“The effects of the Expulsion on Acadian culture are inseparable from its modern identity. The same does not have to be true for future displaced peoples.”

——

In Acadian Driftwood, Tyler LeBlanc discovers his connection to the Acadian expulsion and follows what happens to ten of his ancestors (all siblings) in the chaos of the expulsion.

LeBlanc illustrates the horror and human suffering enacted on thousands of people because of colonial powers, territory disputes, and politics.

I appreciated how easy LeBlanc made this book to read. He provides such amazing context surrounding conflicts, historical figures, and the constant power vacuums in North America.

LeBlanc presents the expulsion and diaspora of Acadians as only one account of imperial abuse, and encourages readers to examine historical and contemporary expulsions and relocations of populations (drawing specific reference to indigenous communities and the Rohingya).

This book was an excellent, concise introduction into the social history of a dark chapter in Canadian history. Definitely recommend.