Battling Parish Priests, Bootleggers, and Fur Sharks: CCF Colonialism in Northern Saskatchewan
Date
2002
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Masters
Abstract
"Battling Parish Priests, Bootleggers, and Fur Sharks: CCF Colonialism in Northern
Saskatchewan," examines the relationship between the government of Saskatchewan and the
northern half of the province during the immediate post-World War Two period. Prior to 1944,
the people of the region lived in relative isolation and had developed a unique society, culture, and
economy distinct from the rest of the province. But under the Co-operative Commonwealth
Federation (CCF), which formed the government of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1964, the North
underwent profound change. During this twenty-year period, using colonial methods, the CCF
attempted to impose modernization, assimilation, and socialism within the northern Aboriginal
society. CCF efforts in the North proved largely unsuccessful. A failure to commit adequate
resources, a lack of planning, and resistance from northerners to the intrusive governmental
presence combined to limit the success of the CCF project. The CCF also destroyed much of the
former northern economic and social system, while failing to build a workable new economy and
society. This contributed to the worsening poverty and social dysfunction within Aboriginal
communities.
This work breaks new ground in significant ways. Other studies have examined particular
aspects of the CCF northern record, but none have employed extensive original research in an
effort to grasp the larger northern picture. This research seeks to understand and explain, in a
comprehensive fashion, the legacy left by the CCF to the North. Additionally, this study offers a
new perspective on the socialism of the CCF in Saskatchewan. The CCF's northern record
indicates the presence of a much stronger socialism than many observers, who have only examined
the CCF in the South, thought.
Various sources have provided information for this research. Archival records located at
the Saskatchewan Archives Board served as the largest single source. Documents from the
Glenbow Archives also have proven valuable. Oral interviews with northern residents and former
provincial government employees added new perspectives and invaluable checks on the archival
information. The existing body of secondary scholarship has provided a necessary base of
information.
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Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Department
History
Program
History