Nationalism, Tourism, and Sport: The Annual Meet of the Canadian Wheelmen’s Association in Quebec City, 1–2 July 1896

Based primarily on newspaper research using the online research tool BAnQ Numérique, as well as a close analysis of the promotional brochure produced by the Quebec Bicycle Club, this article examines the annual meet of the Canadian Wheelmen’s Association held in Quebec City in 1896. In addition to describing the preparations made by the club prior to the meet, and the events associated with it, the article explores the campaign that won the meet for the historic city. The major theme of that campaign was the need to expand the CWA network beyond Ontario and Montreal, thereby strengthening national unity. The appeal, however, was largely to Quebec City’s historical status as the site of Wolfe’s victory in 1759 rather than to the need to heal wounds that had been caused by the role of the Manitoba Schools Question in the recent federal election.