
A highly visual and engaging look at important cases of racism and discrimination in Canada’s history.
Righting Canada’s Wrongs is a series devoted to the exploration of the government actions that violated the rights of groups of Canadian citizens, the subsequent fight for acknowledgement and justice, and the eventual apologies and restitution by governments.
Now available as a set

- Each book documents a specific, historical case of discrimination by the Canadian Government
- Explores institutional racism and discrimination in Canada
- Supports history and civics curriculums
- Highlights the resilience and resistance of impacted groups
- First-person accounts
- Teachers’ resource guide and links to video resources
- Illustrations on every page: historical photographs and documents, maps, artwork, and more
This set is also available as a streaming online resource at www.canadiancloudlibrary.ca
Find out more about the set at: www.rightingcanadaswrongs.ca
New and upcoming in the series
Righting Canada’s Wrongs: The Sixties Scoop and the Stolen Lives of Indigenous Children
An examination of the Sixties Scoop—a child welfare policy in Canada that saw the removal of Indigenous children from their families, often by force.
$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 12-18Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Inuit Relocations
A ground-breaking account of multiple forced relocations by the Canadian government of Inuit communities and individuals. All have been the subject of apologies, but are little known beyond the Arctic. The Inuit community has proven resilient to many attempts at assimilation, relocation and evacuation to the south.
$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 13-18Righting Canada’s Wrongs: The LGBT Purge and the fight for equal rights in Canada
Until recently, Canadian laws discriminated against LGBTq2+ people. Those in the Canadian Military, RCMP and civil service were targeted specifically.
$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 13-18Righting Canada’s Wrongs 10 volume set
For educators seeking to build anti-racism learning into Canadian history classes, this 10-book set of classroom materials is an invaluable resource. Each book addresses a major instance of official racism and discrimination spanning more than 150 years. Also included is a free teachers guide to help integrate these titles into class curriculums.
$349.95, SetInterest ages: 13-18
About the series
“As indicated by its name, this series is hopeful. It is not about opening old wounds; it’s about remembering the past, understanding it and moving forward.” — Nikkei Voice
- Each book documents a specific, historical case of discrimination by the Canadian Government
- Explores institutional racism and discrimination in Canada
- Supports history and civics curriculum
- Highlights the resilience and resistance of impacted groups
- First-person accounts
- Teachers’ resource guide and links to video resources
- Illustrations on every page: historical photographs and documents, maps, artwork, and more
Awards and Reviews
Praise for Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Japanese Canadian Internment
Commended – Best Books for Kids & Teens — Canadian Children’s Book Centre – 2012
“Authors Pamela Hickman and Masako Fukawa skilfully follow the story of the Japanese in Canada, from the first wave of immigrants in 1877 through the internment years and the fight for redress. Arresting images dominate the pages, mixing family photographs, posters, museum artifacts, and news archives to create a vivid scrapbook, which also contains the recollections of five internment survivors. Their accounts, peppered generously throughout the book, bring to life the imagery and facts that might otherwise seem impersonal… The book proves an essential history lesson for a generation that may be unaware of this deplorable part of our nation’s past.”
— Quill & Quire
“…an effective educational volume…”
— BC Bookworld
“This book is very well-done… The visuals are spectacular and will surely be a drawing card for students… These are topics our students need to be informed about in order to understand and appreciate our history.” Rated E – Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
— Resource Links
“…inviting like a yearbook or a highly polished scrapbook, bursting with photos as well as historic political cartoons and posters… The inclusion of simple maps, a detailed timeline and a glossary also contribute to the readability of this large-format volume… This book holds appeal for any young adult with an interest in the history of Canada.”
— Nikkei Voice
“Japanese Canadian Internment in the Second World War is a phenomenal achievement. More than 300 full-colour and black and white visuals (maps, photos, document facsimiles) powerfully evoke the times they represent, the personal stories give a strong and poignant voice to those who lived the experience, and the combination of historical content and first-person accounts make this a hugely accessible work for high school students in Canadian history and human rights courses. This book has a place, both in high school libraries and as a supplementary text for social studies classrooms.
— CM: Review of Materials
Highly Recommended.”
