On one side of the Birdtail River in Manitoba is the town of Rossburn, on the other side is the First Nations Reserve, Waywayseecapo. Sniderman and Sanderson relate the history of the two communities from settler times until today. This is a story of inequality, racism and poverty which, today, has the possibility of change. In 2010, the chair of the district school board, recognizing a decrease in the “white” population would result in the subsequent loss of provincial funding, approached the reserve governing body with a proposal for equal funding of education for the reserve. The reserve had a growing population. This has resulted in more opportunities for growth, understanding and shared resources, essential to reconciliation. There is still more work to be done but changes are underway.

Valley of the Birdtail is a well-researched, balanced look at two neighboring Manitoba communities, representing many of the issues that have plagued Canada since colonization. Rossburn and Waywayseecappo First Nation are situated on either side of the river, 20 km apart, and yet there is often a world of difference between the two communities. Sniderman and Sanderson have looked at the development of the Canadian prairies, and have not shied away from the realities of colonialism and racism. Members of Waywayseecappo First Nation have been subject to the arbitrary restrictions imposed on them by the Indian Act, and this book looks at the long-lasting effects of these limitations and restrictions. By following two families, one white and one Indigenous, the authors have compared the two communities, with Rossburn thriving and Waywayseecappo members struggling to maintain their culture, while trying to keep food on their table.

This book includes excerpts from government communications, and puts faces to the larger story of Canada, as it has moved from colonization to present-day. This book offers many lessons for the present and the future, and reminds the reader of how much damage has been done in the name of "progress". A book that should be on library shelves, and in classrooms right across the country.

Many thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.