the construction of the rideau canal was one of the first projects in upper canada to employ thousands of laborers. it was under the control of the british military. the british officers and the contractors they hired both looked at the workers as instruments of production required to facilitate the most economic completion of the project. because of the shortage of jobs, labourers had little choice but to endure difficult and often dangerous working and living conditions. the response of workers to these harsh conditions was militant but sporadic. they tended to act against individual property owners and contractors in order to obtain the immediate necessities for survival. more concerted activity was discouraged in large part by the military which posted soldiers along the line of the canal to suppress dissent and ensure a cheap supply of labour.