both weak and strong, honest and dishonest, that the rule
of law prevailed; while experience taught white men and red that
'Law' meant even-handed justice as between man and man without fear
or favour."

"The red coat was evidence that wherever the wearer was, he was
there with authority. In any other colour he might have escaped
hostile observation. Not so when clad in red."

Following Colonel Ross' report in 1872 the Government at Ottawa was
subjected to a sort of fusillade on the question from the floor of the
House of Commons. Hon. Alexander MacKenzie (afterwards Premier), Hon.
Dr. John Schultz (later Sir John, Governor of Manitoba, who had been
imprisoned by Louis Riel and had escaped with a price on his head), an
ardent Canadian, Hon. William Cunningham, a newspaper man from Winnipeg,
Hon. Donald A. Smith, a Hudson's Bay Company man (who as Lord Strathcona
was to have such a large share in the making of the West) and the Hon.
Letellier de St. Just were some of the members who wanted to know what
the Government was contemplating in view of all the reports received.
Sir John A. Macdonald, who took special pride in the police in later
years, and the Hon. Joseph Howe, whose office was to look after the
West, said that the Government was fully alive to the situation and
would act in due time. As a matter of fact the Government, especially
Sir John, had been for some time in consultation with experienced
service men, notably Major (later Colonel) Arthur Henry Griesbach, who
was in Ottawa for many months advising in regard to the force of which
he was afterwards to become one of the earliest and most honoured
members. It also emerged later that Sir John and his associates had been
making some study of such famous organizations as the Irish
Constabulary, and that he had set his mind on having a force that would
be distinguished for hardiness in service and readiness in response to
calls of duty rather than for "fuss and feathers," as he expressed it in
his favourite way.

Finally, on May 3, 1873, the Premier moved for leave to introduce a bill
dealing with the administration of justice and for the establishment of
a police force in the North-West Territories. It was adopted by the
House on May 20, and so the organization of the now famous corps was
definitely on its way. An interesting fact was that this was to be a
civil force in uniform, not a military organization subject to the
Queen'