 Harold Innis wrote his PhD thesis on the history of the Canadian Pacific Railway ( CPR ) . The completion of Canada 's first transcontinental railway in 1885 had been a defining moment in Canadian history . Innis 's thesis , eventually published as a book in 1923 , can be seen as an early attempt to document the railway 's significance from an economic historian 's point of view . It uses voluminous statistics to underpin its arguments . Innis maintains that the difficult and expensive construction project was sustained by fears of American annexation of the Canadian West . 
 Harold Innis wrote his PhD thesis on the history of the Canadian Pacific Railway ( CPR ) . The completion of Canada <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>first transcontinental railway in 1885 had been a defining moment in Canadian history . Innis <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>thesis , eventually published as a book in 1923 , can be seen as an early attempt to document the railway <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>significance from an economic historian <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>point of view . It <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>uses</mark></a> voluminous statistics to underpin its arguments . Innis <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>maintains</mark></a> that the difficult and expensive construction project was sustained by fears of American annexation of the Canadian West . 
Harold Innis wrote his PhD thesis on the history of the Canadian Pacific Railway ( CPR ) . The completion of Canada  first transcontinental railway in 1885 had been a defining moment in Canadian history . Innis  thesis , eventually published as a book in 1923 , can be seen as an early attempt to document the railway  significance from an economic historian  point of view . It use voluminous statistics to underpin its arguments . Innis maintain that the difficult and expensive construction project was sustained by fears of American annexation of the Canadian West .