TOWARD THE 20th CENTURY THE LAURIER ERA & POPULATING THE WEST

Timeline - Marching towards the 20th Century 1871 - BC becomes a province - Why? Because of the promise of a Railway 1872 - John A . MacDonald envisions a Canada that is connected from east to west (sea to sea) Transcontinental railway started 1873 - MacDonald defeated at polls amid cries of scandal over railroad contract. Alexander Mackenzie is first Liberal Prime Minister PEI becomes a province 1876 – Canadian Government Introduces the “Indian Act”

1878 MacDonald re-elected Prime Minister on the basis of his National Policy which included: Protective tariffs (tax added to American goods) Completion of the railway Large-scale immigration to the west. Dominion Lands Act– For $10, any adult male can purchase 64 hectares of prairie farm land. They must construct a shelter and live on their land at least six months a year for three years.

1882-1885 – Intercontinental Railway 1882-1885 - 35,000 men employed to build Canadian Pacific Railway from Eastern Canada to British Columbia. 17,000 Chinese men came to work for less than a dollar a day, half the rate of European Workers. Many killed. Mar – May 1885 - North West Rebellion, quashed by MacDonald, Riel hung as traitor November 1885 – Last Spike driven into railway by Financier Donald Smith

LAURIER ERA Wilfred Laurier elected as Canada’s Seventh Prime Minister from 1896- 1911 Liberal Party Member First Francophone Prime Minister Promoted national unity. Rise to power coincides with economic upswing. Worked to increase Canada’s population and economic growth

“CANADA’S CENTURY” “Let me tell you, my fellow countrymen, that the twentieth century shall be the century of Canada and of Canadian development. For the next seventy-five years, nay for the next one hundred years, Canada shall be the star towards which all men who love progress and freedom shall come.” – Wilfred Laurier, 1904

TURN OF THE CENTURY At turn of the century Canada was still a British Colony. As a dominion, Canada had its own government but depended on Britain to resolve disputes with other countries

CANADA AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY 1900 - Seven provinces, population of 5,200,000 Alberta and Saskatchewan join Confederation in 1905. Biggest Cities: Toronto, Montreal and Halifax The West was comprised of small pioneer cities like Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver

CANADA AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY -Roughly 60% of population have roots in British Isles. 30% have roots in France. -63% of the population lived in Rural areas -Farming was the main occupation -Logging, Fishing and Construction also popular jobs. -Women worked as teachers, store clerks, in factories or on the farm

Settlement of the West The Canadian Pacific Railway opened the West to large—scale settlement - The grain could now be shipped to market - This encouraged agricultural settlement

SETTLEMENT OF THE WEST - Canadian Immigration Department attracted tens of thousands of settlers to Canada West by offering cheap homestead lands. - Clifford Sifton, Minister of Immigration from 1896-1905 set up a recruitment program to encourage immigrants from North/Eastern Europe and the US to settle on the Prairies. -Advertised the “Last Best West” - Sifton wanted hardy peasant farmers to endure the harsh conditions of pioneer life

The Last Best West Under Sifton, immigration increased from 16,835 per year in 1896 to 141,465 in 1905 Canada saw rapid growth of population in western Canada during the Laurier years - Majority came from Britain, US, Eastern Europe (Ukrainian, Russian) Population increased from 4.83 Million (1891) to 7.21 Million (1911)

Immigration, 1891 - 1961