INDEPENDENT
The Journey of a Sigma Male
Michael Zareski’s Independent is about a dedicated civil servant who rises to the top of the Nova Scotia corrupt patronage riddled political system ruled by Premier John Buchanan and the outcome of his efforts to stymie and expose one of the Canada’s most corrupt governments.
In June 1990, Zareski a former Deputy Minister of Government Services was invited to testify at a Public Accounts Committee and in response to questions from the opposition Liberal Party members told the truth about pervasive patronage practice within the Buchanan government. In the weeks and months that followed he continued to expose a litany of further corruption scandals leading to an RCMP investigation and the unexpected resignation of Buchanan to accept a seat in the Canadian Senate from his friend Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.
The story exposes behind the scenes details on the modus operandi of political power brokers not previously reported on by the media and the conspiracy of retaliation from the government and others to discredit and vilify one who dared to speak truth to power.
Zareski was a problem to the system that has successfully been able to program the population to believe that government has their best interests at heart and if you stand up against that programming, you become an outsider.
For his efforts to bring political reform to government, Zareski lost everything including his career, finance, family, and friends and spent the next ten years in a remote community in northern Cape Breton living hand to mouth coming to terms with his spiritual journey and confirming that by trusting his internal guidance, staying calm and peaceful under all circumstances, and doing what is in front of him, that the way forward to the purpose and meaning of his life will be revealed.
Book Reviews
Review for Book
“INDEPENDENT: The Journey of a Sigma Male”
by: Michael Zareski
Review
The Journey of a Sigma Male is an intense and deeply personal memoir that traverses the volatile intersection of high-stakes Canadian politics and spiritual metamorphosis. Michael Zareski, former Deputy Minister of Government Services in Nova Scotia, provides a rare, behind-the-curtain look at the 1990s political landscape, detailing his role as a whistleblower against the Buchanan government. Zareski’s narrative is part political thriller and part soul-searching odyssey, documenting the harrowing consequences of integrity in a system built on patronage.
The strength of this work lies in its raw vulnerability. Zareski does not shy away from the "smear campaigns" used to discredit him, including a forced psychiatric evaluation that he eventually turned into a testament of his own resilience. The transition from the rigid world of government tenders and RCMP investigations to the metaphysical realms of energy healing and spiritual consciousness is handled with a unique, if unconventional, continuity. The author effectively frames his "Sigma" identity—an outsider operating within a broken hierarchy—as the catalyst for both his professional fallout and his subsequent spiritual awakening. While the leap from political corruption to "Deep State" critiques and metaphysical teachings like those of Seth may feel jarring for readers looking for a standard political biography, it serves as a literal representation of the author’s own fragmented yet evolving reality. Zareski’s voice is one of a man who has reclaimed his narrative from those who tried to silence him.
Final Verdict
The Journey of a Sigma Male is a provocative and multifaceted memoir that will appeal to whistleblowers, political junkies, and seekers of spiritual truth alike. It is a sobering reminder of the personal cost of transparency and a call to action for individual sovereignty. While the dense mix of legal battles and metaphysical philosophy requires an engaged reader, the book succeeds as a powerful case study in resilience against systemic corruption.
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Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Luke Crawford
Senior Evaluator
Professional Book Reviews
