McLaughlin tried to slow American settlement in the Pacific Northwest by enforcing strict rules and regulations on American settlers, limiting their access to resources and supplies, as well as charging high prices for land and goods. He also attempted to persuade the American government to restrict settlement in the region, and lobbied for the British to maintain control over the area. Additionally, McLaughlin implemented policies that favored British and Canadian settlers over Americans, in an effort to discourage further American migration to the Pacific Northwest.
