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Western Canada

Western Canada

Fr:Ouest canadien ::This article is about a geographic region. For the school in Calgary, see Western Canada High School Western Canada is a geographic region of Canada, generally considered to be west of the province of Ontario, although its precise definition is a source of controversy (see below). It consists of the following four provinces:
- British Columbia
- Alberta
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba The latter three of these provinces are collectively referred to as the Prairie Provinces, or simply "The Prairies."

Definitions

Although many Canadians include the province of British Columbia (BC) in the generic region of "Western Canada," many British Columbians tend to distinguish themselves from the other three Western provinces and see their province as constituting a geographic region of its own, known as the "West Coast" or "Pacific". However, these feelings are generally concentrated in Vancouver, Victoria, and the coastal regions of the province. British Columbia has many distinctions from the three Prairie Provinces, particularly geographical and climatic. The presence of the Rocky Mountains has historically tended to isolate BC and has resulted in a somewhat different culture and attitude in that province. Coastal British Columbia is sometimes separated and termed "Pacific Canada" due its distinct climate and to the strong difference in culture, which is more in line with the coastal regions of the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, and northern California, including a more liberal political alignment that features strong support for environmentalism. Another issue with regards to defining Western Canada is that many in the most Western provinces (British Columbia and Alberta) do not consider Manitoba part of the region because Manitoba is, geographically speaking, located in the centre of Canada. Manitobans, however, consider themselves to be Western Canadians, and the province's economy and history mirror its Western neighbours far more than Ontario and Quebec, which together are often referred to as Central Canada.

Demographics

The combined population of Western Canada as of 2005 is nearly 10 million, including approximately 4.3 million in British Columbia, 3.3 million in Alberta, just under 1.0 million in Saskatchewan and 1.2 million in Manitoba. This represents about 30 per cent of the entire Canadian population (source: Statistics Canada, April 1, 2005 estimates). Major Population Centres
- Vancouver, BC- 2,132,824
- Calgary, AB- 1,150,000
- Edmonton, AB- 1,050,000
- Winnepeg, MB- 702,500
- Victoria, BC- 325,000
- Saskatoon, SK- 233,000
- Regina, SK- 194,000
- Abbotsford, BC- 155,000
- Kelowna, BC- 153,000
- Nanaimo, BC- 90,000

Geography

Western British Columbia adjoins the Pacific Ocean but both Alberta and Saskatchewan are landlocked. Manitoba is almost landlocked but for a small coastal area of Hudson Bay on the north east border, where the port of Churchill is located. The coast of British Columbia and Vancouver Island enjoy a moderate oceanic climate due to the influence of the Pacific Ocean, with temperatures similar to those of the British Isles. Winters are typically wet and summers relatively dry. These areas enjoy the mildest winter weather in all of Canada, as temperatures rarely fall much below the freezing mark. The interior of the province is drier and has colder winters and substantially hotter summers. Alberta borders the Canadian Rocky Mountains and the Southern portion benefits from frequent moderate climatic conditions known as "chinooks" where warm winds raise the winter temperature sufficiently to allow a full range of winter sports and the occasional game of golf. Alberta's weather is exceptionally changeable, and short-sleeve weather can occur in January and February, or conversely it can (and frequently does) snow in August. Saskatchewan and Manitoba experience extremes in weather, although Manitoba suffers the brunt of both extremes more so than Saskatchewan. Winters in both provinces can be classified as harsh with Arctic winds and −40 °C temperatures possible. Winter maximums in both provinces average between −10 °C and −15 °C. The extreme nature of the Manitoba climate has resulted in the capital city Winnipeg being nicknamed "Winterpeg". In contrast summers can be extremely hot with temperatures sometimes exceeding 35 °C.

