Author: Gord Steinke

Publisher: Folklore Publishing

ISBN: 13:978-1-894864-11-4

           10: 1-894864-11-5

In his introduction to Mobsters & Rumrunners of Canada: Crossing the Line Gord Steinke points out that “probation was a miserable failure. The so called ‘Noble Experiment,’ which was meant to reduce crime and poverty and improve people’s health” turned out to be a complete disaster. In fact, prohibition spawned a whole new crew of criminals who specialized in bootlegging and much of these illegal activities originated in Canada.

The movement for prohibition began when some Americans were troubled about the harmful effects of drinking and they began forming temperance organizations. As these groups became influential, the U. S. government on the 16^th of January, 1919 ratified the National Prohibition Act commonly known as the Volstead Act. A year later it was prohibited to manufacture, sale, or transport intoxicating liquors in the US. It would take another thirteen years until the Act was repealed, however, in the meantime, the era of bootleg booze created a class of very wealthy criminals who were able to turn huge profits. However, the cost was very high, as it also meant considerable rivalry among gangs and by the time Prohibition ended there was at least 800 gangsters who were killed in bootleg-related shootings in Chicago alone.  

Mobsters & Rumrunners of Canada: Crossing the Line recounts the many stories pertaining to the Canadian connection to the American underworld during the era of Prohibition. It should be pointed out that in Canada prohibition had a very short life span and when it ended, each of the provinces was given the option to control the manufacture and sale of alcohol. Some did regulate the sale and manufacture, however, for the most part much of it was a farce.

As an example and as Steinke mentions, The Liquor Control Act of Ontario only banned public or hotel drinking but did not prohibit the manufacture and export of liquor. Consequently, it was not illegal to export liquor to countries that did have Prohibition. This meant that anyone from the USA, who was fearless, could motor over to Ontario or anywhere in Canada, buy all the liquor he or she could carry and smuggle it across the border.

Moreover, as Steinke points out, mobsters such as the illustrious Al Capone seized upon the opportunity to make a fortune in bootlegging and he immediately forged a business alliance with Sam and Harry Bronfman who were manufacturing liquor in Saskatchewan where Prohibition had ended in 1924.

As mentioned in Mobsters & Rumrunners of Canada: Crossing the Line, Capone between 1925 and 1932 controlled all the distilleries, nightclubs, bookie joints, gambling houses, brothels and race tracks in the Chicago area at a reported income of $100 million per year. No doubt, Capone would not have succeeded to such an extent if it were not for Prohibition.

Violence was not only restricted to the USA as it was quite prevalent along the coastline of Canada’s Atlantic provinces from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia and even included the French islands of St. Pierre, a group of French-owned islands 16 miles off the southwest coast of Newfoundland. Together these venues constituted Rum Row and were the principal jumping off points in bootlegging activities. From any of these harbors it was a short jaunt into the USA.

The depiction of the many colorful characters that played an important role during this era is very well done. As Steinke mentions in his introduction, mobsters and smugglers and their greedy lives filled with murder, mystery and mayhem are usually not part of a Canadian history course. However, how real is the history of a country if you decide to pick and choose what to include particularly where many Canadian families can trace back their ancestry to bootleggers and gangsters?

Steinke’s research is the result of gleaning through a variety of newspaper articles, government archives and other publications and as he states: “one undeniable common denominator emerged from our country’s past-the cruel and greedy era of Mobsters and Rumrunners of Canada is very real and important part of Canadian heritage.”

The above review was  contributed by: NORM GOLDMAN:  Retired Title Attorney: Editor & Publisher of Bookpleasures. Here are  Norm Goldman's Reviews