At its inception, Alberta’s dominant society was white,
Anglo-Saxon, and Protestant. Generally, the Anglo-Canadians
who came to Alberta before and after Sifton’s campaign were
from Ontario, of British origin, and Protestant. Western
Canada held little appeal to most British farmers, however,
many British town and city dwellers (who were locked into
the British class system and would likely never own land)
took advantage of the opportunity to become land owners in
Alberta.
Americans, many who were of British origin, were
captivated by the "Last Best West" advertising. Generally,
Anglo-Canadians and Americans shared a common language,
ancestry, values, and often a Protestant faith.
Naturally, similar backgrounds created an extension of
religious, social, cultural, and volunteer activities.
Church events, fraternal and women’s organizations, youth
organizations, associations, and sporting events brought
together similar-minded farming, ranching, and town
communities. Fraternal lodges included the Orange Lodge, the
Knights of Pythias, the Masonic Lodge, and the Canadian
Order of Foresters. In 1902, the Young Men’s Christian
Association (YMCA) began in Calgary as a place where men
could explore their spiritual values as well as pursue
leisurely activities. In 1907, Edmonton’s YMCA was
incorporated by special provincial legislature.
Early women’s organizations, a genesis of things to come,
mainly focused on social issues such as reform and
education. They included the Imperial Order Daughters of the
Empire (IODE), Women’s Temperance Union, and United Farm
Women of Alberta.
In 1907, by special provincial
legislature, Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) was
begun in Edmonton. Calgary’s first YWCA opened in 1910. The
YWCA was established as a traveller’s aid to single women.
Over the years, the YWCA has evolved into a
non-denominational organization that has an exemplary
track-record for voluntary endeavours and community
involvement.
The overriding expectation of Anglo-Albertans was that
conformity and assimilation of immigrants to the Anglo-Saxon
culture was important. They felt that their values, colour,
and religion were superior. This thinking created ethnic,
religious, and class divisions within Alberta. Cultural
integration versus cultural assimilation were two different
realities. Non-Anglo groups formed pocket communities
throughout Alberta.
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