A Toronto Suicide Magnet and Canada's Accidental History
Two Non-Fiction Reviews by James M. Fisher
As a former Torontonian, I was curious about The Suicide Magnet even though I had only been over the Bloor Viaduct a few times (by car and subway) in my 20+ years there. The astounding fact that the Viaduct is (or was) second only to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco as a suicide magnet. That fact alone is the impetus for this book to be of interest to anyone.
Author Paul McLaughlin has assembled a well-designed book that discusses a few of the more prominent suicides out of the four hundred since the Bloor Viaduct was completed in 1918. It is also the story of two men, unlikely City Hall fighters that eventually got the City of Toronto to erect a suicide barrier, the famous “Luminous Veil.” Along the way, the reader will be educated about suicide and he follows the progress of Al Birney (who passed away in 2006) and Michael McCamus. These two men teamed up against City Hall’s endless red tape and unbelievable resistance and became close friends.
Filled with the stories of those impacted by a loved one who died by suicide by jumping off the Viaduct, as well as some who attempted it but were either talked down or changed their mind. Even a survivor of a Golden Gate attempt tells us of his last-second regrets as his hand left the railing. This book is so full of information about suicide, why the media tend to glorify it (especially with celebrity suicides like Robin William’s) and why politicians resisted it. Very compelling, easy to read and digest the amount of information within. Recommended reading.
Book Details
Publisher : Dundurn Press (Nov. 7 2023)
Language : English
Paperback : 248 pages
ISBN-10 : 145975140X
ISBN-13 : 978-1459751408
A bridge also figures in a chapter of An Accidental History of Canada, but in a different light, that of the twenty-six deaths associated with its construction, most by drowning. The bridge in question is the Victoria Bridge in Montreal in the years 1854-1860. These were considered “accidents” but any bodily injuries were not, according to the understanding of accidents at the time. Construction, mining, and logging industries (also examined in the book) have what are considered “inherent risks” and as such, many injuries and even deaths were not reported. Worker’s Compensation also gets a chapter in Part II, particularly the groundbreaking 1908 legislation in the province of Alberta.
Other chapters deal with bicycling injuries in Vancouver, past and present, fires in the Finnish-Canadian settler colonies and its impact, Canoeing deaths on the Petawawa river in Ontario, the Grenfell Medical Mission in the colony of Newfoundland and Labrador, Medical Malpractice (a particularly interesting subject for me) and much more. An Accidental History of Canada is more academic in tone than The Suicide Magnet, but it doesn’t make it any less interesting. The chapters are essay-like with introductions and conclusions which are very helpful in both setting the tone and succinctly wrapping up the subject, respectively. The depth and breadth of this book is remarkable, and it covers little-known events in Canadian history and the changing worldview of accidents and worker’s compensation.
Book Details
Publisher : McGill-Queen's University Press (June 18 2024)
Language : English
Paperback : 396 pages
ISBN-10 : 0228021162
ISBN-13 : 978-0228021162
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Sounds like a fascinating read. I've often wondered about the bridge, as I cross it often.
A must-read for me!