Origins
Sir John A. Macdonald begun planning a permanent defence force to patrol the Northwest Territories after Hudson's Bay Company sold Ruperts Land to the Dominion of Canada. The Prime Minister first announced the force as the North West Mounted Rifles.The United States of America, fearing a military buildup directed the PM to rename the force the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) in the year 1873. The force was established by an act of legislation from the Temporary North-West Council the first territorial government of the Northwest Territories. The Act was approved and established by May 23, 1873. Queen Victoria, on the advice of her Canadian Prime Minister, John A. Macdonald, with the intent of bringing law and order to, and asserting sovereignty over, the Northwest Territories. The need was particularly urgent given reports of American whiskey traders, in particular those of Fort Whoop-Up, causing trouble in the region, culminating in the Cypress Hills Massacre. The new force was initially to be called the North West Mounted Rifles, but this proposal was rejected as sounding too militaristic in nature, which Macdonald feared would antagonize both aboriginals and Americans. However, the force was organized along the lines of a cavalry regiment in the British Army, and was to wear red uniforms. The NWMP was modelled directly on the Royal Irish Constabulary (R.I.C.), a civilian paramilitary armed police force with both mounted and foot elements under the authority of what was then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. First NWMP commissioner, Colonel George Arthur French was a British artillery officer who was born in Co. Roscommon, Ireland, and would have been familiar the R.I.C. While the model of the Royal Irish Constabulary was influential in some respects (notably in designating ranks) British army traditions were strong. The Governor General explained that, "though nominally policemen, the men will be dressed in scarlet uniform and possess all the characteristics of a military force."