Ann Birch, Historian and Novelist
Author of Duelling in a New World
The Story of Upper Canada’s First Attorney-General
An award-winning educator, Ann Birch was Head of English in several Toronto high schools and an associate professor in the teacher-training programs at York University and the University of Toronto. She is a fiction writer, editor, historical researcher, and workshop facilitator. Duelling in a New World is her third novel.
John White was an English barrister who was appointed as Upper Canada’s first Attorney-General. He confronted the conflicts of the early parliament, pushing through a bill abolishing the import of slaves—long before Britain or America—and fought to give Aboriginals justice in white man’s courts. He helped establish the Law Society of Upper Canada (still in existence today as the Law Society of Ontario). Duelling in a New World reveals how White’s life came to a tragic end in one of Canada’s most famous duels.
The WTJHS Archives will open at 6 pm,
meeting room doors open at 6:30 pm.
Presentation at 7:00 pm, Refreshments and Business Meeting to follow.
Annette Public Library, Lower Level, 145 Annette Street, Toronto.