Books, Big Ideas, Q&As

Franklin’s failure is a fascinating Canadian story

Madelaine Drohan’s book reveals there was far more to Benjamin Franklin’s interest in Canada than publishing.

U.S. founding father Benjamin Franklin spent time in Montreal, and had what author Madelaine Drohan describes as a ‘persistent ambition’ to take Canada. Photograph courtesy of Randy von Liski/Flickr

Opinion

BY ANDREW CADDELL

July 8, 2026

MONTREAL—When I was a child in this city, history wasn’t just a subject: it was all around us. The trenches we explored between our backyards were remnants of the encampment defending Montreal in the War of 1812, the first trading post on the Lachine Canal was a few kilo...

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