The War of 1812 was an embarrassment to everyone except First Nations participants who fought irreproachably and lost. The Americans were cartoonishly inept; the British colonial military leaders after Brock’s death at Queenston Heights were deficient equally in verve and imagination; and the Upper Canadians whose territory was several times invaded showed an eagerness to surrender that was unworthy, to say the least, of the $30 million provided for bicentennial commemorative purposes by the government of Stephen Harper. Whatever good came out of the war was accidental.
One can only contemplate this historic narrative through a screen of irony: yes, American invaders were repelled but Canada today operates within the American empire. Nevertheless, such overblown attention to dubious events can unearth intriguing gems, bringing us to Joseph Willcocks, whose role in Canadian history...
Michael Valpy is a journalist and author. Through a long career at The Globe and Mail, he served as foreign correspondent, national political columnist, member of the editorial board, and deputy managing editor before leaving to teach in 2010.
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