For many years, this land was known as British North America. Now it is called by one name. Canada. Canada used to be a country with a small population until there was a revolution. It was the Canadian Pacific Railway. One astonishing fact is that the Canadian government gave the CPR company over 25 million dollars and 25 million acres of land to build the railway. It is stated that the Canadian Pacific Railway had a positive impact on Canada’s westward development. This can be proven through facts and statistics on the transportation benefits, the grand coalition, and immigration.
A more efficient system of transportation was a big reason is constructing the Canadian Pacific Railway. Before the railway was awarded to a company there was a huge bidding war. During this time an event called the Pacific Scandal occurred Macdonald was forced to resign for the time being, but then returned to power in 1878. Before the CPR was built surveyors needed to find routes to use. One surveyor named Major A.B. Rogers started looking for possible routes 1881. In 1870, during the Red River Resistance, it took the troops 3 months to get from the West to Ottawa. In 1885, trouble had risen again in the west, but this time because of the railway it took the troops only nine days. Due to the Canadian Pacific Railway, movement was now much faster and efficient between the West and East Canada. This would further encourage trade between different parts and areas of the country. Settlers could more easily reach Western Canada. As the farm populations increased, communities around would prosper as well. The first trains consisted of a baggage car, a first-class day car and sleeper. There was also a dining car and the colonist car. The colonist cars would bring about 1 million settlers from all over the world to Western Canada. Another big reason that this railway helped the western development was that B.C. said they would join the confederation if a transcontinental railway was completed.
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The purpose of the railroad was to connect Eastern Canada to Western Canada. Macdonald wanted this to happen, so he promised them a transcontinental railway. In the agreement, the railway needed to be finished within ten years. The completion of the railroad became one part of Macdonald’s national policy. Macdonald also considered this a national imperative due to the worry over American expansion westward. The railway was put on hold for a few years when Macdonald was thrown out of office. Macdonald did later return to power at then at a crucial moment reminded the government that the railway already proved its value through some past events. The CPR was completed in 1885. One year later, B.C. enters the confederation. B.C. was now linked to the rest of Canada and the U.S. could not take over the entire Pacific coast. The railway was completed four years after the initial deadline of 1881 but was completed multiple years earlier of the revised date of 1891. When something going right in a country occurs it begins to increase immigration.
There was huge immigration regarding the Canadian Pacific Railway. Thought it may have not been their choice over 15,000 Chinese workers came to Canada to build the railway. These Chinese workers were paid a dollar a day and were normally doing the most dangerous jobs. During the first-year constructions, crews laid 211 kilometres of track. Throughout the building of the railroad, the Chinese were able to lay around 6 miles of track per day. The Canadian government on top of that established a “head tax”. For every Chinese person that immigrated to the country, they had to pay a certain amount of money. On a different note, during the construction, the CPR became involved in the settlement and sale of land as early as 1881. In 1882, the CPR acquired the Dominion Express Company. They began the acceptance of commercial telegraph messages in 1882. In 1886, William Van Horne decided to build 3 hotels along the CPR. Without a doubt, all of these events helped immigration and made it that much more wanted. On top of that, to encourage immigration on the Prairies, the CPR sold some of its land it obtained from the Canadian government. This was some of the lands for the building of the railroad. In 1909, the CPR spent more money on promoting immigration than the Canadian government.
It was originally stated the Canadian Pacific Railway had a positive impact on Canada’s westward development. The advantage of transportation, forming of the grand coalition, and the immigration all helped the westward development. All these elements were ingredients to success brought only by the Canadian Pacific Railway. If the CPR was not built it hard to imagine what could replace it.
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