Canada Before the Confederation of the Provinces

Canadian provinces they lay
Divided by river and by bay,
Many a separate division,
Among them there was no cohesion.

But statesmen saw that a great nation
Could be formed by federation,
And soon they led public opinion
To favor forming this Dominion.

Northwest with its streams and fountains,
With sources in the Rocky Mountains,
It was all a great mystery,
Hunting for furs its history.

Though Northwest is filling slow
Yet soon there will be mighty flow,
Millions to Northwest will hurry
In last decade of century.

For therein is an opening grand
In great fertile prairie land,
For there the choicest wheat it grows
Near where the Saskatchewan flows.

And on many a river’s branch
There is found great grazing ranch,
Favoured districts therein abound
Where cattle graze all the year round.

Protected from the stormy blast
By the Rocky Mountains vast,
Through canon blows no storm terrific,
But balmy breezes from Pacific.