Which statement best describes the CPR?

• A. It was a plan to fund provincial rail projects only.
• B. It was a program to upgrade existing lines.
• C. It was John A. Macdonald's idea of building a transcontinental railroad that connected all members of the Confederation to each other
• D. It was a private venture with no government involvement.

Answer: (C)

The CPR was intended as a coast-to-coast link that would bind Canada together, fulfilling John A. Macdonald’s plan to connect all parts of Confederation with a transcontinental railway. This wasnured the idea of uniting eastern and western Canada, facilitating settlement, and strengthening national sovereignty by creating a single, continuous railway across the country. It wasn’t simply about upgrading existing lines or funding provincial projects, and it definitely involved government support—in the form of land grants and loans to the railway company—rather than being a completely private venture.