Behind the Canadian Pacific Railway

This is a response to assignment #10 on the workers of the Canadian Pacific Railway

"The most important step in the development of British Columbia after joining Confederation in 1871 was the construction of Canadian Pacific Railway."


This railway was so important because it connected this province to the rest of Canada's trade and economy. It was one of the largest projects that the young country of Canada took on. This was of course a very tough task so the main contractor of this project, Andrew Onderdonk, decided that instead of having Canadians do the work, he would bring in about 15, 000 Chinese immigrants to do the hard work. The following will be a diary entry from the perspective of a son of a railway worker.

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Dear Diary,

Today is another day in this new country. Another work day for papa, another pair of the same meals, and another afterschool diary entry. This place is much different from home, but we seem to be with many people that we knew.

Papa is treated better here, but some of his friends who work with him have disappeared, whenever I asked my dad why they're gone, he just ignores me but I think that they have died on the job. That only makes me wonder, if people who work with my dad die at work, what if my dad dies, too?



Papa keeps reassuring us that he won't get hurt but I can tell that mama is worried every day. We are lucky this week because papa is working near, alot of the time papa will be working very far away for a very long time. We live in a hut and some others live tent.



Life is better here, but I feel like it can be even better because the way that the other people of this land are treated and how they live. We have to pay for food and material for cooking while the white men don't. As for the food, it is usually the same-rice, fish and tea.

My father feels very strongly that I should have an education so I go to school with other Chinese kids. Mama learns a language that they call "English". She goes to the language school at night.

I don't play very much but I like school because I can be with my friends, we all talk alot and they feel how I feel because their fathers are doing the same thing that my father is. But I am worried about some of my friends because they seem to be getting sick. I will keep them in my prayers.

Tomorrow-mama is calling me to supper, but i will finish writing tomorrow.

These sites proved to be useful in researching the CPR, check them out:

cpr.ca

ccn.ca


BC Archives

Collections Canada

http://archives.cbc.ca/society/immigration/topics/1433/

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/settlement/kids/021013-2031.4-e.html

The Real Riel

Hello again everyone, this is a response to assignment #8-The Real Riel

Alem: Good morning/afternoon everyone. I am privileged today to be the first to interview Mr. Louis Riel after he was unfrozen-thanks to modern science. Mr. Riel was the eldest of eleven children and as many of you probably know, is a figure in Canadian history that most would consider controversial. He was born in what is now Manitoba from a Métis leader and a French-Canadian mother. The Métis people in Mr.Riel's time were scared that their homeland would no longer be in their control when English-speaking Canadians arrived in their land so my guest, Louis Riel, began a "provisional government". This government would discuss with the Canadian government. After a few incidences, Louis Riel was charged with high treason. After a two week trial, he was found guilty and hanged. Quite some background,eh? Hello Mr. Riel, how are you today?

Louis Riel: Hello, I am fine and much warmer now, thank you.

Alem: Alright (chuckle). Well let's get right to it, I'm sure that there are many things that you would like to clear up with the Canadian people.

Louis Riel: Yes! Let's get to the interview.

Alem: I am sure that you know you are a very controversial figure in Canadian history and some of us just don't know whether to call you a traitor or a hero. To start, how would you classify yourself?

Louis Riel: Alem, I am none of those things. I am a prophet, sent by God.

Alem: When did you come to this conclusion?

Louis Riel: Around the late 1870s and the early 1880s.

Alem: Okay. Now why did you do all those rebellious things?

Louis Riel: I did all these things for my people, the Métis. The Canadian government at the time did not care about my people so I had to help them, what was I supposed to do? Watch them suffer? Then they banished me to the US for FIVE years. I did not agree with this the least bit but there was not much that I could do about it so I started a family in Montana. Then they, the Canadian government, asked me to negotiate for Saskatchewan Métis- I was excited to have an opportunity to create a Métis homeland - but they tricked me, sending soldiers not negotiators. I had to surrender! I had to. Then they hanged me, you see this scar around my neck?

Alem: Yes, a painful scar isn't it, not only physically painful but the feeling that you tried so hard only to be hanged to your death.

Louis Riel: Of course.

Alem: When you were doing all these things for your people, did you care what others would think of you?

Louis Riel: Looking back on it now, I did not really care as much as other people would, I knew that I was doing the right thing for the Métis and knew that God was having me do what he thought needed to be done so I did not worry about what others thought.

Alem: Well, thank you for taking your time to speak with me today, I do beleive that you have clarified your point of view and why you did what you did to the Canadian people.

Louis Riel: Thank you for letting me reach the Canadian people.

Alem: Good night everyone and thanks for watching.

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I used these sites to help me finish this assignment:
Mysteries of Canada
Histori
Biographi
Collections Canada
Province of Manitoba
The Canadian Encyclopedia