the first prime minister of the new nation was john a. macdonald, and he outlined what would be canada's economic program for decades. this would be the national policy a system of protective tariffs that would encourage the development of canadian manufacturing. this would be combined with great railway building projects such as the canadian pacific railway to link the east with the west and the intercolonial railway to link central canada with atlantic canada. other plans for the national policy were the promotion of canadian identity and the population of western canada.