A Country to Explore |
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Prime Minister John A. McDonald fervently wanted a railroad to cross Canada in its entirety. |
Parliament fading into a picture of Prime Minister John A. McDonald |
There was already an Intercolonial Railway linking the Maritimes to Eastern Canada. |
Map of the Intercolonial Railway |
Now, the country needed a railway that would link the entire country to British Columbia. |
Map of Canada to show the extent of work to be done. |
He asked Sandford Fleming to survey the rest of Canada to find the best path to link the entire country from coast to coast, as he had with the Intercolonial. |
The Prime Minister writing a letter to Sandford Fleming. |
Send a telegram to Sandford Fleming! |
The Prime Minister handing a letter to another personage. |
A hand on the telegraph. |
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At the Fleming residence, Sandford Fleming was terribly busy. |
The house seen from outdoors. |
I am sorry to disturb you, Mr. Fleming, but a telegram has arrived for you. |
A view of the house indoors and a room full of plans and specifications, etc. |
A closed door and a hand knocking on the door. A man, seen from behind, holding a telegram. |
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Darn and darn again! It’s always when I’m terribly busy. |
Sandford Fleming in the bath washing his back. |
Sandford Fleming reading the telegram. |
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Hurry! To the Prime Minister’s office! |
Sandford Fleming getting up. |
Survey Canada… What an experience, he said to himself. But where to start? The country is so vast. |
Fleming in a carriage. He is in deep thought. His eyes are closed. He is seeing the immense expanse of the country (map and countryside). |
In the summer of 1872, Fleming left on a reconnaissance mission with his son, Frank Andrew, the reverend George Monro Grant, Doctor Moren, botanist John Macoun and Amerindian guides. |
The group posing for a photographer with a flash. We see the resulting photo. |
On foot, on horseback, by canoe, Fleming and his followers roamed the territory for three months |
The map of Canada with traces of footsteps and the appearance of horses and canoes. |
observing it to prepare the best proposals for the railway passage to link Ontario to British Columbia. |
Panoramic view of the territory with Fleming deep in thought. |
During their foray, they took note of everything: countryside, farming opportunities and settlement possibilities, wildlife and plant life indigenous to the different regions, natural resources that might stimulate economic development, etc. |
Men taking notes. |
More than 800 men divided into 21 teams were needed to take measurements and inventory the natural surroundings including rivers, mountains, plains, etc. |
Map of Canada indicating rivers, mountains and prairies. |
The work of the surveyor during this era was far from simple. Dozens of men were required per team, some attached to chains of specific lengths to calculate exact measurements. |
A man walking in the prairies with a chain around his ankle and a close-up of the chain. |
Sandford Fleming submitted a territory inspection report and recommended using the Yellowhead Pass to cross the Rocky Mountains. |
Sandford Fleming handing a document to the President of the Canadian Pacific seated behind his desk. |
The Canadian Pacific Railway rejected his proposal. |
A hand tossing the paper into a wastepaper basket. |
In 1883, with construction languishing at the foot of the Selkirk Mountains, the Canadian Pacific Railway asked Fleming for a new route south of his original plan. |
A hand on a map showing the direction to follow. |
This time, the engineer recommended Kicking Horse Pass. In 1885, the last spike was driven at Craighellachie, British Columbia. |
A personage driving in the last spike, accompanied by Sandford Fleming amid flashing flash bulbs. |
Great! Now, what shall we do? |
Close-up of Fleming scratching his head. |
Credits |
Producer: Luc Bienvenue Realization and Scenario: Pierre Hamon Drawings: Annie Gosselin Animation: Annie Gosselin and Luc Bienvenue French Narration: François Bienvenue English Narration: Randall Spear Sound Studio: Kanu Music and Sound Effects: Kanu Musicians: Kanu and André Lachance Editing and Audio Mixing: Pierre Hamon Language Review: Julie Berthold Translation: Janet Brownlee A Sage-Animation.ca Production |