Geographical
Location:
One of the three prairie provinces in Canada, Manitoba is bordered
by Ontario to the east and Saskatchewan to the west. Its landscape
of lakes and rivers, mountains, forests and prairies...stretching
from the northern Arctic tundra to Hudson Bay in the east and
southern farmland. Much wilderness is protected in more than 80
Provincial Parks...where biking, hiking, canoeing, camping and
fishing are all popular. Located in southern Manitoba, The
University of Manitoba, located in Winnipeg, the capital city, is a
research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. Founded
in 1877, it was Western Canada's first university.
Nunavut and Hudson Bay are north and the United States are south.
“Manitoba”
may come from the Cree words 'manitou
bou'
meaning “Strait of the Great Spirit”. It
may also come from the Assiniboine words 'mini'
and 'tobow'
meaning “Lake of the Prairie.” About 60 percent of the Manitoba's people live in the capital city,
Winnipeg, and its suburbs.
The
People:
Home to 1.2 million people in 2010, Manitoba is home to many native peoples: including Metis, Assinboine, Saulteaux, Northern, Woodland, Swampy Cree, Chipewyan and
Inuit. Ethnic
backgrounds include Scottish, English, German, Ukranian, French,
Aboriginal, Dutch and Poles.
Climate:
In the winter, there are often blizzards with strong winds and
extreme cold temperatures. Polar air masses bring very cold air from
the Arctic Ocean. Winnipeg has the coldest winters of any major city
in Canada.
History:
The first native peoples to live in Manitoba followed herds of bison
and caribou.
Early explorers arrived through Hudson Bay in norther Manitoba.
Hudson Bay Company (created in 1670) set up fur-trading posts along
the rivers.
The first settlers (British and French) homed along the Red River.
Louis Riel (1844-1885) was an influential Metis leader.
Riel and his Metis were concerned about the settlers taking over
their land.
Manitoba became Canada's fifth province in 1870.
Red River cart trails were the first roads.
The railway brought thousands of settlers from eastern Canada and
from all over the world.
Many setttlers came from Ukraine and Iceland.
Land
and Water:
Manitoba is known as the land of 100,000 lakes
Lake
Winnipeg (the 3rd
largest in Canada), Lake Winnipegosis and Lake Manitoba are 3 large
lakes.
The Churchill River, Nelson River and Red Rivers in southern Manitoba
drain into Lake Winnipeg.
Forests of pine...hemlock...and birch cover northern Manitoba.
The Prairie Region is in the southern part of the province.
Resources
and Industries:
Manitoba lies in the area of Canada known as the Canadian Shield
Minerals and metals are found in the Canadian Shield...nickel, gold,
copper, zinc, cobalt, gypsum)
Manitoba is a world leader in the production of nickel
The large lakes are home to many species of fresh water fish.
Fivty-seven percent of Manitoba is covered with forest and wooded
areas.
Hydro-electric power is a very important industry...selling to other
provinces and to U.S.
One-third of the farmland is used for growing wheat...also canola,
sunflowers, oats, buckwheat, rye, flax and field peas.
Industries include manufacturing (farm equipment, buses, clothing,
furniture), food processing, aerospace and transportation.
Places
and People:
The Royal Canadian Mint (where coins are made) is in Winnipeg.
The
'Viking'
at Gimli is a giant statue honouring the ancestors of the Icelandic
people.
Many festivals are held in Manitoba, including the Ukrainian Festival
and Icelandic Festival in Gimli.
Churchill,
in northern Manitoba is 'The
Polar Bear capital of the world'.
Here they make dens near the town.
Wapusk National Park (Wapusk, meaning 'white bear') located in
northern Manitoba,
protects one of the world's largest known polar bear denning areas.
Persons
of Significance:
Gabrielle Roy and Margaret Laurence (novelists)
Nellie McClung fought for the rights of women.
Jackson Beardy was a Cree artist.
Louis Riel, the Founding Father of Manitoba and leader of the Metis
rebellions.
Bachaman-Turner Overdrive and the Guess Who...Canadian rock bands
from Winnipeg.
Fred Penner...musician and children's entertainer.
Manitoba's
Flag:
Looks like Canada's former flag ~ the Canadian Red Ensign.
The Union Jack is in the upper left corner on a red background.
The Province's Shield is on the right side of the flag.
It became the official flag in 1966.
At the top of the Shield is the English Cross of St. George.
The
lower part has a bison;
there were thousands of bison roaming the prairies before settlers.
The Shield is at the centre of the 'coat of arms'.
Above its a gold helmet with a beaver holding a crocus (the
Provincial Flower).
At the top is a crown...a unicorn and white horse on either side.
The
Aboriginal 'Circle
of Life'
is
on the horse's collar.
The bottom has grain fields...water...the provincial flower and tree.
The
motto: Gloriosus
liber
~ “Glorious and Free”.
Emblems:
The
Provincial Flower
is the crocus...in
various shades of purple, it is often the first flower appearing in
early spring. School children in Manitoba chose it for the floral
emblem in 1906. To protect it from the cold, the crocus has a furry
covering.
The
Provincial
Bird
is the Great
Grey Owl...living
year round in the forests of Manitoba...and is the largest owl in
North America.
Manitoba's
animal is the Bison...and
Provincial tree is the White
Spruce.
* * * * * * *
One
summer, during my teaching days, Joyce (a high school teacher) and I
drove to Winnipeg to visit her sister....then travelled 740 km north
to visit her parents living in Flin Flon...a mining town of 5,592
population as stated in 2011. The Hudson Bay and Smelting Company
(now known as Hud Bay Minerals Inc.) is still the major employer in
the area. Flin Flon is located north of the 55th
parallel...and even has a Walmart Store!
Merle Baird-Kerr...compiled June 24, 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment