Chapter 10Chapter 10

Western Expansion and Western Expansion and the National Policythe National Policy

Focus QuestionsFocus Questions

What ideas of citizenship shaped What ideas of citizenship shaped Canada’s western expansion?Canada’s western expansion?

How did immigration shape the How did immigration shape the demography and economy of demography and economy of western Canada?western Canada?

What challenges did the immigration What challenges did the immigration pose for peoples already living in pose for peoples already living in western Canada?western Canada?

Getting the West Ready for Getting the West Ready for SettlementSettlement

In 1871, BC joined confederation and Canada’s In 1871, BC joined confederation and Canada’s government promised a link to eastern Canada via government promised a link to eastern Canada via the railway. the railway.

The Canadian federal government was required to The Canadian federal government was required to negotiate treaties with the First Nations living in negotiate treaties with the First Nations living in the west because of the Royal Proclamation of the west because of the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and because the United States had difficulty 1763 and because the United States had difficulty moving west. moving west.

Canada & the U.S, took two different perspectives. Canada & the U.S, took two different perspectives. The United States fought with First Nations. The United States fought with First Nations. Canada took the peaceful way or were the treaties Canada took the peaceful way or were the treaties

just as unjust?just as unjust?

The Numbered TreatiesThe Numbered Treaties The treaties were numbered in chronological order The treaties were numbered in chronological order

beginning in 1871 and ending in 1921.beginning in 1871 and ending in 1921.

TreatiesTreaties Canadian Government Canadian Government

Perspective Perspective Treaties would Treaties would

assimilate First assimilate First Nations . Nations .

Government believed Government believed they now “owned” they now “owned” the land. the land.

Canadian government Canadian government put treaties in writingput treaties in writing—if it “wasn’t in —if it “wasn’t in writing, it wasn’t in writing, it wasn’t in the treaty.”the treaty.”

First Nations First Nations PerspectivePerspective

Treaties would help Treaties would help them adapt and ensure them adapt and ensure their culture survived.their culture survived.

First Nations people First Nations people didn’t have the same didn’t have the same understanding of the understanding of the word “own”. They word “own”. They believed they were believed they were sharing the land.sharing the land.

First Nations practice First Nations practice was to do everything was to do everything orally.orally.

TreatiesTreaties Treaties promised the Treaties promised the

First Nations First Nations Education, health Education, health care, reserves, rights care, reserves, rights to hunt and fish, to hunt and fish, farming assistance farming assistance and paymentsand payments

Residential Schools Residential Schools were a method to were a method to force assimilation force assimilation upon the First Nations upon the First Nations by separating parents by separating parents and children, and children, disrupting their disrupting their connections to their connections to their language, culture and language, culture and traditions.traditions.

TreatiesTreaties

By 1885 the railway By 1885 the railway was complete and was complete and the treaties were the treaties were being signedbeing signed

The west was now The west was now ready for change ready for change and immigration. and immigration.

Western Canada’s Western Canada’s population began to population began to soar while buffalo soar while buffalo began to decline.began to decline.

Northwest Mounted Northwest Mounted PolicePolice

Founded in 1873 Founded in 1873 following the following the massacre of Nakoda massacre of Nakoda First Nations by First Nations by Canadian & Canadian & American traders. American traders. The traders set up The traders set up Fort Whoop and Fort Whoop and began selling began selling alcohol and guns alcohol and guns for buffalo and furs. for buffalo and furs.

First regiment of First regiment of NWMP was in NWMP was in Dufferin, Manitoba Dufferin, Manitoba in 1874. in 1874.

Northwest Mounted Northwest Mounted PolicePolice

First headquarters was in Fort First headquarters was in Fort Macleod.Macleod.

The NWMP quickly developed a The NWMP quickly developed a trust with the First Nations that trust with the First Nations that allowed the railway and settlers allowed the railway and settlers to come west. to come west.

The National PolicyThe National Policy In the“Pacific Scandal” of 1873, John In the“Pacific Scandal” of 1873, John

A. Macdonald was accused of A. Macdonald was accused of accepting bribes in order to reward accepting bribes in order to reward the railway contract to CP Railway. the railway contract to CP Railway. They supported Macdonald and the They supported Macdonald and the Conservative Party. Conservative Party.

After Macdonald lost the 1873 After Macdonald lost the 1873 election, he would come back to election, he would come back to power in 1878 with The National power in 1878 with The National Policy as his election platform. Policy as his election platform.

The National PolicyThe National Policy

Elements of the National Policy:Elements of the National Policy:– Promote Canadian IdentityPromote Canadian Identity– Proposed that people buy Canadian Proposed that people buy Canadian

products regardless of price.products regardless of price.– Proposed a tariff on American goods Proposed a tariff on American goods

sold in Canada.sold in Canada.– Fulfill promise of railway to BC and help Fulfill promise of railway to BC and help

take settlers west and their crops east.take settlers west and their crops east.– Settle the West by giving immigrants Settle the West by giving immigrants

free land. This would promote free land. This would promote settlement. settlement.

– The west would be the agriculture The west would be the agriculture capital of Canada.capital of Canada.

Chinese Railway WorkersChinese Railway Workers

Many of the Canadian Pacific Railway Many of the Canadian Pacific Railway workers were from China because they workers were from China because they provided a source of cheap labor. provided a source of cheap labor.

After the railway was built, they would After the railway was built, they would move to lumber and cannery industries. move to lumber and cannery industries.

However, the Chinese faced extreme However, the Chinese faced extreme discrimination wherever they went. discrimination wherever they went. They were considered to be “non-They were considered to be “non-citizens” of Canada.citizens” of Canada.

