In White Civility Daniel Coleman breaks the long silence in Canadian literary and cultural studies around Canadian whiteness and examines its roots as a literary project of early colonials and nation-builders. He argues that a specific form of whiteness emerged in Canada that was heavily influenced by Britishness. Examining four allegorical figures that recur in a wide range of Canadian writings between 1820 and 1950 - the Loyalist fratricide, the enterprising Scottish orphan, the muscular Christian, and the maturing colonial son - Coleman outlines a genealogy of Canadian whiteness that remains powerfully influential in Canadian thinking to this day. Blending traditional literary analysis with the approaches of cultural studies and critical race theory, White Civility examines canonical literary texts, popular journalism, and mass market bestsellers to trace widespread ideas about Canadian citizenship during the optimistic nation-building years as well as during the years of disillusionment that followed the First World War and the Great Depression. Tracing the consistent project of white civility in Canadian letters, Coleman calls for resistance to this project by transforming whiteness into wry civility, unearthing rather than disavowing the history of racism in Canadian literary culture.

The Town of Orangeville has a colourful, exciting past – a history being documented in book form for the first time. From the early days of the Irish pioneers escaping the political problems of Ireland to the present influx of new residents fleeing the pressures of cities, Orangeville has been a town that has adapted well to change, always ready for new ideas. The strength of the community has been the people who have chosen to live there and who have left us interesting traces of their lives and the times. Much of the material used to research this book comes from newspapers, diaries, letters and other first-person documents, and archival photographs. Wherever possible, original quotes and stories in the language of the residents of the town appear throughout this history. The story of Orangeville and its surrounding area starts with the story of the Credit River, which rises within the town limits and maintains its presence as the town enters the 21st century. Brimming with stories never before heard, the pages are filled with humour, sadness and the range of emotions characteristic of a small Ontario town. For some the book will awaken memories; for others, it will introduce them to the community where they have chosen to live.