The Incognito Reporter and the On-to-Ottawa Trek
by Michael Dupuis

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At the height of the Great Depression, 2,000 young, single, unemployed and homeless men decided to ride boxcars from Vancouver to Ottawa to seek work and wages from Prime Minister "Iron Heel" R.B. Bennett. Their undertaking became the On-To-Ottawa Trek. Vancouver Advocate cub reporter Mark Hunter is given the perilous assignment of infiltrating the Trek. Once accepted into the journey, can he remain incognito? Can he endure the odyssey's hardships and dangers? Also, can he survive the Trek's violent ending? Most important, can he provide objective and accurate reporting of the historic event?

www.mgdupuis.ca

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Dr. Rotenberg weaves a tapestry of fragments from a life shattered by the Holocaust and inspires the reader with the manner in which he integrates the pieces into a life that matters. An astonishing achievement in the literature of trauma, its consequences and the struggle for personal recovery. Robert Krell, CM, MD, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia. *************** Memories and reflections of this extraordinary man’s survival exemplify the vital role of creative reinvention; Dr. Rotenberg brings us on his sojourn from a vibrant childhood of secure attachments and stability to unimaginable hell- and back, across continents and languages. After enduring the horror of the death march and loss of his parents and brother, Dr. Rotenberg’s journey shifts to the search for refuge and a place to call home. The reader will be gratified by the trajectory from tragedy to a generative, purposeful life, one brimming with passion, adventure, lust for learning, and the abundance of compelling work, music, romance, and the legacy of survival- children and grandchildren who must now carry this story forward. Annie Steinberg, Pediatrician, Adult and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania ***************** The panorama Larry Rotenberg paints for us is by turns terrifying, humorous, heartbreaking, heartwarming, and educational. Here is a remarkable life that Larry has reclaimed through decades of examination, pain, and triumph. How he always lands on his feet, stronger for his experiences, is the epitome of resilience. By learning from him, we can all reclaim parts of ourselves and strive for wholeness. Ken Weiss, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania *************** A powerful and deeply moving memoir of survival, resilience, and identity. After enduring the loss of his parents and brother during the Holocaust as a young child, Larry navigates a life shaped by constant change—adapting to new homes, cultures, and languages along the way. This remarkable autobiography is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. Charlie Sullivan, President and CEO of The Reading Hospital and Medical Center.

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Michael Dupuis is a Canadian historian, writer and author. In 2006 he was a consultant to CBC television for Bloody Saturday, in 2011 to CBC television for Titanic: The Canadian Story and Danny Schur’s documentary Mike’s Bloody Saturday. In 2012 he contributed to Paul Heyer’s TITANIC Century: Media, Myth and the Making of a Cultural Icon. In 2014 Michael published Winnipeg’s General Strike Reports From The Front Lines, in 2017 Bearing Witness Journalists, Record Keepers and the 1917 Halifax Explosion and in 2018 The Winnipeg General Strike Ordinary Men and Women Under Extraordinary Circumstances. In 2020 he published his first novel The Reporter and the Winnipeg General Strike and in 2024 a second novel The Woman Reporter and the Halifax Explosion. Michael holds a BA (English) and MA (History) from University of Ottawa and a BED from University of Toronto. An avid pickle ball player, he lives in Perth, Ontario with his Golden retriever Ben. He can be reached at michaelgdupuis@gmail.com.

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Contributors

Author

Michael Dupuis

Artist

Michael Kluckner

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