I was listening to Ontario Today on CBC Radio One at the day-job this afternoon, and Michael Bliss (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Bliss) of the Canadian Historical Society - publishers of The Beaver and backers of this particular debate/opinion poll - was interviewed in order to explain the project. His off-hand suggestion, if we're going to invoke such people of that bent as candidates for the title of the Worst Canadian, was Clifford Olson.
Being a historian, however, Bliss had a couple of other candidates in mind: Lord Beaverbrook being one, and another being whoever it was in the British government a couple of centuries back that came up with the "smallpox blankets" scheme of genocidal infamy.
The earliest reference to smallpox blankets that I could find was here, which suggests that it originated on this side of the 49th parallel, although of course we were all British then. All I know about Lord Beaverbrook is what I've read in Wikipedia; what was he nominated for?
Well, as to the link you gave me, it refreshed my memory: Sir Jeffrey Amherst, may his name live in obscurity if not infamy.
As for the former Max Aitken...not entirely sure other than Bliss' claims of "evil" behaviour. Whether there's any truth to any of Bliss' perceptions on the matter is something I'll have to read up on some other time.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2007-05-03 04:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-03 09:47 pm (UTC)Being a historian, however, Bliss had a couple of other candidates in mind: Lord Beaverbrook being one, and another being whoever it was in the British government a couple of centuries back that came up with the "smallpox blankets" scheme of genocidal infamy.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-03 11:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-04 01:07 am (UTC)As for the former Max Aitken...not entirely sure other than Bliss' claims of "evil" behaviour. Whether there's any truth to any of Bliss' perceptions on the matter is something I'll have to read up on some other time.