The Birth of the Force

 RCMP: A Century of Control and Controversy — Part 1: The Birth of the Force

By Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

When most Canadians think of the RCMP today, they imagine red serge, white gloves, and the Musical Ride — smiling horses performing perfect drills at the PNE. It’s a pageant of pride. But behind the shiny uniforms lies a history far darker than the costumes would have you believe.

The RCMP didn’t start as a force to protect citizens or uphold justice for everyone. Its original name was the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP), founded in 1873. Its mission? To secure western Canada for colonial expansion — and to control and suppress Indigenous peoples, especially those moving across the newly drawn border with the United States.

The Canadian government feared uprisings like the Red River Resistance, and Indigenous nations who refused to give up their land. The NWMP were sent west, armed and organized, to impose “law and order” — meaning enforcing colonial policies, claiming Indigenous lands, and policing movement across borders.

From day one, the NWMP was a tool of the state, not a protector of the people. They patrolled Indigenous territories, monitored leaders, and made life difficult for communities resisting colonial control. These early policing strategies set the tone for over a century of systemic injustice.

Even the “friendly” parts of RCMP history — like the Musical Ride — served a purpose beyond entertainment. It was propaganda, designed to brainwash generations of children into believing that the Mounties were heroic, trustworthy, and above reproach. I remember watching the Ride at the PNE as a kid, awed and oblivious to the darker truths behind the uniform.

But the history isn’t just a story from the 1800s. It echoes today in the over-policing of Indigenous communities, the revolving door of our justice system, and the sense of fear many Canadians feel. Watching officers in luxury cars, or seeing law enforcement struggle with organized crime, it’s hard not to feel anxious for our safety. History repeats itself when structures remain unexamined.

The RCMP’s birth is a reminder: institutions that claim to protect us can also be instruments of control — and change only comes when we understand the past.

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Reflection Questions

1. Who were the RCMP originally created to serve? Who were they meant to control?
2. How does the RCMP’s colonial past influence how Indigenous communities experience policing today?
3. When you see the red serge or the Musical Ride, what emotions or assumptions does it trigger? Are these accurate reflections of history?

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Mini Quiz

1. What was the RCMP’s original name?
   • A) Canadian Mounted Police
   • B) North-West Mounted Police ✅
   • C) Royal Canadian Constabulary
2. In what year was the NWMP founded?
   • A) 1867
   • B) 1873 ✅
   • C) 1885
3. What was one of the NWMP’s main purposes?
   • A) Protect all Canadians equally
   • B) Control Indigenous movement and enforce colonial policies ✅
   • C) Organize community events