In recent years, it has become fashionable to judge people and events from the past on the basis of the values of the present. Accordingly, in reviewing the history of Nova Scotia, no person has been maligned to the extent to which the Founder of Halifax, Governor Edward Cornwallis, has been villainized. There is no question, Cornwallis was a tough guy, perhaps even brutal – ask any Scot who survived the Battle of the Culloden and the ensuing ‘Highland Clearances’. But, was Cornwallis, in fact, so much, the villain that he has been portrayed – especially by historical writers and contemporary reporters? Through Treaties signed in Utrecht during 1713-1714, France and England agreed that the territory now known as the Maritime Provinces of Canada, with the exception of the islands in the great Gulf of St. Lawrence, were yielded by France to England. At that time, to the extent that there was European settlement in what is now the mainland of Nova Scotia, it was both French and Roman Catholic. This, of course, as was the European standard of the times, gave no consideration to the people who had populated these areas for several millennia, the people of the Mi’kmaq Nation. Consideration was given, by the English to the Roman Catholicism of the predominantly Acadian settlers who were there, and, indeed, in most cases, had been there for several generations going back into the early17th Century. So, the English agreed that French Roman Catholic priests would be licensed to reside within the territory, which they renamed, Nova Scotia, on behalf of their Scottish king – provided that they administered solely to the spiritual needs of the French-speaking residents of their newly acquired territory. But the French missionaries ministered to both the Mi’kmaq and Les Acadiens, in the hope of maintaining and expanding conversions to Catholicism. The capital, and virtually the only substantive settlement, Port-Royale, was re-named Annapolis Royal. But, for several decades, the British did little to take control of this new territory by introducing their own settlers, who, if not English, were at least Protestant. After a time, the French rather decided that perhaps they had made a mistake in giving up Nova Scotia/Acadie, the gateway, as it were, to the St. Lawrence Rivewr, and the lucrative fur trade. So, they encouraged their ‘missionaries’, not only to befriend the Mi’kmaq people, but to seek to convince them that the English were their enemies, who simply wanted to get rid of them, and take their land. Given the British attitudes towards indigenous peoples everywhere, this made this prospect easier. It so happened that in 1737, the French sent out a young priest/missionary, a man with no love for the English. He soon developed a close relationship with Mi’kmaq leaders, and ultimately became the guerilla strategist who gave essential advice and direction to the Mi’kmaq leadership and the few remaining Acadian ‘rebels’ under Joseph Brossard (aka Beausoleil), making life difficult for the English – to say the least. In 1745, a force from New England captured Louisbourg, which was meant to be the indomitable French fortress that would protect the route up the St. Lawrence and the fur trade. However, it was returned to the French in 1748. By that time, Le Loutre had is spurs, and quietly, from behind the scenes, advised/directed the Mi’kmaq warriors and Beausoleil in making devastating raids, including brutal deaths and scalping, to scare the British from really taking control of Nova Scotia. Indeed, the French government funded Le Loutre to buy scalps. In consequence, in 1749, the English determined that they had to build a fortress of their own, from which they could take control of the Nova Scotia that they felt was theirs. And to make this happen, they sent out a hardened /experienced military leader of their own, Col. Edward Cornwallis, with a mandate to take control and to settle Nova Scotia. He soon realized that to do so meant taking on the covert guerilla leader of, not the Acadians, so much as the Mi’kmaq warriors – Le Loutre – the man Cornwallis once called ‘a good for nothing scoundrel as ever lived’. GENIUS OR SCOUNDREL: READ THIS BOOK AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF!

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Biography

The Hon. Peter L McCreath, PC, DCL, MA, is a long-time resident of Hubbards, Nova Scotia, and is a direct descendant of John Cary who arrived in Massachusetts Bay in 1644. His descendant, Rose Cary vacationed with her family in Hubbards, Nova Scotia, in 1909 where she met a local boy, Lionel Shatford, whom she married a decade later, after he returned after five years of service in the Canadian Army in Europe during World War One. Rose Cary Shatford was his maternal grandmother.

Peter has led, to say the least, a remarkably diverse series of careers and a full, interesting life. He is by education an historian and educator: with BA (Hons. History) from the University of Toronto, an MA (History) from Dalhousie University and two degrees in Education from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. He completed the coursework for a PhD in history at Queens University, but a chance to work as the executive assistant to the Rt. Hon. Robert L. Stanfield took him to Ottawa and his connection to political life began. He was also awarded two honorary doctorates – from Saint Mary’s and the Doctoral Faculty of Mexico.

His diverse life has included: naval officer, a teacher and professor, a journalist, broadcaster, small business owner, a banker, a change management consultant, a Member of Parliament and cabinet minister, a world traveller, a human rights commissioner and advocate. After three stints as an executive assistant to prominent political figures, eventually led him to run for office himself: the House of Commons as MP for the South Shore and in the federal cabinet. That was followed by fifteen years in the wine and spirits business, nine of which were as founding Chair of the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation. He was also one of the first recipients of the Citation for Citizenship (Govt of Canada), the Canada 125 Medal, and the Queens Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee medals.

After four books on history for the public-school systems within Canada and many monographs on human rights, Peter turned to writing books for the public. This is his fourth trade book on history, politics and travel – the second in three years by New World.

A multi-generation Nova Scotian, husband and father – and a servant to many cats – he is married to Judy, still lives in Hubbards, and has a grown daughter and son.