Jeremy Diamond and Davida Aronovitch: The War of 1812 ... Stupid but Important
Jeremy Diamond is director of development and programs at the Historica-Dominion Institute; Davida Aronovitch is communications co-ordinator.
The War of 1812 saw the last foreign invasion on Canadian soil. Ironically, its commemoration has become a battleground in Canada. The arrival of the war’s bicentennial has ushered in a national debate on its significance in both Canada and the United States, the level of government support it deserves and, of course, that 200-year-old chestnut: Who, if anyone, won?
Some critics say the War of 1812 should never have been fought to begin with – a stupid war. It’s generally agreed that the conflict, which returned all parties to the status quo after three years of brutal clashes, didn’t gain much. But it’s the wrong question to ask in considering its significance and commemoration. The fact is, it was fought, and like other wars, it had important effects on geography, people and history.
While little may have been gained, one key thing was not lost for Canadians: sovereignty from the United States. Had the American invasion been successful, Canada might be a very different place. The war also had an impact on first nations, which suffered disproportionate losses (including the promise of an independent aboriginal nation), French and English Canada, and black Canadians. And it set Canada on the path to nationhood. The war’s legacy offers essential teachable moments in Canadian history and identity, to which contemporary topical debates can only add nuance and richness...