The Greatest Achievement of Confederation

‘The CPR, acting as the metallic spine of Canada, united the nation through trade of ideas, immigrants and goods, was made quickly and efficiently compared to other contemporary trans-continental railroads and overcame obstacles that could have left the west and the east divided by expansive wilderness. The CEF united Canada far less than the CPR and failed to overcome major logistical difficulties, and was only able to be organized via the infrastructure available, known as the CPR. Still in service and still standing unchanged leave for technological advancements, the CPR’s legacy can be seen from British Columbia to Ottawa while the CEF’s legacy is not as tangible as it was disbanded in 1920. The greatest achievement of Confederation by WWI was neither war nor its ability to organize the people, but rather its ability to unite the people in peace via trade, immigration and engineering successes. The CPR decided whether Confederation would stand or fall, the CEF decided whether Confederation would then walk and could not have been possible without the CPR.’