For readers of my novel
Crimes of Disrespect, you can see photos below of the setting and peruse some of my research sources. Enjoy!
Most of
Crimes of Disrespect is set in Oakville, Ontario, a suburban town of about 193,000, on the western fringe of the
Greater Toronto Area. The author took the following photographs in 2011.
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Upscale boutiques in downtown Oakville.
(Photo: RB Young.) |
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A stately house typical of Old Oakville.
(Photo: RB Young.) |
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Union Jack alludes to initial settlement by British immigrants.
(Photo: RB Young.) |
Crimes of Disrespect is a work of fiction, not journalism, but like most novels, it required research--some relating to theme; some, to characters. So, here are a few selected photos and links, for those readers wanting more information.
1. Survivors of Child Abuse
In the novel, the janitor Sol Fitzgerald is co-protagonist with police detective Alison Downey. Sol suffered sexual abuse as a child, and he's still struggling with its consequences. (Another character also has abuse in their past, but it would be a plot spoiler to reveal their identity here.)
You can read about more about child-abuse survivors at the following resources:
2. Two Row Wampum Treaty
In the novel's fictitious Two Row Exchange, two high schools participate in activities and speeches about the
Two Row Wampum Treaty. The photo below, from a
United Nations International Day of Indigenous Peoples in 2013, shows a two row wampum being displayed (centre-left).
The image below is a representation of the original Two Row Wampum Treaty belt.
Wampum is a traditional shell bead of First Nations in eastern North America. Beads are strung together to create decorative designs.
3. Haldimand Proclamation
On October 25, 1784, Frederick Haldimand, the Governor of the Province of Quebec, issued a decree to the Iroquois who had helped the British side during the American Revolutionary War. The proclamation gave those Iroquois a land grant of 950,000 acres, occupying six miles on each side of the Grand River from its source to its mouth at Lake Ontario.
The history of the granted territory and its radical "shrinkage" over the centuries have been (and continue to be) a source of conflict. During my research, I referred to many sources, including the three below:
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