Canada Domestic Policies

CLIFFORD SIFTON  Was appointed Minister of Interior in Laurier’s Cabinet.  Accelerated agricultural development in the west. This gave full meaning to an east-west market.  He made land more accessible and simplified regulations for farmers.  Much of this was done through immigration.

IMMIGRATION Wanted English French white American farmers Acceptable Belgians, Dutch, Scandinavians, Swiss, Finns, Russians, Germans, Austro-Hungarians, Ukrainians, Poles Need Not Apply Italians, South Slavs, Greeks, Syrians, Jews, Blacks, Asians, Gypsies

ATTRACTING IMMIGRANTS  Promotional campaign, featuring the slogan "Canada: The Last Best West.“  Reorganizing the immigration department  Increasing immigration agents and support personnel aboard  Offering "free" land to settlers.

IMMIGRATION TO THE WEST  White immigrants from Eastern Europe are reluctantly accepted in large numbers.  This caused the west to become a different region compared to the rest of Canada.  It was more individualistic, cosmopolitan, and competitive then the rest of the country.  French immigrants were encouraged to settle in Manitoba. However Quebec in general was not happy with this policy. The felt their culture was not being protected and even being diluted.

RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY  Many religious groups that practiced agriculture were attracted to Canada. These included:  Mennonites from Europe  Doukhobours from Russia  Mormons from the United States

STOP TO THINK  Does multiculturalism dilute or promote and individuals culture?  Was Sifton justified in rejecting or charging certain ethnicities from immigrating to Canada?  Did the immigration to the west reinforce or dilute our concept of Canadian Identity?

THE GOLD RUSH OF1897  Prospectors found gold deposits in the Yukon River  Americans and Canadians alike rushed to the Klondike hoping to strike rich.  These settlers gave birth to new towns like Dawson, which swiftly became the biggest urban centers west of Winnipeg and north of Seattle, Washington.  New innovations, like electricity and telephone service were brought to to Canada's North.  Settlers brought a particularly rowdy edge to the region, too. Saloons, dance halls and gambling dens opened to provide entertainment to prospectors.

ALASKAN BOUNDRY DISPUT  America buys Alaska from Russia in 1867  1897 Gold rush in the Yukon Territory  Quickest way to get there was by steam ship  Travel to the region became complicated for Canadian citizens because they would have to go through the U.S.  Canadians were afraid that Americans were over-asserting their authority over who could enter the Yukon.

BOUNDRY TRIBUNAL  1903 Tribunal involving 3 Americans, 2 Canadians, and a British chief justice named Lord Alverstone.  Alverstone suggested a compromise rather then anger the Americans  The united states was able to keep most of the disputed land in exchange for four islands that would now belong to Canada.  Canada also received slightly more territory just beyond the coastal edge of the deep inland bays  Canada didn't get any land along the coast itself

CANADA’S REACTION  Canadians were angry, because they now felt Britain was asserting its treaty rights over Canada.  Laurier responded by saying that there was little that Canada could do, since Britain still exerted a great deal of parliamentary and judicial power over the country.  Because the gold rush ended in 1903 the Canadian government didn't act to appeal this decision.

STOP TO THINK  What are your thoughts on the 1903 tribunal? Was their final decision ‘fair’?  In this situation did compromise hurt or aid Canada and the development of the west? How come?

THE WHEAT BOOM  The west quickly became the most dynamic element in economic growth.  By 1903 the west produced up to 80% of entire output of wheat.  This brought capital to the region encouraging urbanization.  Increased industrialisation in eastern Canada.

URBANIZATION  Despite general attempts to get people to settle in rural areas in Canada's West, about 50 per cent of people actually settled in Canadian cities (including Winnipeg, Edmonton, Montréal and Toronto) where they took labour industry jobs. Another 30 per cent went to rural farms in the Prairies and the remaining 20 per cent or so took remote jobs in mines, lumber camps or on the railways.

PROBLEMS LOOMING  The Conservatives under Robert Borden began to point out problems in the west.  These included: corruption and social problems connected with immigration (Integration).

A NEW RAILROAD 1903  The increase in industrialization and immigration revealed the limitations of the CPR.  CPR could not transport everything produced by farmers.  CPR could not transport all immigrants to their destinations.  The western section (Winnipeg to the Pacific) would be built by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. (With Gov’t assistance.)  The eastern section (Winnipeg to the Moncton) would be built by the federal gov’t and called the National Transcontinental railway.

TWO MORE PROVINCES  Between 1897 and 1911, two million people came to Canada. By 1905, enough people were living in the Northwest Territories that the federal government decided to create two new provinces, Alberta and Saskatchewan.  These provinces were given authority over denominational schools, which caused the resignation of Sir Clifford Sifton as Minister of Immigration.

EXIT CARD  What were the cause and consequences of immigration in the west?  What issues were faced with immigration in the west. Do you believe we are still faced today?  Which do you think is most significant event for Canada at this time: immigration to the west, 1897 Gold Rush, Alaskan Boundary Dispute, the Wheat Boom, the building of a new railroad or two more provinces joining confederation? Justify your response.