They always get their man. I believe that’s the RCMP slogan... that, or it’s part of the theme song of Dudley Do-Right, the colossal jawed mountie of kids cartoon fame. He represents an icon of rightful Canadian pride. To this day, the RCMP are seen as Canada’s best - such a prestigious and proud organization that they’re given the honour of acts like carrying out both the Grey Cup and carrying out the drunks at the game as well. But they haven’t always had such prestige and power, and were born from much more humble beginnings.
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| Low on numbers, the RCMP had to rely on recruited buffalo. They were deemed "uncouth, but effective". |
John A. Macdonald (of whom I now call J. Prime in my grade seven class) was hoping to expand to the western half of Canada, making the prairies a part of the dominion. This was meant to be in part done by the Great Canadian Railroad, but they were wary of falling into the same pitfalls of the United States when moving out west. They were worried that if colonists reached the land before the law, they would have an American wild west type situation out there, all bandits and outlaws rather than order and Dudleys.
An unlawful west was already an issue after seeing the issue of the Red River rebellion. Having none of that, he needed good men to move out west and settle everything down as best as possible, without going the American way of slaughtering all the natives either. That was economically costly - also a lot of people would die. So what J. Prime decides is to create a federal police force (unique in modern day) to go out and ensure the world is secure and everything is going tip top. Their first, main job would be taking care of illegal American whiskey traders disrupting the native populations. Settling in with almost comically evil sounding names like Whoop-up and Robber’s Roost, the Americans would trade cheap booze mixed with chewing tobacco and red pepper that inexplicably went over well in the native colonies. This threatened the security of the land, as well as having a much unwanted American influence. None of this could stand.
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| The RCMP would have been more effective back then if they could use the shotguns they have now. |
Thus, the North-West Mounted Police were born. They were originally called the North-West Mounted Rifles, but that “rifles” in there upset the Americans who thought an armed border patrol was a pretext to warfare. Not hoping to cause an international incident, Macdonald changed the name.
Recruitment began. Macdonald wanted 100-150 men to move west and settle the land (he would eventually need double that). Training was boot-camp like, much more difficult than the farmers, teachers and lawmen that came out looking for adventure were ready for. Nevertheless, they set out when they were ready and were surprisingly successful. They would be used for years, eventually becoming the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1904. For quite some time they became somewhat of a romantic legend, an ideal of grand adventure and heroism that inspired many a Canadian.
Famous Historical Figures Say the Darndest Things!
- "They fetch their man every time." This was the quote from a Montana newspaper that spurred on the "mounties always get their man" ideal. Turns out that's not only Dudley Do-Right, but an adage attached to the mounties. Learn something new every day.
