How did disease, starvation, and policy shape the fate of Indigenous peoples in Canada?

In Clearing the Plains, James Daschuk presents a groundbreaking study of the historical roots of health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. Drawing on over twenty years of research, the book traces the devastating interplay of biology, ecology, and politics that shaped a tragedy.

Daschuk documents how state policies—including forced starvation and restricted movement—were weaponized against Indigenous populations. The narrative exposes the grim complicity of officials like John A. Macdonald, revealing how disease and hunger were utilized as deliberate tools of control to clear the land.

Winner of the Governor General’s History Award, this work remains influential in re-examining the national narrative. It is a vital contribution to understanding the treatment of Indigenous peoples, forcing a confrontation with a dark legacy that continues to resonate today.