This could well have been one of the defining moments in
Canadian history since we are probably the only country whose
most famous national symbol is a police force. |The "new" red
serge uniform with Stetson.| As respected as the NWMP were in
the Prairies and Klondike, in Ottawa there was a push to disband
the force as the west became more settled. This movement ended
in 1897, at Queen Victoria's Jubillee parade in London. "A
contingent from the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) was rear
guard to the Canadian section. This sparked a number of
unfavourable comments from the London press. Placing them at the
rear must have been a blunder, reported one paper, as they were
a star attraction, resplendent in their red serge uniforms and
western-style Stetson hats. The British and Canadian press
praised their physical appearance, their riding, and their
general demeanour. The NWMP, by their mere presence, had
captured the imagination of Londoners."("A Glorious Moment" The
Popular Hero, Collections Canada) "Hollywood