Speeches That Changed Canada

In this new book, former MP Dennis Gruending focuses on speeches by 11 of Canada's finest political orators. This book will be a welcome companion to anyone interested in Canadian history, politics, literature and rhetoric. It will also be a useful source and guide for those who write speeches or deliver them.

Gruending deals with one speech in each of the 11 chapters:

• Describing in detail the rich historical context in which each speech was delivered;
• Paying close attention to both the content of each speech and rhetorical techniques employed by the orators; and
• Examining the speech's immediate and long term impact upon Canada and Canadians.

The book begins with John A Macdonald's arguing on behalf of Confederation in 1865 and ends with chief Joseph Gosnell's powerful address in support of the Nisga'a treaty in 1998. The book also contains: Louis Riel's speech to the jury; Wilfrid Laurier's warning the Catholic clergy to stay out of politics; Nellie McClung's demand that women receive the vote; Agnes Macphail's call for both political reforms and the full equality of women; Arthur Meighen's divisive speech on military conscription; Richard Bennett's attempt to give Canada a New Deal during the Depression; Tommy Douglas introducing Medicare; Lester Pearson's epic debates with John Diefenbaker over a new flag for Canada, and Pierre Trudeau's "No" to sovereignty association in the 1980 Quebec referendum.

Dennis Gruending is a Canadian writer and blogger and a former Member of Parliament. He has worked as a newspaper and television reporter and as a radio host for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He has written or edited eight books, including biographies of Allan Blakeney, the former social democratic premier of Saskatchewan, and of Justice Emmett Hall, whose Royal Commission recommended Medicare for Canada. His book Great Canadian Speeches was a best seller and described by one reviewer as a history of Canada as seen from the podium. His eighth book, Speeches That Changed Canada, was released by Fitzhenry and Whiteside in 2018.

Dennis writes two blogs: greatcanadianspeeches.ca, and pulpitandpolitics.ca. He loves to hike in the woods near Ottawa, Canada where he lives. He and his wife Martha have walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain, the Wiklow Mountains in Ireland and the Cotswold Way in Great Britain.