This pamphlet was one of many printed to encourage more Europeans to settle in Canada in the mid-nineteenth century. Printed in Quebec by the Bureau of Agriculture, it aimed to attract would-be settlers by giving a brief outline of different aspects of Canadian life and the cost of living, emphasising how easy it could be to live a prosperous life in the country. Despite Canada being renowned for its harsh winters, the text tries to downplay the climate, stating that winters were in fact only slightly colder than those in Scotland or in Ireland.