The book describes working and living conditions among migrant laborers in the northern Canadian work camps, 1903-1914. The early chapters sketch the development of Canada's transportation systems from the mid-19th century as the setting for the development of labor camps, and describe the contract system in railway construction. The heart of the book details the dangerous and difficult work conditions, the low pay, the uncomfortable and unsanitary living conditions, and the poor medical facilities which characterized camp life. One chapter analyzes the ethnic composition of the migrants, and describes the special circumstances arising from the presence of large numbers of foreign-born workers in the camps. Other chapters analyze the abuses of the contract system from the migrants' perspective, prospective alternative sources of employment for the camp workers, and public and governmental unconcern for the migrant workers' plight. Throughout the book runs a deep concern for the educational needs of the workers which reflects the author's many years of experience among the campmen as a workerinstructor affiliated with Frontier College. (JR)