Politics

In Canadian politics, the term 'The West' is often used as shorthand for the supposedly Conservative leanings of Western Canadians, as contrasted with the supposed liberalism of Central Canada. The exception is in coastal British Columbia, and the city of Winnipeg, in Manitoba, which are generally far more liberal. The social democratic New Democratic Party had its origins on the Canadian Prairies and enjoys considerable support in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, as well as British Columbia, although in recent years this party has made somewhat of a shift to the right, particularly in the case of Saskatchewan. As of May 2005 the British Columbia Liberal Party (much to the right of the federal Liberal Party, more akin to the Conservatives) formed the provincial government in British Columbia, the Conservatives in Alberta, and the New Democratic Party in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The Western provinces are represented in the Canadian Parliament by 92 MPs in the House of Commons (BC - 36, Alberta - 28, Saskatchewan & Manitoba - 14 each) and 24 Senators (6 from each province). Of the 92 MPs in the Commons: 68 are Conservatives, 13 Liberals, 9 New Democratic Party, and there are 2 Independent members. These provinces have been the most vocal in calls for reform of the Senate, in which Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces are seen as being over-represented. Climatic and economic conditions have contributed to a net out migration from Manitoba and Saskatchewan to Alberta and British Columbia which have stronger economies. In fact, the current population of Saskatchewan is only slightly larger than it was in 1931. British Columbia is often referred to as "Beautiful British Columbia", "God's Country" and "Lotus Land"; Alberta as "Wild Rose Country" or "The Land of Opportunity"; Saskatchewan as "The Land of Living Skies"; and Manitoba as "Friendly Manitoba" or "Land of 100,000 Lakes".

Western Canada High School

Western Canada High School is a public senior high school in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has classes for grades 10 through 12. Western is located in the 17th Avenue business district of the Mount Royal community, and is thus the most centrally located public high school in Calgary.

History

The original school building was completed in 1903 as a British-style exclusive high school for boys, known as Western Canada College (not a college in the North American sense of the word). It was created by "The Western Canada College Bill of Incorporating Ordinance" passed by the North West Territories, which Calgary was then apart of before the province of Alberta was created in 1905. The private school had financial problems and was sold to the Calgary Board of Education, which gave it the present name, re-opened it as public school, and constructed additional buildings on the land. Western was Calgary's first composite high school, providing both technical and academic courses of study. Since then, substantial renovations and additions have been done at various times. Linda Raasveldt became the first female principal of the school in 2002.

Special programs

The school provides French and Spanish language instruction, as a second language. In addition, it is one of select number of schools in Calgary to offer French immersion, whereas most other Alberta schools only provide instruction in French as a second language. Western is one of a small number of Calgary high schools to offers an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, which is offered in English and French.

Notable alumni

- Jim Dinning - Former Alberta treasurer [http://www.jimdinning.ca/biography.htm]
- Daniel Philip Hays - Speaker of the Canadian Senate (Source: Calgary Herald, September 28, 2000)
- Norman Kwong - He is Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta and was the youngest person to win a Grey Cup in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a member of the Order of Canada. [http://www.lieutenantgovernor.ab.ca/aoe/council.cfm]
- Larry Robinson - Played with the Calgary Stampeders from 1961 to 1974, winning the Grey Cup in 1971. He was the first player in the CFL to score over 1,000 points in a season.[http://www.nflcflfutures.com/NFLCFLFuturesNews04/0225.html][http://www.stampeders.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=770]
- Kinnie Starr - A singer/songwriter who was nominated for the Juno Award for New Artist of the Year in 2004. [http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/S/Starr_Kinnie/2000/06/10/pf-749929.html]
- Taryn Swiatek - Was a member of the Canada women's national soccer team, which placed fourth in the FIFA Women's World Cup competition in 2003.[http://cgi.canoe.ca/Slam020127/cis_soc_cal-sun.html]

References

- [http://www3.telus.net/wchsalumni/history/wchs_history.htm WCHS historical timeline]
- "A century of schooling: Western Canada High School turns 100 in 2003 and alumni are planning a mega reunion complete with tunnel tours" (September 28, 2000), Michael Lau, Calgary Herald, pg. 2

External links

- [http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b816/ Western Canada High School official site]
- [http://www3.telus.net/wchsalumni/ WCHS Alumni Association]
- [http://calgarypubliclibrary.com/calgary/historic_tours/public/pub38.htm Western Canada College at the Calgary Public Library] - Photo of the original building. Category:High schools in Alberta Category:Schools established in the 1900s Category:International Baccalaureate schools

