Keep True: A Life in Politics

Howard Pawley, former Premier of Manitoba (1981-88), led the province during one of the most turbulent periods in its history. His government successfully implemented social democratic policies that ran counter to the neo-conservative trends that dominated the period, including job creation, human rights and marital property legislation, and labor reform. But his government's greatest challenge was over French-language rights, an explosive two-year debate that left the province badly divided and embroiled in the complicated maneuvering between the national government and Quebec separatists. In Keep True, Pawley takes us into the inner workings of his government during this controversial period, describing how the principles of Canadian agrarian socialism shaped his political vision, and offering unique insights into current party politics.