Devout imperialist, loyal Canadian, and dedicated British Columbian, Richard McBride served as British Columbia’s premier from 1903 to 1915. During this period of great economic growth, McBride brought order to the legislature, encouraged the development of natural resources by facilitating new railways, championed the province in its quarrels with Ottawa, and promoted Canada’s links with the British Empire. His vision of a modern, industrialized, and wealthy province helped shape its institutions and its place in the British world. Boundless Optimism brings McBride’s political career into focus, chronicling his many accomplishments and putting his activities into historical context without neglecting the downsides of optimism.