Ontario

:This article describes the Canadian province. For other usages, see Ontario (disambiguation). Ontario is the most populous and second-largest in area of Canada's ten provinces. It is found in east-central Canada. Its capital is Toronto. Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is also located in Ontario. Ontario has a population (July 1, 2005) of 12,541,410, representing approximately 37.9% of the total Canadian population (Ontarians) and an area of 1,076,395km² (415,598 sq. mi.).

Geography

Ontario is bounded on the north by Hudson Bay and James Bay, on the east by Quebec, on the west by Manitoba, and on the south by the American states of Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. Ontario's long American border is formed almost entirely by lakes and rivers, starting in Lake of the Woods and continuing to the Saint Lawrence River near Cornwall; it passes through the four Great Lakes on which Ontario has coastline, namely Lakes Superior, Huron (which includes Georgian Bay), Erie, and Ontario (for which the province is named; Ontario itself is an Iroquois word meaning "beautiful lake" or "beautiful water"). There are approximately 250,000 lakes and over 100,000 kilometres of rivers in the province. The province consists of three main geographical regions:
- the thinly populated Canadian Shield in the northwestern and central portions, a mainly infertile area rich in minerals and studded with lakes and rivers; sub-regions are Northwestern Ontario and Northeastern Ontario.
- the mostly unpopulated Hudson Bay Lowlands in the extreme north and northeast, mainly swampy and sparsely forested; and
- the temperate, and therefore most populous region, the fertile Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Valley in the south where agriculture and industry are concentrated. Southern Ontario is further sub-divided into four regions; Western Ontario (sometimes called Southwestern Ontario), Golden Horseshore, Central Ontario and Eastern Ontario. The Carolinian forest zone covers most of the southwestern section, its northern extent is parts of the Greater Toronto Area at the western end of Lake Ontario. The Saint Lawrence Seaway allows navigation to and from the Atlantic Ocean as far inland as Thunder Bay in Northwestern Ontario. Northern Ontario occupies 90 per cent of the surface area of the province; conversely Southern Ontario contains 94 per cent of the population (see article Geography of Canada). Point Pelee National Park is a peninsula in southwestern Ontario (near Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan) that extends into Lake Erie and is the part of Canada's mainland furthest south. Pelee Island in Lake Erie is even further south. Both are south of 42°N slighty further south than the northern border of California.

Demographics

The major racial/ethnic groups in Ontario are:
- European: 80.9% (Major groups: English, Irish, Scottish, French, German, Italian)
- South Asian: 4.9%
- Chinese: 3.7%
- Black: 3.6%
- Aboriginal: 1.7%
- Filipino: 1.3%
- Latin-American: 0.9%
- Other: 3.0% Increasing immigration from all parts of the world, especially to Toronto and its environs, is rapidly diversifying the province's ethnic makeup. About five per cent of the population of Ontario is Franco-Ontarian. 10 largest municipalities by population

Weather

Franco-Ontarian The weather in Ontario is very diverse. The south, including Greater Toronto Area receives very hot, humid weather in the summer, as the stronger the Bermuda high pressure over the Atlantic Ocean, the more warm, humid air is transported northward from the the Gulf of Mexico. Severe thunderstorms peak in frequency in June and July, most notably in Southwestern and Central Ontario. Northwestern Ontario also receives short periods of hot weather and severe storms. In the winter, lake effect snow squalls affect three primary areas in Ontario known as the "snow belts", the Algoma District in Northeastern Ontario on the east end of Lake Superior; much of the Georgian Bay shoreline including Killarney, Parry Sound District, Muskoka and Simcoe County; the Lake Huron shore from east of Sarnia northward to the Bruce Peninsula. Wind whipped snowsqualls or lake effect snow can affect areas much further inland, as far as 100km or greater from the shore but the heaviest snows usually occur within 20km from the shoreline. At other times, all regions of the province may encounter snow squalls.