Chinese Railway WorkersChinese Railway Workers Eventually, Canada would attempt to restrict Eventually, Canada would attempt to restrict

Chinese immigration by passing laws that Chinese immigration by passing laws that required the Chinese to pay $50 to enter required the Chinese to pay $50 to enter Canada.Canada.

This required payment to enter Canada was This required payment to enter Canada was called the “Head Tax.” Although it was a lot called the “Head Tax.” Although it was a lot of money at the time, many Chinese paid it of money at the time, many Chinese paid it and continued to come to Canada.and continued to come to Canada.

Canada would continue to increase the “Head Canada would continue to increase the “Head Tax” as immigration from China continued. Tax” as immigration from China continued.

The railway would finally be completed in The railway would finally be completed in 1885 and connected Canada from sea to sea.1885 and connected Canada from sea to sea.

Impacts of Impacts of Immigration on Immigration on Western CanadaWestern Canada

Impacts of Immigration on Impacts of Immigration on Western CanadaWestern Canada

In 1890 only 2 % of In 1890 only 2 % of Canada’s population Canada’s population lived in the west. lived in the west.

To Wilfred Laurier, To Wilfred Laurier, (Prime Minister, July (Prime Minister, July 1986), the growth 1986), the growth of the west became of the west became an important an important priority to make priority to make Canada strong and Canada strong and protect against US protect against US expansion.expansion.

Clifford SiftonClifford Sifton Clifford Sifton (Minister of Clifford Sifton (Minister of

the Interior) began an the Interior) began an advertising campaign to advertising campaign to attract immigrants from attract immigrants from the United States and the United States and Britain but excluded Britain but excluded French speaking countries French speaking countries such as France, such as France, Switzerland or Belgium. Switzerland or Belgium.

Sifton placed posters in Sifton placed posters in train stations, fairs and train stations, fairs and offices to show Canada’s offices to show Canada’s incredible farmland for incredible farmland for free. free.

Immigrants Come to Western Immigrants Come to Western CanadaCanada

Sifton believed “British is best” and Sifton believed “British is best” and especially wanted farmers to come especially wanted farmers to come from Britain. from Britain.

However, the immigrants to However, the immigrants to Western Canada would actually Western Canada would actually come from many different ethnic come from many different ethnic groups. groups.

Many immigrants came from Eastern Many immigrants came from Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Russia, Poland).Europe (Ukraine, Russia, Poland).

Many people already living in Many people already living in Western Canada were uneasy about Western Canada were uneasy about the massive immigration.the massive immigration.

French Speaking SettlersFrench Speaking Settlers

– French leaders French leaders wanted wanted Canadiens and Canadiens and Catholics to be Catholics to be able to settle in able to settle in the west. the west.

– Missionaries Missionaries were set up to were set up to help recruit help recruit French people French people to come to to come to western Canadawestern Canada. .

French Speaking SettlersFrench Speaking Settlers

– French Speaking settlers worked to French Speaking settlers worked to establish communities such as establish communities such as Beaumont and Morinville.Beaumont and Morinville.

– Catholic schools were established Catholic schools were established for French speaking people.for French speaking people.

– These schools offered higher These schools offered higher education (ie: university level education (ie: university level schooling) in French.schooling) in French.

– Francophones were able to enter Francophones were able to enter politics with the creation of Alberta politics with the creation of Alberta & Saskatchewan in 1905. & Saskatchewan in 1905.

French Speaking SettlersFrench Speaking Settlers

– French speakers French speakers founded founded newspapers that newspapers that reported all levels reported all levels of news. of news.

– Catholic hospitals Catholic hospitals were founded were founded including the Grey including the Grey Nuns in Edmonton Nuns in Edmonton (formerly the (formerly the Edmonton Edmonton General)General)

Eastern EuropeansEastern Europeans

Contributed to the Contributed to the economic and economic and industrial growth to industrial growth to Canada’s west. Canada’s west.

They provided new They provided new markets for markets for manufactured manufactured products.products.

They helped to They helped to increase increase agricultural agricultural productionproduction

Ukrainian SettlersUkrainian Settlers

Ukrainian Ukrainian settlers moved settlers moved west because of west because of the fertile soil.the fertile soil.

Population in Population in West:West:

1896- 1 0001896- 1 000 1914- 200 0001914- 200 000

Russian & Polish SettlersRussian & Polish Settlers Russian and Polish Russian and Polish

immigrants settled immigrants settled predominately in predominately in cities. cities.

They started They started factories mills and factories mills and bee colonies. bee colonies.

The coal mining The coal mining industry also industry also experienced growth.experienced growth.

Because of the low Because of the low wages many would wages many would join political groups join political groups or create unions for or create unions for better working better working conditions and conditions and wages.wages.

Alberta & SaskatchewanAlberta & Saskatchewan In 1875 the federal government In 1875 the federal government

controlled the land in the western controlled the land in the western territories. territories.

An elected representation could only be An elected representation could only be based upon populations of over 1,000 based upon populations of over 1,000 people. people.

In 1891 this elected assembly took over. In 1891 this elected assembly took over. The group could control roads and The group could control roads and

schools but could not tax to make money schools but could not tax to make money for other projects.for other projects.

Only provinces had the power to ask for Only provinces had the power to ask for taxes from their inhabitants. taxes from their inhabitants.

Alberta & SaskatchewanAlberta & Saskatchewan

Frederick Haultain, the Premier of Frederick Haultain, the Premier of the North-West Territories the North-West Territories campaigned to have their own campaigned to have their own provincial rights. provincial rights.

Wilfred Laurier believed the area Wilfred Laurier believed the area was too large to be one province, so was too large to be one province, so Canada’s government split the land Canada’s government split the land into two provinces: Alberta & into two provinces: Alberta & Saskatchewan.Saskatchewan.

These provinces were established in These provinces were established in 1905.1905.