The Transcontinental Railway: An Important Role In Industrialization

Throughout the many years of negotiations and debates, Canada has been formed into the country we know it as today. The events that have taken place in the past, have played a significant role on the way our society is today. After many years, Confederation brought the colonies of British North America together and united them into one nation to form Canada. Throughout the 1900s, Canada won independence, turning the colony into a dominion, and gave the country an image of achievement and national unity. The Railways played a huge role in industrialization and tied the colonies together. The controversial occurrences of Canadian past such as Confederation, the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and the construction of the National Transcontinental Railway,

By having an intercolonial railway, military movement, trade, and transportation in general, would significantly improve. By improving trade amongst the colonies, it made Canada more independent, and not have to rely on the United States to provide goods. From 1905 to 1913, the railway was built, running from Winnipeg to Moncton. It was built to help increase development in Quebec and Ontario.“Its purpose was to provide western Canada with direct rail connection to Canadian Atlantic ports, and to open up and develop the northern frontiers of Ontario and Québec.”(Canadian Encyclopedia). The effects and demands of railway had been immensely controversial. After the railway was built, business in Ontario and Quebec increased, as well as helped to expand Canada and create more diversity of the people living in the country. The railway played a huge role in the process of industrialization and tied the provinces together, while at the same time creating a large demand for fuel, iron and steel, and locomotives. Without this railway, the country of Canada would not have developed into the nation it has become

From April 9 to 12, 1917, the four divisions of the Canadian Corps attacked the ridge, capturing it from the Germans. This had created significance for Canada, because it was the first time in which all four divisions came together and fought as one nation. “The victory at Vimy Ridge was greeted with enthusiasm in Canada, and after the war the battle became a symbol of an awakening Canadian nationalism. One of the prime reasons is that soldiers from every region of Canada — fighting together for the first time as a single assaulting force in the Canadian Corps — had taken the ridge together.”(Canadian Encyclopedia). After conquering the ridge, the Canadians had truly achieved victory, and had convinced Prime Minister Robert Borden to encourage separate representation for Canada at the Paris peace talks after the war. On the fourth day of the Battle, 3598 Canadians lay dead and 7004 wounded. Although the number of casualties were high, the Canadian success at Vimy Ridge is a symbol of independence and national unity for the