![North West Mountain Police](PICS/officer.jpg)
As
a result of this altercation, the Canadian government quickly
passed legislation setting up the Royal Northwest Mounted Police.
They were afraid that the Canadian frontier would become similar
to the American "WildWest" and wanted to prevent this. Three hundred
men dressed in red uniforms, looking similar to the Queen's soldiers,
marched 1600 kilometers from Manitoba to the Rocky Mountains.
They brought 114 Red River carts, 140 work oxen, 93 cows and multiple
mowers, rakes, wagons, forges and other farm equipment. Also,
they brought two field guns and two motors. When they entered
the prairies, the land was so flat that they could see this procession
stretched out for four miles along the trail. This force would
be used to bring order and peace to the new area of the country
and an end to the illegal whiskey trade.
This force was under the command
of James Walsh. The NWMP set up a fort in Cypress Hills and
named it Fort Walsh after the commander. These police gained
the respect of everyone. Their motto was "Maintiens le Droit"
which meant, "Uphold the Right." Aboriginals helped the Mounties
to track down outlaws and the whiskey trade was stopped almost
overnight. Eventually when the railroad came through in the
following year, the NWMP headquarters was moved to Regina.
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