“This is an impressive book filled with heart-wrenching stories of Japanese Canadians who endured this difficult period in their lives. It is a must have for all history teachers as it recognizes an event in Canadian history that should never be repeated.”
— Canadian Children’s Book News
Praise for Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Residential Schools
“If I were purchasing materials for a high school library, I would buy at least 2 copies, and I would urge Social Studies and Aboriginal Studies classroom teachers to have at least one copy on their bookshelves. Perhaps the strongest work to date in the Righting Canada’s Wrongs series, Residential Schools underscores the importance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s work… Highly Recommended.”
— CM: Canadian Review of Materials
Visually, it’s a wonderful book, organized by topic and time with pictures and blurbs, and it feels almost like a scrapbook or a new travelling museum exhibit. Written by Melanie Florence, who is of Plains Cree and Scottish descent, this book does not allow residential schools to be the first or the final word on Indigenous culture and life. It takes us into the vibrant life and culture before the schools, the horror and grief during, and it takes us to the other side.
— Atlantic Books Today
As one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action states, ‘Make age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement for kindergarten to Grade Twelve students.’ (p. 7) this book certainly contributes to this action and should be added to every junior and senior high school and public library in Canada. Highly Recommended.” Rated E – Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
— Resource Links
Praise for Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Anti-Semitism and the MS St. Louis
“This story and the others in the “Righting Canada’s Wrongs” series should be essential teaching in Canadian classrooms at all grades.”
— CM: Review of Materials
Books and sets in the series
Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Anti-Semitism and the MS St. Louis
In 1939, a ship of Jewish refugees, including hundreds of children, was turned away by the Canadian government, fuelled by anti-Semitic sentiments. In 2018, Canada apologized.
$32.95, PaperbackInterest ages: 13-18Reading level: Grade 7Righting Canada’s Wrongs: The Sixties Scoop and the Stolen Lives of Indigenous Children
An examination of the Sixties Scoop—a child welfare policy in Canada that saw the removal of Indigenous children from their families, often by force.
$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 12-18Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Inuit Relocations
A ground-breaking account of multiple forced relocations by the Canadian government of Inuit communities and individuals. All have been the subject of apologies, but are little known beyond the Arctic. The Inuit community has proven resilient to many attempts at assimilation, relocation and evacuation to the south.
$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 13-18Righting Canada’s Wrongs: The LGBT Purge and the fight for equal rights in Canada
Until recently, Canadian laws discriminated against LGBTq2+ people. Those in the Canadian Military, RCMP and civil service were targeted specifically.
$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 13-18Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Residential Schools
This updated edition includes the findings of unmarked graves at residential schools and examines the work still to be done to implement the Calls to Action of the TRC Report
$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 13-18Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Italian Canadian Internment in the Second World War
A newly updated edition explains how prejudice and racism led to the roundup and internment of hundreds of loyal Italian Canadians during the Second World War and includes the federal government’s apology for the internment in 2021.
$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 13-18Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Africville
In the 1960s, after ignoring the Black community’s repeated petitions for basic services, the City of Halifax bulldozed Africville in the name of urban renewal.
$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 13-18Righting Canada’s Wrongs: The Chinese Head Tax and Anti-Chinese Immigration Policies in the Twentieth Century
This visual history shows how, after the CPR to Vancouver was finished, Canada imposed racist, anti-Chinese immigration policies that lasted more than 60 years
$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 13-18Lexile Reading Level: 1170LRighting Canada’s Wrongs: The Komagata Maru and Canada’s Anti-Indian Immigration Policies in the Twentieth Century
A visual history of the courageous Indians who sailed to Vancouver to start a new life — only to be turned away by a racist immigration policy$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 13-18Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Japanese Canadian Internment in the Second World War
During the Second World War, over 20,000 Japanese Canadians had their civil rights, homes, possessions, and freedom taken away. This visual-packed book tells the story.$34.95, HardcoverInterest ages: 13-18
Teacher Resources
Series Resource Guide
A resource guide with seven lessons to engage students with topics from the Righting Canada’s Wrongs books!
- Historical thinking concepts introduced in each lesson
- Video links to supplement lessons
- A special guide to teaching about racism
- For more information, click here.