1867-1914: Background / Fitful Growth / Changing Conditions / First Wave / Laurier Boom

Laurier Boom

Clifford Sifton

Economic Takeoff

Demography

Frank Oliver

After the turn of the century, representatives of steam and railway companies also more energetically advertised Canadian immigration. Railway and steamship companies took decorated railcars and travelling displays to England and continental Europe. By 1907, the Canadian Pacific, the Grand Trunk Pacific, Canadian Northern, Allons, and Hislop transportation companies had hundreds of agents abroad winning commissions and bonuses by selling passage to Canada to prospective immigrants. These government agents and private employees used print

media to spread the word about Canada. They distributed millions of short pamphlets. They gave away extensive brochures about settlement, such as the "Last Best West" brochure, in distant reaches of Europe. They translated these brochures into dozens of languages and issued several editions. In 1907, a giant buffalo that had died at the Banff zoo was stuffed and transported to the Canadian government's London office to stand in the front window. It was later hauled around Europe to international expositions.

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