Canadian Parliament establishes the North-West Mounted Police (1873–1874)

The North-West Mounted Police was established in 1873 to maintain order in the Canadian North-West Territories following the transfer of land from the Hudson's Bay Company. The force was created by the Mounted Police Act, passed unopposed by Parliament in May 1873, based on earlier survey recommendations. Initial deployment occurred in 1874, known as the March West, with control later shifting to the Secretary of State.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The North-West Mounted Police was a Canadian paramilitary police force established in 1873 to maintain order in the new Canadian North-West Territories. This followed the 1870 transfer of Rupert's Land and North-Western Territory from the Hudson's Bay Company to Canada. The force's origins lie in a 1871 survey by Lieutenant William Butler, which recommended a mounted force of up to 150 men based along northern trade routes.

Legislation. Prime Minister Macdonald acquired approval for the new force on May 23, 1873, after Parliament passed the Mounted Police Act into law unopposed following a cursory debate. Although the force initially answered to the prime minister, control was passed to the Secretary of State in 1876, an arrangement reinforced by the Mounted Police Act of 1879.

Deployment. The mounted police's deployment onto the plains in 1874 became known as the "March West." Following instructions from Ottawa, French agreed with Morris that the expedition would initially follow the trail but then steer away from the border and Sioux territory. The mounted police finally left Dufferin on July 8, 1874.

People involved

Sources

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