So the emblem of the West Our bright Maple Leaf is bless'd To its children of the goodly open hand; All the nations of the earth Are now learning of its worth And are flocking to this wealthy, promised land. - The Sugar Maple Tree Song, 1906 In 1906, the Sugar Maple Tree Song was just one example of the rhapsodic pieces that touted the Prairie West as the "promised land." In the formative years of agricultural settlement from the late nineteenth century to the First World War, the Canadian government, along with the railways and other Prairie boosters, further developed and propagated this image within the widely distributed promotional literature that was used to attract millions of immigrants to the Canadian West from all corners of the world. Some saw the Prairies as an ideal place to create a Utopian society; others seized the chance to take control of their own destinies in a new and exciting place. The image of the West as a place of unbridled prosperity and opportunity became the dominant perception of the region at that time. During the interwar and post-World War II eras, this image was questioned and challenged, although not entirely replaced, thus showing its pervasive influence.The Prairie West as Promised Land is group of essays, which includes contributions from some of the best-known Prairie historians as well as some of the most promising new scholars in the field, explores this persistent theme in Prairie history and makes an important contribution to the historiography of the Canadian West. With Contributions By: Sarah Carter Catherine A. Cavanaugh Brett Fairbairn Michael Fedyk R. Douglas Francis David Hall SteveHewitt Laurence Kitzan Chris Kitzan George Melnyk Doug Owram Anthony W. Rasporich Bradford J. Rennie Bill Waiser Matthew Wangler Randi Warne

A shift in US bank policy. A demonstration in Greece. A tsunami in Japan. These types of events can have profound effects on the economic well-being of Canadian communities. In such a heavily globalized environment, it may seem that only large corporations with access to transnational resources can operate successfully, but Canadian co-operatives demonstrate that this is not the case. Drawing on the results of a large research project that examined co-operatives in communities from coast to coast to coast, Co-operative Canada reveals how Canadians are collectively responding to the forces of globalization through local, community-owned enterprises.

There is a growing scholarly interest in the historical development of what has been called a 'consumer society.' In this important collection of essays, historians from six different countries trace the history of the consumer cooperative movement in much of western Europe and North America from its inception to the present. The consumer cooperative, as the contributors show, bears directly on the role of socialist parties, the nascent feminist movement, and conceptions of the worker's role in a changing economy and society in the 19th and 20th centuries. The first book to explore consumer cooperation on a comparative, international level, Consumers Against Capitalism fills a significant gap in the literature of labor history. It also makes a significant contribution to the literature on consumerism and capitalist culture. It is essential reading for students and scholars of labor history, women's history, and social movements.

A shift in US bank policy. A demonstration in Greece. A tsunami in Japan. These types of events can have profound effects on the economic well-being of Canadian communities. In such a heavily globalized environment, it may seem that only large corporations with access to transnational resources can operate successfully, but Canadian co-operatives demonstrate that this is not the case. Drawing on the results of a large research project that examined co-operatives in communities from coast to coast to coast, Co-operative Canada reveals how Canadians are collectively responding to the forces of globalization through local, community-owned enterprises.