Portraits of Canada ― Photographic Treasures of the CPR

This book is a painstaking selection of 150 of the most thought-provoking, stunning, and sometimes quixotic images from the approximately 800,000 historic images in the Canadian Pacific Railway Archives, including momentous events in Canadian history, the social changes that swept through Canada from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, and picturesque scenes from across Canada that were sent around the world by the CPR. These are postcards of a nation that allow us to see the country as it was, and how it was perceived by outsiders looking in.

Robert C. Kennell pursued his interest in photography at Toronto's Ryerson Institute of Photography before joining CPR's photographic department in 1975. He honed his skills, criss-crossing the country for more than twenty years photographing virtually every aspect of railways operations. In 1995, Robert began applying his passion for photography and his knowledge of the CPR to the management of CPR's 800,000-image photo collection.

Carol LaCourte immigrated to Canada from the U.S. in 1976 after having lived and taught in Finland, France and Venezuela. She received a master's degree in library science at the UniversitU de MontrUal, and worked for several companies before joining CPR in 1989. She is in charge of CPR's business intelligence function as well as the CPR Archives. Carol has made it her goal to share CPR's archival treasures with the Canadian public.