Economy

Ontario's rivers, particularly its share of the Niagara River, make it rich in hydroelectric energy. This competitive advantage, as well as excellent transportation links to the American heartland, has contributed to making manufacturing the principal industry, found mainly in the Golden Horseshoe region, the most industrialized area in Canada. Important products include motor vehicles, iron, steel, food, electrical appliances, machinery, chemicals, and paper. Ontario surpassed the American state of Michigan in car production, assembling 2.696 million vehicles in 2004 (see Canada-United States Automotive Agreement). Some economists believe that the North American Free Trade Agreement has led to a decline in manufacturing in part of North America's manufacturing "Rust Belt" that includes a portion of Southern Ontario from roughly Windsor through to St. Catharines (south of Toronto). This area and the Greater Toronto region contain the bulk of the auto sector in the province. As a result of steeply delcining sales, on November 21, 2005 General Motors announced massive layoffs at production facilities across North America including two large GM plants in Oshawa and a drive train facility in St. Catharines by 2008 resulting in 8,000 job losses in Ontario alone. Uncertainty also looms for money losing Ford Motor Co. and an announcement on cutbacks is likely in the coming weeks. Toronto is the centre of Canada's financial services and banking industry. Surburban cities Brampton and Mississauga are large product distribution centres, in addition to having automobile related industries. The information technology sector is also important, especially around Markham, Waterloo and Ottawa. Mining and the forest products industry, notably pulp and paper, are important to the economy of the Canadian Shield of Northern Ontario. Nominal Gross Domestic Product in 2003 was an estimated C$494.229 billion (40.6% of the Canadian total), larger than the GDP of Austria, Belgium or Sweden. Broken down by sector, the primary sector is 1.8% of total GDP, secondary sector 28.5%, and service sector 69.7%. Further economic information on provincial GDP etc. at [http://www.2ontario.com/welcome/oo_000.asp Ontario Facts]

Agriculture

Gross Domestic Product] Once the dominant industry, agriculture occupies a small percentage of the population. The number of farms has decreased from 68,633 in 1991 to 59,728 in 2001, but farms have increased in average size. Cattle, small grains and dairy were the common types of farms in the 2001 census. The fruit, grape and vegetable growing industry is located primarily on the Niagara Peninsula and along Lake Erie. The Ontario origins of Massey-Ferguson Ltd., once one of the largest farm implement manufacturers in the world, indicate the importance agriculture once had to the Ontario economy (see Geography of Canada for more detail).

History

Pre-1867

Before the arrival of the Europeans, the region was inhabited both by Algonquian (Ojibwa, Cree and Algonquin) and Iroquoian (Iroquois and Huron) tribes. The French explorer Étienne Brûlé explored part of the area in 1610-12. The English explorer Henry Hudson sailed into Hudson Bay in 1611 and claimed the area for England, but Samuel de Champlain reached Lake Huron in 1615 and French missionaries began to establish posts along the Great Lakes. French settlement was hampered by their hostilities with the Iroquois, who would ally themselves with the British.

