensive collection, the first of its kind to be published in almost a decade, is intended primarily to introduce students to new areas of debate and new methodologies in Ontario history. The articles range widely over the political, economic, and social history of the province, encompassing both traditional and newly emerging topics. They focus on the theme of ‘state and society,’ describing and articulating the interactions between social values and ideals, political action, and government bureaucracies from diverse perspectives. The collection raises fundamental questions about the role, nature, and development of the modern bureaucratic state. How pervasive was the influence of the state? Does the state determine or reflect social values? To what degree, and in what manner, could the powers of the state successfully be resisted? Focusing specifically on Ontario history, contributors address the paradoxical relationship between provincial and national history. Some essays explore the influence of the federal government on the province in areas such as pollution management, native rights, and welfare. Other chapters discuss issues of interracial relationships, the family, and unwed motherhood. The variety of topics and approaches represented in this collection attests to the diversity of Ontario and the rich social fabric of its history.