Uprising is a 2009 novel written by retired Canadian lieutenant-colonel Douglas Bland. Set 20 Minutes into the Future, it portrays an armed rebellion by First Nations (Native Canadians) across Canada, led by the charismatic and uncompromising Molly Grace. It was explicitly intended as a warning to Canadians; Bland is also the author of a number of nonfiction articles on the subject.
This work provides examples of:
- Apathetic Citizens: Part of the background to the story. Much as in real life, most Canadians don't know or care about the grievances of the country's indigenous peoples.
- Bait-and-Switch: The Native People's Army (NPA) start with attacks in Quebec to tie up the Canadian military before focusing on their prime objective in the West.
- Cut the Juice: The NPA targets the James Bay Hydroelectric Project early on, cutting the power not only to Montreal but to New York City and much of the US northeast.
- Downer Ending: Nobody really wins. By the end, hundreds if not thousands of people are dead, Canada has been occupied and annexed by the US, the natives have made no real gains, and the Americans probably aren't doing too well either given the disruption of their economy.
- Expanded States of America: At the end.
- La Résistance: How the NPA see themselves.
- Occupiers Out of Our Country: The whole point of the uprising.
- No Party Given: We are not given an indication of which party is in power at the time the book takes place. The prime minister shows some traits of both Liberal and Conservative leaders.
- Rebel Leader: Molly Grace. She has elements of the Dark Messiah in her, too.
- The Savage Indian: Largely averted. The NPA make an effort to avoid killing civilians. Implied to happen, though, after the raid on Stony Mountain Penitentiary and the release of the prisoners.
- Stuff Blowing Up: Oh yeah.
- Utopia Justifies the Means: Molly Grace and the Native People's Movement certainly think so.
- Your Terrorists Are Our Freedom Fighters: The NPA are naturally seen as terrorists by the Canadian establishment.
