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Sir Hugh Allan was awarded the contract for the railway. He also contributed around $350,000 to his Conservative party’s election campaign when it became public knowledge Macdonald's government was forced to resign.
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Macdonald returned to power and the federal Conservatives considered completion of the railway a national imperative.
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About 15,000 Chinese labourers were brought into Canada from China to build teh railway
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During construction, the CPR became involved in the sale and settlement of land, acquisition of the Dominion Express Company and the acceptance of commercial telegraph messages.
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The CPR's original purpose was the construction of a transcontinental railway, a promise to British Columbia upon its entry into Confederation.
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The railway was completed in 1885. It connected Eastern Canada to BC and played an important role in the development of the nation.
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The CPR urchased the Beaver Line shipping company and opened service in the North Atlantic. The CPR also purchaced the long-established Allan Line, and formed Canadian Pacific Ocean Services.
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During the Second World War it provided transportation,and the production of armaments and materiel in its own shops.
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The Canadian pacific airlines was purchased.Was later taken over by Air Canada
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The company separated into 5 independent companies: Canadian Pacific Railway, CP Ships, PanCanadian Energy Corporation, This meant that CPR was once again purely a rail company.
