John A. Macdonald’s Anti-Fenian Spy Ring

Witness to Yesterday (The Champlain Society Podcast on Canadian History)

Patrice Dutil meets David A. Wilson to talk about his book Canadian Spy Story: Irish Revolutionaries and the Secret Police, published by McGill-Queens University Press. In an effort to disable the Irish revolutionaries from attacking Canada and stirring Irish sympathies in Canada, Sir John A. Macdonald established a sophisticated spy ring to infiltrate Fenian ranks. They examine the ideas that animated the Fenians, their success and their failures. They also reflect on the socio-political situation and on the actions taken by the Government of Canada’s, taking particular note of individuals like Gilbert McMicken, Frederick Ermatinger, Charles Clarke and the grand spy Henri Le Caron.

This podcast was produced by Jessica Schmidt.

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