Canada’s ‘war’ | Shawn Swanky

The Smallpox War Against the Haida and Closing the Colonial Era

by Tom Swanky | May 9, 2023 | Canada's 'War'

The Smallpox War Against the Haida reviews the written record as it reflects on the widespread teaching among the Peoples concerned that Governor James Douglas oversaw an intentional mass killing during 1862/63 using smallpox as a tool. After the Book was completed,...

The tragedy of Ahan, martyred by the Crown on July 18, 1865

by Tom Swanky | Jul 17, 2019 | Canada's 'War'

What is the story of Ahan, the “Chilcotin Chief” martyred by the Crown in British Columbia on July 18, 1865, and exonerated by BC in 2014 and by Canada in 2019? And the story of his partner in action, Lutas? The Crown sentenced Lutas to hang with Ahan, but Lutas...

The curators of BC history still recruit innocents to the work of an ongoing genocide

by Tom Swanky | Sep 5, 2018 | Canada's 'War'

In a case of genocide, one community might seek to erase another even from memory. This erasure helps the killers cope with the gross cruelty of killing innocents en masse. It also tends to reduce the shame attracted by a community unwilling to renounce a genocidal...

Will Canada finally restore peace to Tsilhqot’in territory?

by Tom Swanky | Nov 18, 2017 | Canada's 'War'

The Government of Canada and the Tsilhqot’in National Government have announced that, “As a symbolic gesture of reconciliation,” Canada will “offer a statement of exoneration” for the six Tsilhqot’in Chiefs martyred by the Crown in 1864/65. This is an outline of the events commonly known as the Chilcotin War.

Central Coast Regional District recognizes smallpox genocide

by Tom Swanky | Sep 9, 2017 | Canada's 'War'

The Central Coast Regional District has become the second B.C. government body to recognize officially that the smallpox epidemics of 1862/63 that decimated the indigenous population within its area were an instance of genocide.