Telling Times
The Canadian Pacific Railway
Telling Times is a series of short historical documentaries that showcase pivotal Canadian events, people and buildings that helped shape, build, and define the nation. On November 7, 1885, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was completed in Craigellachie, B.C., connecting Canada’s geographically divided nation. Construction began in 1871 when British Columbia demanded a railway or coach road as a pre-condition to entering the Canadian union. The enormity of the CPR project led to controversy in equal measure, including the heavy reliance on underpaid Chinese labourers. This documentary uses archival footage, text, and photographs to explore the legacy of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
