Unless We Live There or Venture Onto its Fringes at vacation time, many of us envision a harsh and uninviting Canadian Shield. It is something to be crossed quickly, on our way to Southern Ontario or Manitoba. The region of northwestern Ontario, stretching from Sault Ste. Marie to the Manitoba border, is 'the land between.'
Robert and Nancy Wightman correct our vision of northwestern Ontario. Drawing on years of extensive field and archival research, the Wightmans bring to light a distinct regional identity and unique patterns of economic development that have been shaped by the region's rich natural resources. A few major industries have dominated the economy of the region: the fur trade, the forest industry, mining, fishing, farming, and tourism. The Wightmans also investigate the supportive infrastructure that has grown in parallel to these industries. They consider developments in urbanization, transportation, and communications. Each essay in the collection covers a distinct period of regional development in a context of national and provincial trends.
The Land Between appeals to scholars and to general readers with diverse interests, including the environment, economic history, and regional history. For residents of northwestern Ontario, it provides a firm explanation of their developmental heritage.
