Macinnes

Canada, of course, is rightly intended for the Scotch and the French who made it. The French who originally came here were Nordic French, and such they remain, most of them having been confirmed in early days with a touch of the best Indian blood to fortify them against the frost and fit them for the woods. But all other Nordics born in Canada of Nordic stock, especially those of English and Irish parentage, rapidly acquire all the best characteristics of the Scotch, especially if they work on the land, losing at the same time the least desirable, which are few. The Americans may not expect much from the stew and goulash in their "melting pot," but in Canada there is to be found a proper Nordic pot-still, turning out, as it were, a new Scotch blend equal to the best. That is why we are able in some measure to turn this meritorious Scotch spirit also into the native-born children of all Americans who settle in Canada and grow wheat. Natives from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, and, perhaps, the more amiable parts of Germany, will always be acceptable in Canada, as they are easily blended with the novel Scotch. All such eventually breed to a Scotch type after one or two generations as woodsmen or farmers on the land, unless they happen to be French, in which case, of course, they quite naturally remain just what they are. (Macinnes 82-3)

Both the Chinese and the Japanese, however, are fine people if you have just a few of them. But a proportion of one in twelve, and a threat of that particular one securing a four-fold profit over others on the lands and the choice trading corners of the province is a bit too rich for our blood. We must either deport them -- and that is practically too difficult -- or else close our ports to them entirely as immigrants, and disqualify and handicap those already here whose work takes the bread from the mouths of our own people. Thus we might encourage them to go home.

It would be a different affair if we could put a million more British in British Columbia within the next ten years. We can, if we go about it right and knock out the knockers who block new schemes for development not controlled by themselves. A million more British in British Columbia within the next ten years and much of the Oriental problem will be solved, assuming that our ports be shut tight against their further entry as immigrants.

There is a fair chance, also, that somewhat of the Oriental evil may be lessened, and that a better feeling may arise, if the Orientals will endeavor in every way to come up to white Canadian standards of living both in the city and the country. I do not mean in the way of food, because most of them spend as much on good food as we do, many of them more. Let them in other ways, however, be more spendthrift and extravagant, and keep their coin circulating here, thus making good fellows of themselves with us. Much better for them to back the wrong horse occasionally at the races here than to send their money out to back the wrong general in the wars of China, where all the generals are always wrong. (Macinnes 132, 133)