How did Wilfrid Laurier encourage immigration and settlement in western Canada?

Wilfrid Laurier’s government prioritized the settlement of western Canada as a core component of his "national policy," which also included protecting Canadian industries and developing an effective transportation system.1

His administration’s land and emigration policies were highly successful, resulting in more than one million people moving into Manitoba and the western territories—which became the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta in 1905—during his 15-year tenure. This boom in immigration was fueled by several key factors:1

• Government Promotion: The federal government utilized massive advertising campaigns to attract settlers to the region.2
• Economic Development: Laurier supported the expansion of infrastructure, announcing in 1903 that a second transcontinental rail system would be built to support the growing population and economy.1
• Agricultural Growth: The region became known as the "granary of the world" as wheat production flourished, supported by the development of new towns and ports.1
• External Conditions: Settlement was further encouraged by changing social conditions in Europe and the decline of available homestead land in the United States.2