Bill Waiser
Author, Historian, Public Speaker
Bill Waiser is one of Canada’s foremost historians. For more than three decades, he was a history professor at the University of Saskatchewan. He is now a full-time writer and public speaker.
Bill has published 21 books, in addition to plying his trade in radio, television, and print media. He’s known for his engaging, popular style that draws on the power of stories. Both the Mosquito Nakoda First Nation and the Saddle Lake Cree Nation have honoured Bill with a blanketing ceremony for his work on Indigenous/non-Indigenous history.
Bill’s many honours include the Order of Canada and the Saskatchewan Order of Merit. He is the recipient of the 2016 Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction and the 2019 Governor General’s History Award for Popular Media (the Pierre Berton Award). He’s also had the privilege of presenting one of his books to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at a private ceremony.
For more information about Bill Waiser and his work and publications, please consult his biography (PDF).
Selected Books by Bill Waiser
In Search of Almighty Voice
Resistance and Reconciliation
In May 1897, Almighty Voice, a member of the One Arrow Willow Cree, died violently when Canada’s North-West Mounted Police shelled the fugitive’s hiding place. Since then, his violent death has spawned a succession…
Saskatchewan
A New History
In Saskatchewan: A New History, award-winning author and historian Bill Waiser presents a fresh, entertaining account and interpretation of Saskatchewan’s unique and captivating history. Writing with clarity, candor…
A World We Have Lost
Saskatchewan Before 1905
A World We Have Lost examines the early history of Saskatchewan through an Aboriginal and environmental lens. Indian and mixed-descent peoples played leading roles in the story, as did the land and climate…
Cheated
The Laurier Liberals and the Theft of First Nations Reserve Land
You won’t find the Ocean Man and Pheasant Rump reserves on a map of southeastern Saskatchewan. In 1901, the two Nakoda bands reluctantly surrendered the 70 square miles granted to them under treaty. It’s just one of more…
GORDIE’S SKATE
A children’s depression-era story about how Saskatoon’s Gordie Howe acquired his first skate (singular) thanks to his mother’s kindness.
Available August 2026
In 1928, Saskatoon’s Ethel Catherwood won the women’s high jump at the Amsterdam Olympic games. Her Canadian gold medal performance in an individual track and field event stood for almost a century–until it was equaled by another Canadian woman, Camryn Rogers, in the hammer throw at the 2024 Paris summer Olympics.
The Backyard Jumpertells the story of how a young Ethel learned to high jump, becoming one of the best Canadian female athletes of her generation. It wasn’t easy getting over the bar, and Ethel’s persistence underscores the importance of practice to become proficient at any skill or activity. Her story is also one of female empowerment. Ethel’s determination to succeed propelled her to a gold medal victory at the first Olympic games where women were allowed to compete in track and field events.
Watch The Backyard Jumper video story:
Recent Newspaper Articles
“Saskatchewan shows Alberta how to handle separatists after U.S. support”
The Globe&Mail
February 14, 2026
“Déjà vu all over again: Trump, Greenland and Canada”
Prince Albert Grand Council Tribune
January 2026
“Meewasin Valley Dinner”
The Globe & Mail
May 17, 2025
“Americans have History of Expecting Canda to Fail”
Saskatoon Star Phoenix
March 19, 2025
“Saskatchewan Independence not a Responsible Solution”
The Globe & Mail
May 28, 2025
“Northern Saskatchewan is too often ignored by the rest of the country”
The Globe & Mail
June 22, 2025
“Canada Can Do better for First Nations people”
Saskatoon Star Phoenix
Feb 26, 2025
Images of Bill Waiser
