Assumptions of racial superiority by Euro-Canadians were not unique to the area of Native/non-Native relations. In fact, by the late nineteenth century white-skinned Canadians were very much inclined to look down on people of different hues for several reasons. New strains of scientific racism such as Social Darwinism, the influence of British imperialist attitudes, and the spillover from the institutionalised racism that survived the Civil War and emancipation in the neighbouring United States combined to influence Euro-Canadian society strongly in a racist manner.

      The deputy minister of Indian affairs expressed this view early in the century (in 1909) when commenting on the difficulty that Ottawa and the churches were experiencing in changing Indians' behaviour. 'It must not he forgotten,' wrote Frank Pedley, 'that we are working in a material that is stubborn in itself, that the Indian constitutionally dislikes work and does not feel the need of laying up stores or amassing wealth. The idea which is ingrained in our civilisation appears to be that a race must be thrifty and must surround itself with all manner of wealth and comforts before it is entitled to be considered civilised. The Indian has not yet reached that stage, and it is doubtful if he will - were such desirable'.

      Missionary teachers shared with Indian Affairs staff a tendency to judge Native society by a Euro-Canadian standard. Although their judgements were more mixed than those of officials, church people also held negative opinions about the worth of Native society. The Anglicans' Canadian Churchman, for example, contended that now, thanks in no small part to the churches and Ottawa, they were on their way to recovery. 'Indians are no longer a 'dying race'. They have successfully endured the ordeal of contact with the stronger and superior race and are now on the high road to complete civilisation.'