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James Bernard Harkin
Born(1875-01-30)30 January 1875
Vankleek Hill, Ontario, Canada
Died27 January 1955(1955-01-27) (aged 79)
Parent(s)Dr. William Harkin and Elizabeth McDonnell


This is my sandbox. I will be using it to edit the James B. Harkin article, where I will be focusing on his commercial achievements in tourism and autotourism.

Commercial Achievements (1911-1936)

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To team mates: my current word count is around 1000 words... if you could help me cut out bits that are irrelevant or already overlap with your section, that would be great. If you think everything is relevant, then we could just ask the prof if there's any sense making the wiki article shorter if it is still valuable information. --Allisontheresa (talk) 03:41, 26 March 2012 (UTC)

Hey Allison, I don't think Tina will mind us going over the word count too much especially since this section is detailing some of his most important achievements. I read through your part twice and couldn't find anything to cut out as I think it's all "Wikipedia worthy" and quite concise. Anyways I started the "Lead" and Charlotte has as well go take a look and see where you think you could insert your sections summarized remarks. Cholt.ubc (talk) 00:45, 3 April 2012 (UTC)

Hey guys, I think the word count should be ok too, since the achievements is the most important sections. I tried to not make my part too long becuase of the word counts, but I could add more if needed. I have read through your section as well, and so far it seems fine. Also I have put up my section of on the google doc as well, so take a look and let me know if there is anything that need to be changed. Thanks!Tinah123 (talk) 03:30, 3 April 2012 (UTC)

Tourism

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Harkin recognized that Canadian scenery was a natural resource that could not be exported. He led the Parks Branch into what some critics call the “business of selling scenery," where foreign tourists were to be imported to enjoy Canada’s natural resource. Harkin often described parks in economic terms. In the Parks Branch’s first Annual Report, he stated the value of Canadian scenery at $13.88/acre, while wheat land was worth $4.91/acre. [1] He recognized that unlike most natural resources, large sales of scenery could be sold in perpetuity without any decline in value or capital stock. [2]

The National Parks of Canada were established largely to stimulate traffic on the Canadian Pacific Railway. The railway attracted tourists to Rocky Mountain National Park. [3] Harkin further developed national parks with the goal of economic prosperity. Parks would increase tourism and profitability for the government, railroads, and small businesses. In order to garner political support for parks development, Harkin communicated the profitable opportunities they could provide Canada. [1] He utilized tourism revenue statistics from American states and European countries to convince the Canadian government that national parks were worth tens of millions of dollars annually. [2]
(I already touched on this in the "Philosophy" section. I would suggest removing this sentence to avoid needless repetition."

Initially, the Parks Branch focused on enticing foreign visitors to Canada. Canadian national parks were largely accessible by wealthy American tourists who stayed at hotels and traveled by railway [4]: 95% of people travelling to Canada were American.[1] Thus, Harkin’s initial goal was to extend this flow of American tourists into Canada.[1]
By the 1920s, the Parks Branch shifted their focus and began targeting Canadians. [5] Formerly, critics argued that the government was subsidizing parks for wealthy foreigners. Harkin suggested that the automobile now made it logistically and financially possible for more middle-class Canadian tourists to access the national parks.[5] Parks located near cities were now widely accessible, allowing workers to spend weekends camping or fishing. The Parks Branch began promoting parks as attractive tourism that heals and invigorates the hardworking business man. [2] Responding to the increased use of automobiles, Harkin redefined the Branch’s goals from servicing a foreign and local “recreationist” to the broader “Canadian.” [6]

Harkin relied on free publicity to promote tourism. [7]The Parks Branch Annual Report outlined the commercial and humanitarian benefits of parks. These mandatory publications were sent to Members of Parliament and newspapers across Canada. They became the Parks Branch’s initial marketing tool. [7] In the 1920s, Harkin appointed Mabel Williams to author guidebooks and literature that promoted parks as a Canadian birthright that made one physically stronger, psychologically renewed, and spiritually fulfilled. [3] With increased tourism, the Branch could afford printing the guidebooks. Their spending in the government printing department jumped from $2000 to almost $13,000 in one year. [8] The Parks Branch created a Publicity Division to promote Canada’s parks through guidebooks, lectures, slide presentations, and motion pictures. This successful division would later form the Canadian Government Travel Bureau and National Film Board of Canada.[9]

Challenges

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Harkin faced challenges that constricted the Parks Branch’s potential for success. In 1914, the National Parks budget was 0.5% [10] of the total federal budget. The popularity of automobiles lead to a decline in railroad support for parks development. From 1915 to 1947, average annual expenditures slid to 0.28%[10] of the federal budget, demonstrating the effects of lost railroad support. Harkin convinced politicians that creating parks would gain the support of constituents through increased enjoyment from park’s amenities. [11] As such, he attempted to increase the Parks Branch budget through two allies: politicians seeking park and road development for constituents and small businesses that would benefit from tourism. This was not powerful enough to keep the budget afloat.[12]

Automobiles and Road Development

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Harkin made an impact on Canadian tourism through changing automobile regulations and increasing road development to parks. In 1905, the Federal Government passed legislation banning the use of automobiles on any road near or within prescribed limits of Banff National Park. [13] Parks had previously been reserved for the exclusive use of railway travelers to protect the railroad monopoly and interests. Harkin held no ties to the railroad industry or those businesses that benefited from their protection. He viewed the predominant usage of automobiles as an opportunity for national park’s to gain commercial success.[14] In 1911, Harkin cancelled the prohibition on automobiles in parks and introduced motor vehicle legislation: 25 cent registration and speed limits (8 MPH in townsites; 15 MPH elsewhere).[15] This was not an open invitation to motorists as strict limitations still existed: cars had to travel from Calgary on the Calgary-Banff Coach Road and strictly follow Banff Avenue and Spray Avenue to the CPR’s Banff Springs Hotel[15]. In 1913, Harkin allowed automobiles to visit golf courses and private homes. He introduced a $5 annual license and a $1 single trip fee[15] for using cars within parks. By 1915, these regulations extended to include all national parks. In 1919, he increased the speed limit to 25 MPH.[15]

