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Country Out of Crisis - A 2010 novel

What if the voters of Quebec said 'Yes' to separation - and no one cared?

In the post-referendum period, Prime Minister Jennifer Clark rallies her country to move forward without Quebec while Quebec Premier Robert Benoit struggles as he tries to move his new country in a new direction. Unfortunately for Benoit and Quebecers, twenty plus years of telling themselves that everything will rosy outside of Canada is being shown as a oft-repeated myth. As Quebec degrades into a sorry state, American corporate raiders are trying to pick off one of their main industries and First Nations people from the north are showing that Quebec is, indeed, divisible.

In the Rest of Canada, Quebec separation is seen as a fresh start and Clark is determined to make the best of it.

Country Out of Crisis ends with an unexpected turn of events that might just be a prediction of things to come.

The Provinces Must Go

Ever wonder why and how Canada came into existence? Ever wonder why our levels of government are structured the way they are?  Do you understand what effects the BNA Act, the Canada Act and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms have on you?  Ever wonder why there always seem to be a state of confrontation between our three levels of government?  Ever wonder how to cure the confrontational attitude between governments?  Want to know how to ELIMINATE the $830 billion national DEBT in 30 years WITHOUT raising taxes or cutting a single program?

The Provinces Must Go answers these and many more questions.

The book then goes on to address Aboriginal status, bilingualism, student loans, healthcare, the judiciary, a revamped Senate, abolishment of political parties and many more topical issues.

SS Ethie and the Hero Dog

In 1919, a shipwreck on the shores of western Newfoundland spawned a mystery that would take almost 85 years to unravel. Of all the wrecks around Newfoundland, why is the SS Ethie so widely remembered in stories, plays, songs and websites? Why did the Ethie become so familiar a shipwreck in Newfoundland, if not all of Canada? Part of the answer to these questions was a legend that there was a Newfoundland Dog involved in the saving of the 92 crew and passengers of the ship. The legend, over the years, has grown over speculation about the existence or non-existence of the dog.

After nearly five years of research that carried him from one coast of North America to the other, from Newfoundland to Alaska, author Bruce Ricketts finally reveals the truth behind the legend and chronicles the final voyage of the SS Ethie, its demise on the rocks of Martin's Point and the circumstances that led to him to a roadhouse in Wrangell Island, Alaska.

The Great Plane Robbery

Richard Landry, suspected with heisting a fortune during a daring, and puzzling to authorities, airplane robbery has led a determined police detective on an eight year chase that started in Ottawa, Canada and ended in Brazil.

Filled with great characters and a solid plot, this book will take you on an emotional and visceral ride. Written while he was in prison, Mitchell uses his sense of humor combined with his knowledge of the criminal, and law enforcement, minds to craft a tale that could very easily be described as the “heist of a lifetime” by the “master of the heist”.

Patrick "Paddy" Mitchell, a native of Ottawa, Canada, was the leader of the notorious "Stopwatch Gang" of bank robbers. He was regarded to be North America's most famous, most successful and, especially, most likeable bank robber of our time. He was on the FBI's most wanted list for the Stopwatch Gang's bank robberies across the U.S.

The Pursuit of Louis Riel

Who was Louis Riel? What was Riel's involvement in the rebellion that carries his name? What was the cause of this rebellion? Who were the people involved? Who were the villains, who were the heroes? In whose allegiance were the Metis, the Indians, the settlers? Was Riel captured or did he surrender?

Did Riel get a fair trial? These questions will be answered as you read the newspaper articles contained in this book. Inform yourself as people did over 120 years ago by reading the news as it was reported in the leading newspapers of the time. Read eyewitness accounts, editorials, letters to the editor, parliamentary reports along with many other related stories. While this rebellion unfolds you will be exposed to the fear that gripped not only the Northwest Territories but also the Nation as a whole. Where did more than 4000 troops come from? Who were they? How did they travel? Follow their journey to the Northwest, to the battlefields and back home again. Read the tributes to the fallen. Share in the grief and the triumph. Learn about who these people were. Read their stories. Read the news.

This book is about the real life history of our Canadian ancestors, whatever their background. There are over 1500 surnames mentioned herein. Some readers may recognise that they are descendents of  the bearers of these surnames. This book is dedicated to them. This is their history.

Bunkers Bunkers Everywhere

While many books have been written about the Cold War, few have provided detailed information about the many physical establishments created to survive or fight this conflict. "Bunkers Bunkers Everywhere" fills this gap by describing such places as command posts, government continuity-of-government bunkers and missile silos that were built underground with the realization that they would be most able to withstand a nuclear war. Now that the threat has receded, however, much can be learned about these places as the veil of secrecy has in many cases been lifted. The book is broken down into chapters for:

American Bunkers, American ICBM Bases, American SAM Sites
Canadian Bunkers, British Bunkers, Other Nations
Russian Facilities

Also included are appendixes on US ICBM sites, US SAM sites, British bunkers, and a list of Canadian "Diefenbunkers."

The book would be a great companion to anyone wanting to visit some of these places.

In 1823, Archibald McNab, 13* Chief of Clan McNab, eluded his creditors in Scotland and escaped to Upper Canada. The Laird's charm and noble bearing won him the confidence of the Family Compact—the aristocratic British clique who controlled the government—and he convinced Lieutenant-Governor Sir Peregrine Maitland to entrust him with the settlement of a township on the banks of the Ottawa River.

In 1825, McNab paid for the passage of 115 emigrants from Perthshire. He told the Highlanders—crofters (farmers) with virtually no education—that the government had given him the land—that he owned the township. He tried to impose a feudal system by having his settlers sign bonds and location tickets for their lots that obliged them to pay rent to him and his heirs forever.

McNab is the story of the settlers' 16-year struggle to free themselves from the tyranny of a Highland chief who held tenaciously to the tradition of the Scottish clan. In contrast, there is a parallel story of how settlers in Albany County, New York, dealt with life under a similar feudal system.

And there's romance! McNab's piper has a turbulent relationship with an Irish lass. She challenges his beliefs about marriage and women, and her passionate independence takes his heart on a wild ride

Much has been written about the fatal duel between John Wilson and Robert Lyon that took place in Perth, Ontario, June 13, 1833. Much has been written—but apparently not all has been revealed. Author Mulholland claims to have uncovered an account written fifty years after the duel. It was written at the request of John Watson, a Professor of Moral and Mental Philosophy (Psychology) at Queen's University in Kingston.

The day before the duel, Lyon agreed to apologize for assaulting Wilson if the latter would acknowledge that the letter he had sent from Bytown (Ottawa) was not intended to denigrate Lyon's character. But on the morning of the duel, Lyon reneged on his promise. Why? The belief is that Lyon's Second, Henry Lelievre, convinced him to meet Wilson on the Field of Honour. But is that what really happened? The answer lies within.