In September 1867, a few short months after the formation of the Dominion of Canada, voters went to the polls for the inaugural election to affirm that the new government was answerable to the people. The outcome was chaotic, sometimes violent, and left no doubt that the new democracy was going to be a noisy one. In Ballots and Brawls, the first book dedicated solely to the 1867 election, Patrice Dutil offers readers a region-by-region look at the summer of that year, concluding with a close examination of the election results.

Citizens battled over issues of economic progress, taxation, and defence, while fights at the local level pitted English against French, Protestants against Catholics, and regionalists against nationalists. Dutil’s account captures the drama and outright violence at the polls, and provides an engrossing introduction to the shared ideals, disparate interests, and big personalities involved. Drawing together archival research, newspaper accounts, and a thorough review of the results at the polls, Dutil delivers an engaging and detailed look at the election that started the country.