Superintendent Sam Steele of the N.W.M.P. was a burly Mountie. He helped rid the west of whisky traders, policed the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and averted war between natives and white settlers in British Columbia.

With the discovery of gold in the Klondike, Canada needed to control the thousands of miners [mostly American] who flooded the Yukon. They also needed someone to hold the territory for Canada. The man for the job was Sam Steele.

In 1898, Klondike towns like Skagway & Dawson were wild towns with saloons and dance halls, where gamblers and criminals parted miners from their gold. Steele was wanted to bring law to the territory.

Flying the Union Jack, Mounties collected custom duties, confiscated handguns, and arrested men who mistreated their pack animals. It was clear that Steele was in charge. Desperadoes were met by Winchester rifles and Canadian law as they tried to enter the Yukon.