Larry Ostola speaks with Tim Falconer about his book, Windfall: Viola MacMillan and Her Notorious Mining Scandal.

Viola MacMillan was a trailblazing prospector and mining executive who rose to prominence in a male-dominated industry. In 1964, after decades of success, she became the central figure in a major stock scandal. Shares in her company, Windfall Oil and Mines, soared on unverified rumors of a big find. MacMillan remained silent as the price climbed—until the company admitted it had nothing. The crash devastated small investors and led to a royal commission and reforms in Canadian financial regulation. Though convicted and jailed, MacMillan was later awarded the Order of Canada.

Tim Falconer is the author of Bad Singer: The Surprising Science of Tone Deafness and How We Hear Music and Klondikers: Dawson City’s Stanley Cup Challenge and How a Nation Fell in Love with Hockey, both named to The Globe and Mail’s Top 100 Books. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Image Credit: ECW Press  

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Windfall: Viola MacMillan and Her Notorious Mining Scandal

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