Researcher Spotlight: Dr. Tolly Bradford
Faculty of Arts
For Dr. Tolly Bradford, understanding colonialism in Western Canada begins with examining the complex relationships between Indigenous peoples and European settlers prior to the 1870s.
Understanding Colonialism Before 1870
Dr. Bradford’s research focuses on how cultural and economic forces shaped colonialism across the Prairies from the late 1600s through the era of formal settlement. In particular, his work explores how Christianity and the fur trade interacted to influence the development of colonial systems in the region.
“I have looked at a variety of issues, but most especially how cultural forces like Christianity combined with economic forces of the fur trade to create the particular form of colonialism that unfolded in the prairies,” he explains.
His research highlights the dynamic and often contested relationships between Euro-Canadian settlers and Indigenous peoples. It also examines how Indigenous communities engaged with elements of colonial systems in ways that informed their responses to and resistance against colonialism.
“While Euro-Canadians certainly sought to use Christianity to assimilate Indigenous peoples and lands, Indigenous peoples used Christianity in different ways: as a tool to inform their response to and resist colonialism.”
Dr. Bradford’s current work includes two major research projects. One examines how Christianity reshaped the treaty-making era in the region of Treaty Six prior to 1885, drawing on both missionary writings and Indigenous oral histories. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of how treaty relationships were shaped, communicated, and interpreted.
His second project focuses on the Hudson’s Bay Company and its London headquarters during the nineteenth century. Rather than examining fur trade interactions directly, this research explores the political and business strategies that shaped the company’s operations.
“Knowing more about what animated the operations of the HBC loops back to my major overarching research question about wanting to better understand the forces driving colonialism in Canada before 1870.”
From Historical Research to Real-World Impact
Beyond advancing historical knowledge, Dr. Bradford’s work also has contemporary relevance. He serves as an expert witness and consultant on land claim cases, helping courts interpret how treaty promises were understood and communicated.
At CUE, Dr. Bradford integrates students directly into his research. Students contribute by transcribing historical documents, cataloguing sources, and gathering materials for publication. One student even travelled with him to the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives in Manitoba and has since gone on to pursue graduate research inspired by that experience.
Dr. Bradford’s research on Religion and Treaty Six has been supported by internal CUE funding, including a Social Sciences Humanities Research Council Institutional Grant (SSHRC SIG) Explore and Exchange Award (2024) and a Concordia Internal Research Grant (2017).
His Hudson’s Bay Company research has been supported, in part, by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) grants, including an Insight Development Grant (2017–2020) and an Insight Grant (2025–2029).