1. Railway, Pacific Scandal, Macdonald and Mackenzie
The national Dream
Railway, Pacific Scandal, Macdonald and Mackenzie

2. What was The National Dream?
John A. Macdonald had a dream to create a single Dominion of Canada stretching from sea to sea connected by the CPR.

3. American Threat Still Present
Macdonald worried about Americans taking over the Canadian prairies
This railroad had to be built quickly to halt American expansionism and risk of assimilation of Canada by the US.

4. British Columbia Entered Confederation 1871
Condition for joining Canada was the promise of a rail line linking BC to the rest of Canada within 10 years

5. What was Blocking The Dream?
Macdonald knew that the Canadian government did not have the resources to complete such a massive project
few investors rich enough to finance such a huge project.

6. Building the railway
Macdonald decided that he would have to offer incentives to wealthy business men and railway owners
Canadian Pacific Railway Company 1871
American industrialist Jay Cooke
Canadian industrialist Sir Hugh Allan
Seemed to be Canadian but actually controlled by American industrialist Jay Cooke
American control kept secret so the Canadian government would not end the project

7. Allan’s Railway Plan
Allan and his American backers didn’t want to build a transcontinental railway
Wanted to build a branch line of the American Northern Pacific Railway to Canada’s Northern Pacific.

8. Pacific Scandal 1872
In 1872, Macdonald called the first general election since Confederation.
But uh oh- the Conservatives realized that they did not have enough money for a campaign

9. Scandalous
Macdonald bribed Canadian industrialist Sir Hugh Allan with the transcontinental contract
Allan would finance the election in return for a guaranteed railway contract.

10. Busted! - result of scandal
Macdonald won election- BUT:
1873 Evidence surfaced of the deal
Looked like Macdonald was employed by Allan and his American backers
seen as an American puppet backstabbing Canada
led to the resignation of Macdonald’s government in 1873.

11. Alexander Mackenzie
Prime Minister under Liberal Party who though railroad a waste of time and money
economic depression beginning in Canada
Threatened confederation
BC threatened to secede if Mackenzie stopped railroad
Mackenzie backed down

12. Return of the King! 1876 Macdonald developed the National Policy
Conservative election platform
Policy
1. Protective tariffs
2. Increased Immigration
3. CPR- transcontinental railway
1878 Election
Macdonald and his Conservatives win!

13. Protective tariffs Protective tariffs
protect Canadian manufacturing, mining and agriculture from American competition
Made US goods too expensive for the Canadian market
Canadian farmers and manufacturers increase sales and profits

14. Canadian Pacific Railway
The CPR was the cornerstone of the National Policy
The railway would transport goods in between Western and Easter Canada
Canadian Pacific Railway

15. The government gave the CPR contract to a syndicate.
George Stephen
Bank of Montreal
Donald Smith
HBC
James J. Hill
Railway Investor
The government gave the CPR contract to a syndicate.
A group of men who received 25 million dollars, 25 million acres, a 20 year monopoly on railway building in the west, and a tax exemption. In return, they promised to finish the CPR within 10 years.

16. CPR in the Selkirk Mountains

17. Laying track on the prairies

18. Building the CPR through thick BC forest

19. 10 Year Goal Hard to Meet Construction began 1881
construction was extremely challenging
very hard rock that took lots of blasting
muskeg soil swallowed up the track like quicksand.
By years end only 230km built

20. On November 7, 1885, Donald Smith drove the last spike of the CPR at Craigellachie.
A village in British Columbia, located several kilometers to the west of the Eagle Pass summit between Sicamous and Revelstoke

21. CPR Working Conditions
dust from the dynamite blasts
shack houses
No plumbing
Unhealthy diet of beans, porridge, and bacon
could not afford fresh fruit and vegetables, so many of the men suffered from scurvy
no medical facilities
Fired if you got hurt
40 km hikes to next camp site
Dangerous work!