A ground-breaking work of nation building, this unique biographical
book by many of English and French Canada's best-known writers and
thinkers -- Margaret Atwood, Lucien Bouchard, Dr. Samantha Nutt, Ken
Dryden, etc. -- tells the story of the extraordinary legacy of the
French contribution to our very way of life.
In 1913, schoolgirls found a heavy metal plaque peeking out of the soil
in St-Pierre, South Dakota. On it they saw engraved characters and signs
they could not decipher. They took the plaque back home, and somehow, it
found its way into the hands of a local historian who immediately
realized the importance of the artifact.
One hundred and seventy years earlier, French-Canadian explorer Pierre
Gaultier de la Vérendrye had written about his travels to the west in
search of the elusive Western Sea. In his journal, he remembered: I
placed upon a hillock near the fort a lead plaque with the arms and
inscription of the King. That was the plaque found by the children, the
proof that de la Vérendrye was the first white man to set eyes on the
Rockies, 60 years before Lewis and Clark's famous expedition.
Traces of the French-Canadians' contribution to North American history
can be found in all regions of the continent. More often than not, we
are unaware of or indifferent towards these signs. Yet the descendants
of the French travelled farther than one would expect, exploring the
land and a wide variety of fields of human activity (science, arts,
economy, etc.). Through their audacity, their courage and their
determination, they shaped Canada -- and, to a smaller but still
significant extent -- the United States.
In a unique partnership with Les Éditions La Presse, Legacy is the
story of a dozen French-Canadian pioneers, from the era of
Nouvelle-France up to the 20th century. This ambitious book project will
take the form of a series of biographical essays written by Canadian
personalities and leading authors. Through the lives of these
extraordinary persons, the authors will reflect on the French-Canadian
legacy. They are all convinced that Canada would not be what it is today
were it not for these French-speaking Canadians who explored the land,
hung on to their culture while respecting that of others, longed for
peace, fought with courage, and stood up for a brand of humanism that
helped shape the country we live in today.
