Exceptional Circumstances

James Bartleman is the former lieutenant governor of Ontario and the bestselling author of the novels As Long as the Rivers Flow and The Redemption of Oscar Wolf. A member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, he is also a retired ambassador and a member of the Order of Canada. He lives in Perth, Ontario.

Exceptional Circumstances is a thoughtful and modern presentation of the idea that political leaders can do illegal things based on necessity. It is a pernicious concept that Bartleman skillfully weaves through the politics of Colombia and Cuba and ends with its unvarnished and unnecessary use in Ottawa during the FLQ crisis in late 1970. Luc Cadotte, a young Metis from Georgian Bay, the main character, joins Foreign Affairs and is seduced into the shadowy world of global “exceptional circumstances” but a strong sense of home and family comes to the rescue. It is a must read for all who are disturbed by the willingness of democratically elected government to unfavorably alter the balance between the rulers and their citizens. More than two thumbs up. Gar Pardy, former Ambassador and Director General of Consular Affairs, Foreign Affairs Canada.