From Ragged Ass Road to Rideau Hall: Stories of Canada
Fraser brings readers into the cold, stunned morning when the Soviet satellite Cosmos 954 rained nuclear debris across the Northwest Territories, igniting one of the most secretive international military operations in Canadian history. He revisits the tragedy of the Ocean Ranger, one of the world’s most advanced oil rigs that became the site of an unthinkable disaster. On Parliament Hill, he reports from inside the storm of the National Energy Program and the tense constitutional negotiations that affirmed Indigenous rights while dividing the nation anew.
Woven throughout is Fraser’s personal journey—his years living in the North, his friendships with leaders who transformed the political landscape, and his partnership with Mary Simon, whose swearing-in as Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General brings his story full circle.
Anchored by vivid reporting and personal reflection, From Ragged Ass Road to Rideau Hall is a powerful journey through the people, politics, and places that have defined Canada—and the shifting landscape of journalism itself.
What people are saying about From Ragged Ass Road to Rideau Hall
Whit Fraser’s memoir is a riveting page turner of first person stories about some of Canada’s most compelling moments – politics, disasters, terrorism, intrigue, and the importance of the North to all things Canada. Written with a keen eye, an astute ear, an exceptional memory, and a veteran journalists impeccable prose, these stories are gripping, evocative, vibrant, and exactly what we need in this moment of parsing our unique Canadian identity. An extraordinary achievement.
Whit’s passion for this country holds no bounds. His storytelling comes from a heart as big as the nation itself.
With wit and wisdom and, at times, righteous indignation, Whit Fraser relates the arc of his remarkable life as journalist, as Indigenous advocate, and as viceregal consort to Governor General Mary Simon. This is a story of tragedies reported, causes championed, and a nation represented. It is a story of the beauty of the North and the national neglect of its peoples; of vast caribou herds and god-awful mosquitos; of natural and human disasters and miracles; of living with, reporting on, and championing Indigenous issues; of priests and hockey players; of remembrance and repentance and reconciliation; of living in Canada’s First House with a front-row seat to watch the nation’s business. This is a tale of a life well lived, well told, and far from finished.
Did we need the Pope to ‘confess’ before we understood that truth, or reconciliation, takes love?
If we are keen to see a better Canada, then we need to see Canada better.
And for that journey, one needs a guide.
Enter Viceregal , His Excellency Whit Fraser, C.C.
From Ragged Ass Road to Rideau Hall is tragic, but more importantly, magic.
If you love this country, Whit’s journey will stay with you forever.