Ryerson condemned Strachan?s view of idle Methodist priest. Compared to Anglican priests the Methodist ministers worked much harder and for considerably less than the 130 pounds annually that the Anglican ministers received. Moreover, during the Cholera outbreak of 1832 Strachan contributed aid to the poor settlers, William Lyon Mackenzie commented,
Be assured that the splendid carriages of your judges and pensioners and governors and gentry will be followed by pauperism, poverty, vice and crime. It adds to the pleasures (mean and grovelling as they are) of such a man as Doctor Strachan to have a hundred poor miserable wretches humbly attending his ?soup kitchen? begging for a morsel. Their poverty forms an agreeable and striking contrast with the coach, the palace, the liveried footman of their Doctor (Flint 116).
Mackenzie resented Strachan for having him expelled from the assembly three times in his career, he saw Strachan as an evil and manipulative individual. Mackenzie believed Strachan?s generous deeds during the epidemic to be political interests and not because Strachan felt the need to help the poor. John Strachan?s reputation suffered during his rise to prominence.
John Strachan?s corrupt objectives were evident in his supporting of the monopolization of the clergy reserves, controlling of non-British immigration, lobbying strictly for Anglican education in schools, his manipulation of the government and his poor reputation amongst the public. Throughout history, the question of whether John Strachan was a man of integrity or of dishonesty remains to be answered. Whatever the answer may be, Strachan helped to push Canada out of its infancy towards establishing an identity. John Strachan?s insistence of the Anglican Church controlling the clergy reserves was ultimately driven by hunger for power and sheer dislike of any opposition. Strachan had no right to falsify documents, which allowed the controlling of all revenues from these lands. If Strachan was really a man of God, he would acknowledge the other Protestant groups claims to the reserves because in the end they all follow the same god. Instead, Strachan chose to fabricate slander about the other groups thus reducing his reputation. In addition, Strachan?s approach to achieving a completely British influenced society was plagued by lies and misrepresentations. Strachan?s interference with the settling of lands was incredibly low for a man in his position. The lies and sabotage produced by Strachan are clearly not principles for a loving and wholesome man of God. John Strachan also extended his prejudice views towards education. Strachan was in favour of a government run education system to educate all children, but only if they were of the ?proper? class. The curriculum taught would be traditionally English in order to instil principles. In essence, Strachan wanted these students to inherit Upper Canada and continue the British rule of government. The act of discriminating by class rule is highly unethical behaviour for a pastoral leader. Moreover, the fact that Strachan held many prestigious and powerful positions clearly illustrates his power hungry nature. Typically, church matters were entirely separate from the secular government; Strachan clearly could not handle this and as a result corrupted the government with his former pupils the ?Family Compact? to express his views. Generally, pastors dedicate their lives to God and to instilling good morals in their communities; John Strachan?s first devotion was to politics, then to God. Strachan actually used his religious prestige to influence public opinions. In effect, Strachan?s poor reputation reflected his poor character and morals. Strachan had many notable enemies who saw him for what he truly was, a widely outspoken bigoted individual. The actions of John Strachan during the early 1800?s lead to the majority of grievances amongst the population. Strachan played an integral role in The Rebellions of 1837; he assisted in providing the reasons to rebel. Strachan caused the population to stand up and fight the government, which eventually lead to the implementation of the idea of Responsible Government. Although Strachan proved to be an egotistical close-minded individual, he was essential in moulding Canadian society.
Works CitedBentley, D.M.R, and Wanda Campbell, ?John Strachan, Versus?1802.? [http://www.arts.uwo.ca/canpoetry/cpjrn/vol32/bentcamp.htm]
Berton, Pierre. The Invasion of Canada 1812 ? 1813. Toronto: Anchor Canada, 2001.
Boorman, Sylvia. John Toronto. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Company Limited, 1969.
Flint, David. John Strachan, Pastor and Politician. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1971.
Henderson, J.L.H. a. John Strachan. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1969.
Henderson, J.L.H. b. John Strachan : Documents and Opinions. Toronto: McLelland and Stewart Ltd, 1969.
Smith, Donald B. Readings in Canadian History: Pre ? Confederation, 3d ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1990.