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This week, Montreal columnist and author Mark Abley is my guest as we talk about his latest book, Conversations with a Dead Man: The legacy of Duncan Campbell Scott.
Scott straddled two centuries in Canada, the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s, a period of great change in the country. More than that however, he is an enigma.
He was lauded in his time as a great poet and writer, and reviled later for his simultaneous role as a federal bureaucrat overseeing what we know now are disastrous and abusive policies for Canada’s aboriginals.
It was for this latter role that the once world renowned poet and writer was named to a list of the “ten worst Canadians”.
In his book Abley creates an extremely interesting and readable scenario- invoking a Dickensian-like visit of a ghost from the past, to explore both of these seemingly conflicting aspects of Scott.
Mark Abley also deftly reveals a dark and not very well known period of Canadian history of government “managing” Canada’s indigenous peoples.. a history that still haunts and has repercussions to this day.
I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation with author Mark Abley
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