Pierre Berton in his 1971 book The Last Spike has this to say about Fr. Lacombe:
“The CPR Directors invited Father Lacombe who had saved them so much grief, to be their guest at a luncheon. On a motion by Angus, Lacombe was made president of the CPR for one hour. Taking the chair, the priest immediately voted himself two passes on the railroad for life and, in addition, free transportation of all freight and baggage necessary to the Oblate missions together with free use for life of the CPR’s telegraph system.
The directors were only too happy to grant Lacombe what he asked. He was the man who had the full confidence of the Indians. All the promises that day were honoured by the railway. Moreover, Lacombe’s rather cavalier use of the passes, which he lent out indiscriminately (as he did most of his belongings), was regularly tolerated.”
To have garnered this, Fr. Lacombe was a great friend of Blackfoot Chief Crowfoot. Through his influence he had convinced them and the Cree to allow passage of the CPR line through their territories. Crowfoot trusted Fr. Lacombe and decided there was more to be gained by cooperating with the Government than opposing it.
A strikingly good looking man, he was particularly adept at raising funds and support for the Oblate missions in western Canada. His superiors often had him come to Ottawa and Montreal where he was very well connected to assist them in fundraising and political activities.
Nevertheless, towards the end, he did take responsibility for a parish and started up an industrial school to teach indigenous employable skills.
Pure speculation on my part but his skill in “secular” activities had too often caused him to be pulled away by his superiors from his more holy activities and in the balance, may have outweighed them. No miracles were documented and no major push for canonization was ever launched by the Oblates. Furthermore, his legacy is tied to colonization and in particular, residential schools. Consequently he was never proposed for sainthood. A true Canadian hero to be very proud of nevertheless.
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