Harkin identified road development as another measure to increase the profitability of tourism and national parks. His goal was to make the scenery of the Canadian Rockies accessible to automobile traffic through first class motor roads into and through parks. With adequate roads through mountains, there would be increased traffic and significant spending from auto-tourists. The Calgary-Banff Coach Road, completed in 1911, absorbed a significant portion of the Parks budget for years. [16] With no allegiance to the railroad and its dependants [17], Harkin increased road development and continued to increase accessibility of automobiles into parks. Under Harkin’s tenure as Commissioner, major roads such as the Banff-Windermere Highway, Edmonton-Jasper-Banff Highway, and the Kicking Horse Trail were built. By 1930, around 400 miles of parks roads were built, with 145 miles servicing the Rocky Mountain Parks. [18]

After World War I, low priced automobiles and suitable roads made parks more accessible. Automobiles increased Canadian attendance to national parks: 100,000 in 1921, 250,000 in 1925, and 550,000 in 1928. [19]This stimulated business for small tourist shops, service stations, grocery stores, and motels along Canadian highways. The small business sector in Canada grew with the increased tourism to national parks.[11]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Bella, Leslie (1987). Parks for Profit. Montreal: Harvest House. p. 63.
  2. ^ a b c MacEachern, Alan (2001). Natural Selections: National Parks in Atlantic Canada, 1935-1970. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 30.
  3. ^ a b MacEachern, Alan. "M.B. Williams and the Early Years of Parks Canada". History Publications., 2011. Paper 173. p. 25 Cite error: The named reference "MacEachernMB25" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. ^ Bella, Leslie (1987). Parks for Profit. Montreal: Harvest House. p. 64.
  5. ^ a b MacEachern, Alan. "M.B. Williams and the Early Years of Parks Canada". History Publications., 2011. Paper 173. p. 43
  6. ^ MacEachern, Alan (2001). Natural Selections: National Parks in Atlantic Canada, 1935-1970. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 37.
  7. ^ a b MacEachern, Alan. "M.B. Williams and the Early Years of Parks Canada". History Publications., 2011. Paper 173. p. 33
  8. ^ MacEachern, Alan. "M.B. Williams and the Early Years of Parks Canada". History Publications., 2011. Paper 173. p. 35
  9. ^ MacEachern, Alan. "M.B. Williams and the Early Years of Parks Canada". History Publications., 2011. Paper 173. p. 37
  10. ^ a b Bella, Leslie. "Parks for Profit". Montreal: Harvest House, 1987. p. 79.
  11. ^ a b Bella, Leslie (1987). Parks for Profit. Montreal: Harvest House. p. 71.
  12. ^ Bella, Leslie (1987). Parks for Profit. Montreal: Harvest House. p. 81.
  13. ^ Larin, Amy (Winter 2008). "A rough ride: Automobiles in Banff National Park, 1905-1918". Alberta History: 1.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  14. ^ Bella, Leslie (1987). Parks for Profit. Montreal: Harvest House. p. 61.
  15. ^ a b c d Bella, Leslie (1987). Parks for Profit. Montreal: Harvest House. p. 62.
  16. ^ Parks Canada. "Evolution of Bear Management in the Mountain National Parks". Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  17. ^ Bella, Leslie (1987). Parks for Profit. Montreal: Harvest House. p. 66.
  18. ^ Bella, Leslie (1987). Parks for Profit. Montreal: Harvest House. p. 86.
  19. ^ MacEachern, Alan. "M.B. Williams and the Early Years of Parks Canada". History Publications., 2011. Paper 173. p. 42

Proposed Outline for James B. Harkin Article

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1. Early life
2. Political career
3. Influences

3.1 The American example and experience

4. Philosophy

4.1 Commercial value of parks
4.2 Commitment to endangered species
4.3 Parks as instilling patriotism
4.3.1 The 'play spirit' and 'play instinct'

5. Achievements

5.1 Evolution of the Dominion Parks Branch
5.2 Commercial achievements (autotourism and tourism) --I will be focusing on this section
5.3 Wildlife conservation
5.3.1 Migratory Bird Legislation
5.3.2 Wood Buffalo Reserve
5.3.3 Pronghorn Project
5.4 Miscellaneous

6. Controversies or Disputes

6.1 Forestry Branch on wildlife administration
6.2 Native hunters and conservationists

7. End of Harkin's career
8. Legacy
9. Footnotes
10. References
11. External Links


Charlotte's Feedback

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Hey Allison! your section looks great! can't find anything to add/fix right now but i'll read it over again in a couple days in case I find something i missed! Cm1014 (talk) 06:15, 7 April 2012 (UTC)

Lauren's Feedback

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Hi Allison, good work! Made some minor edits and also removed a sentence that was repetitious. --Laurenyh (talk) 00:23, 3 April 2012 (UTC)

Tina's Feedback

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Hey guys, I think the word count should be ok too, since the achievements is the most important sections. I tried to not make my part too long becuase of the word counts, but I could add more if needed. I have read through your section as well, and so far it seems fine. Also I have put up my section of on the google doc as well, so take a look and let me know if there is anything that need to be changed. Thanks! Tinah123 (talk) 03:41, 3 April 2012 (UTC)

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