Brian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1488 - History, Rebellion, & Democracy with Linda McQuaig

Tonight on The Brian Crombie Hour, Brian is joined by Linda McQuaig, award-winning investigative journalist, Toronto Star columnist, and author of eight national bestsellers, to discuss her first novel, The Road to Goderich. Set against the backdrop of the 1837 Rebellion in Upper Canada, the novel follows a young Scottish woman, Calandra, whose journey of love, betrayal, and self-discovery unfolds amid the struggle against the undemocratic “Family Compact” elite. Linda and Brian explore how this often-forgotten uprising helped shape Canadian democracy—and how its themes still echo in our politics today. They also discuss her sharp critiques of PM Mark Carney’s climate change and defence spending policies, her views on Canada’s democratic evolution, and what inspired her to shift from nonfiction to historical fiction.