he Rideau Canal is one of the most fascinating testimonies to human determination and 19th-century strategic vision in North America. Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007, this 202-kilometre silver ribbon connecting Canada’s capital city Ottawa with the port of Kingston, on Lake Ontario, is not merely a waterway: it is a living monument to the military, technical, and social history of the region – a project that forever changed the waters of the region and the lives of those who called them home. Long before British engineers arrived with gunpowder, tools and a strong sense of duty, these waterways were the lifeblood of the Algonquin-Anishinaabeg people. To them, the Ottawa River is known as Kichi Sìbì, and it served as the primary communication artery for a territory defined by the river’s vast watershed. For the Anishinaabeg, the river was a gathering place where family groups met at key moments to socialize, trade goods and hand-crafted wares, and discuss governance and daily life. The entrance to Rideau Canal lies at the strategic meeting point of the Ottawa, Rideau, and Gatineau rivers – waterways the Anishinaabeg have navigated since time immemorial. Their spiritual connection to the land remains centered on places like the Chaudière Falls, where offerings are still made to Mother Nature’s spirit. When construction began, indigenous scouts were indispensable, using traditional portage trails and their deep knowledge of the region – both on land and water – to help military engineer John By (1779–1836), the engineer in charge, survey the route. Similarly to what happened with the quasi-twin Caledonian Canal which connects the west and east coasts of Scotland (thus reducing to 50 nautical miles the otherwise 350-mile route connecting Fort William to Inverness), the catalyst for the Rideau Canal were military fear and security needs. For over a century, Canada’s prosperity relied on trade flowing along the majestic St Lawrence River. However, the War of 1812, erupted between Great Britain and the United States, revealed a potential vulnerability: the St Lawrence formed the border with the US, and therefore an American invasion could easily sever the vital British supply line. To deter future attacks, the Duke of Wellington (1769– 1852), whose popularity and prestige were tremendous during the Napoleonic era, ensured the Rideau Canal construction project went forward. The goal was to create a line of defence – a detour that bypassed the narrow and more hazardous sections of the St Lawrence River. This task was entrusted to the above-mentioned Lieutenant-Colonel John By of the Royal Engineers, who relocated to Ontario in 1826 – exactly two hundred years ago – to transform a wilderness of rock and swamp into a strategic, crucial corridor. T Vom Ottawa River in den Kanal geht es erst mal einige Meter in die Höhe // Entering the canal from the Ottawa River, boats have to rise several metres 101
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