SETTLING THE WEST

“THE SUN NEVER SETS ON THE BRITISH EMPIRE”

Phrase used to brag about the British Empire at the time.

Had two meanings: Symbolic: The

British Empire will never end

Literal: Because of the size of the Empire, the sun is always up somewhere in the Empire at any time of the day.

TREATIES RECAP:DON’T WRITE THIS!

Government was worried that First Nations groups would resist settlement like the Metis.

Government had to persuade First Nations to sign treaties that gave up their rights to lands in the West.

Meanwhile, with the bison gone, many First Nations were starving and needed support.

First Nations were given reserves, an annual payment, and other things in exchange for the right to sell land to settlers.

RAILROAD The railroad was needed to move

settlers into the west, Built by Chinese labourers, who were

paid half as much as white workers, and often did the most dangerous work.

RAILROAD

Railroad was completed on November 7, 1885.

Financier Donald Smith drove the last spike into the rail, finishing it.

CPR, 1885

CHINESE IMMIGRATION ACT

When the railroad was finished in 1885, the Canadian government passed the Chinese Immigration Act.

Made Chinese people pay a “head tax” of $50 per person who wanted to come to Canada.

Very few could afford fee, so few of the labourers families could come to Canada.

In 1900, the tax was raised to $100. In 1903, the tax was raised to $500. (Adjusted for inflation, that would

be $10,400 in 2014) Law was not repealed until 1947.

NEW SETTLERS The population in the

West rose from 43,000 in 1871 to about 250,000 in 1891.

Some came from central Canada (about 40,000).

Some came from Europe, like the Mennonites and the Icelanders

PUSH AND PULL FACTORS With all

immigrants, there are Push and Pull factors.

Push factors make people want to leave their home countries.

Pull factors are the reasons they have for coming to Canada.

MENNONITES

Push Factor Pull Factor

Mennonites are pacifists, and didn’t want to fight in the Russian army.

Canada promised them that they could have land, and would not be forced to fight.

ICELANDERS

Push factor

Pull factor

Giant volcanic eruption in 1875 killed livestock and poisoned land.

Canada gave permission to Icelanders to have it’s own constitution and laws.

Started Gimli, MB. “Gimli” means “paradise”

UKRAINIANS

Push factorsPull

factors

Forced military service

High taxes

High poverty

Canada was a chance to be free from poverty

Ukrainians were still able to form close communities in Canada

RUSSIAN JEWS

Push factors Pull factor

Religious persecution

Religious freedom

Skilled labourers, so could find good jobs

WHAT WERE YOUR FAMILY’S PUSH AND PULL FACTORS?

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YOU

From 1910 news-paper

TODAY Immigration is

becoming a larger part of Canada’s growth strategy.

We’re pulling in people from all over the world, not just Europe.

47 languages are spoken in FRC alone!