When Canada’s most famous author visited – and wrote about – Niagara Falls

The late Pierre Burton is considered by many to be the quintessential Canadian author. The thoughtful and thought-provoking writer not only encapsulated the Canadian experience but in his erudite manner, taught many how to be Canadian.

He had a flair for telling Canadian history in a way that the everyman could climb aboard for the adventure. You didn’t have to be a historian to enjoy it. On the contrary, his books were written so that everyone could enjoy the Canadian legacy.

So when he tackled the lure of Niagara Falls in his book, Niagara: A History of the Falls, the official launch of his new tome was at the posh city landmark Oak Hall on Sept. 9, 1992.

What did Berton think of Niagara Falls personally? He felt it was over-commercialized, not an uncommon comment.

“I would have liked Niagara Falls to have been totally surrounded by natural beauty,” he famously said at the launch.

However, at the same time, he fully understood why tourist areas like Clifton Hill were created. “You’ve got to give people something to do when they get here besides look at the Falls. Although some guys are prepared to sit for two hours looking at the water, as I am, a good many people aren’t.”

Of the many colourful characters included in the book, Berton thought that genius inventor Nikola Tesla was by far the most interesting. “He is the reason, of course, why this is the industrial heartland of northeastern United States and southwestern Ontario,” he remarked.

It is also interesting to note that Berton and his wife met with Niagara Falls historian and local author George Siebel and his wife Olive in January 1992. They had dinner at the Table Rock Restaurant where they no doubt swapped notes.

Berton, who died on November 30, 2004, authored 50 books and worked as a journalist and broadcaster. He is best known for his works of narrative history, such as Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush and his two-part history of the Canadian railway, The National Dream and The Last Spike.

He received numerous honourary degrees and over 30 literary awards, including the Governor General’s Award for Nonfiction three times. He also wrote critiques of mainstream religion, anthologies, children’s books, and historical works for youth. He was a reporter and war correspondent, an editor at Maclean’s magazine and the Toronto Star, as well as being a 39-year guest on the Canadian current events TV show, Front Page Challenge.

However, he had a playful side. In the below clip from the Rick Mercer Report, Berton deftly shows youths how to properly roll a joint. Since marijuana is involved, YouTube will not let the link be accessed directly. However, simply click on the “Watch on YouTube” link to go directly to it.