Harry Swain has a PhD in economic geography from the University of Minnesota and a LLD from the University of Victoria. Between 1971 and 1995 he worked for nine federal government departments, including as the Deputy Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, Canada. It was at this time that Swain became concerned with ensuring that the Canadian government kept its obligations to First Nations people and communities. During his tenure as Deputy Minister, Swain was involved in the Kanehsatà:ke Resistance in Quebec from July-September 1990. The Kanehsatà:ke Resistance (also known as the Oka crisis or the Mohawk Resistance at Kanesatake) was a land dispute between the town of Oka, Quebec, and the Mohawk reserves of Kanehsatake and Kahnawake. Mohawk protestors stood off against Canadian security forces to protest the expansion of a golf course and a condominium development. Swain worked closely with the disputing parties and played a key role in the negotiations. After retiring as Deputy Minister, Swain went on to become the director of Hambros and the CEO of its Canadian subsidiary. In 2005, after 22 years in the federal government, Swain moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where he became affiliated with the University of Victoria. In 2010 he published, Oka: A Political Crisis and its Legacy.