James (Jim) Brady Interview

Abstract provided by the Gabriel Dumont Institute: James Brady was interviewed in 1960. Brady shares a story he heard of how the Frog Lake "massacre" started. He talks about his life when he joined the army and the land that was reserved for him after the war and how he became ill after he was discharged. He lived and worked in Edmonton after the war and in his spare time he visited three of his sisters in the city. Brady started a second phase of his life when he moved to the Yukon to work. He was only there for a short while before his lung began to bother him again and he had to move back to Edmonton. When he was well again Brady moved to Cumberland House, Saskatchewan for three years. He left Cumberland House with intentions of going to La Ronge for another phase of his life. Throughout these years Brady kept in touch with his friend Malcolm Norris. Brady shares stories of his life during each of these phases and describes his life in detail. Brady discusses when he first went to work at Deschambault Lake, the transition between the Fish Board to the Fish Marketing Service. He talks about how he survived the close calls when he was sick in Edmonton. Brady had a good relationship with his father and he discusses when he lost him shortly after he moved to Prince Albert. Brady talks about working and his life in Cumberland House. Brady discusses in detail the accounts of the 1885 Resistance including: the Métis’ roles, the Crees’ roles, grievances leading up to the Resistance and the Battle of Cut Knife Hill. ------------------ Keywords: Warfare, Violence, Women and Gender, Religion, Resource Degradation, Healthcare, Land use (Subsistence Patterns), Reserve System, Housing, Elections, Provincial Governance, Fur Trade, Fur Marketing Service, Federal Governance, Lack of Access to Education, Racism, Treaties, Community Breaking/Fracture