Image:Ontario.jpg
Map of Ontario, showing CMA's and CA's

The British established trading posts on Hudson Bay in the late 17th century and began a struggle for domination of Ontario. The 1763 Treaty of Paris ended the Seven Years War by awarding nearly all of France's North American possessions (New France) to Britain. The region was annexed to Quebec in 1774. From 1783 to 1796, the United Kingdom granted United Empire Loyalists leaving the United States following the American Revolution 200 acres (0.8 km²) of land and other items with which to rebuild their lives. This measure substantially increased the population of Canada west of the Ottawa River during this period, a fact recognized by the Constitutional Act of 1791, which split Quebec into The Canadas: Upper Canada west of the Ottawa River, and Lower Canada east of it. John Graves Simcoe was appointed Upper Canada's first Lieutenant-Governor in 1793. American troops in the War of 1812 invaded Upper Canada across the Niagara River and the Detroit River but were successfully pushed back by British and Native American forces. The Americans gained control of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, however, and during the Battle of York occupied the Town of York (later named Toronto) in 1813. Not able to hold the town, the departing soldiers burned it to the ground. After the War of 1812, many settlers from the British Isles immigrated to Upper Canada, and began to chafe against the aristocratic Family Compact that governed the region, much as the Château Clique ruled Lower Canada. Accordingly, rebellion in favour of responsible government rose in both regions; Louis-Joseph Papineau led the Lower Canada Rebellion and William Lyon Mackenzie led the Upper Canada Rebellion. For more on the rebellions of 1837, see History of Canada. Although both rebellions were crushed, the British government sent Lord Durham to investigate the causes of the unrest. He recommended that self-government be granted and that Lower and Upper Canada be re-joined in an attempt to assimilate the Québécois. Accordingly, the two colonies were merged into the Province of Canada by the Act of Union (1840), with Ontario becoming known as Canada West. Parliamentary self-government was granted in 1848. Due to heavy immigration the population of Canada West more than doubled by 1851 over the previous decade, and as a result for the first time the English-speaking population of Canada West surpassed the French-speaking population of Canada East. A political stalemate between the French- and English-speaking legislators, as well as fear of aggression from the United States during the American Civil War, led the political elite to hold a series of conferences in the 1860s to effect a broader federal union of all British North American colonies. The British North America Act took effect on July 1, 1867, establishing the Dominion of Canada, initially with four provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. The Province of Canada was divided at this point into Ontario and Quebec so that each linguistic group would have its own province. Both Quebec and Ontario were required by section 93 of the BNA Act to safeguard existing educational rights and privileges of the Protestant and Catholic minorities. Neither province had a constitutional requirement to protect its French- or English-speaking minority. Toronto was formally established as Ontario's provincial capital at this time.

From 1867 to 1896

Once constituted as a province, Ontario proceeded to assert its economic and legislative power. In 1872, the lawyer Oliver Mowat became premier, and remained as premier until 1896. He fought for provincial rights, weakening the power of the federal government in provincial matters, usually through well-argued appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. His battles with the federal government greatly decentralized Canada, giving the provinces far more power than John A. Macdonald had intended. He consolidated and expanded Ontario's educational and provincial institutions, created districts in Northern Ontario, and fought tenaciously to ensure that those parts of Northwestern Ontario not historically part of Upper Canada (the vast areas north and west of the Lake Superior-Hudson Bay watershed, known as the District of Keewatin) would become part of Ontario, a victory embodied in the Canada (Ontario Boundary) Act, 1889. He also presided over the emergence of the province into the economic powerhouse of Canada. Mowat was the creator of what is often called Empire Ontario. Beginning with Sir John A. Macdonald's the National Policy (1879) and the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (1875-1885) through Northern Ontario and the Prairies to British Columbia, Ontario manufacturing and industry flourished.

From 1896 to the present

Mineral exploitation began in the late 19th century, leading to the rise of important mining centres like Sudbury, Cobalt and Timmins. The province harnessed its water power to generate hydro-electric power, and created the state-controlled Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, later Ontario Hydro. The availability of cheap electric power further facilitated the development of industry. In 1904, the Canadian automobile industry was launched in what is now Windsor, Ontario with the establishment of the Ford Motor Company of Canada. General Motors of Canada Ltd. was formed in 1918. The motor vehicle industry would become the major industrial component of the Ontario economy. In July 1912, the Conservative government of Sir James P. Whitney issued Regulation 17 which severely limited the availability of French-language schooling to the province's French-speaking minority. French-Canadians reacted with outrage, journalist Henri Bourassa denouncing the "Prussians of Ontario". It was eventually repealed in 1927. Influenced by events in the United States, the government of Sir William Hearst introduced prohibition of alcoholic drinks in 1916 with the passing of the Ontario Temperance Act. Prohibition came to an end in 1927 with the establishment of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario by the government of George Howard Ferguson. The sale of liquor and beer is still tightly-controlled by the state to ensure that the maximum revenues go to the provincial treasury. The post-World War II period was one of exceptional prosperity and growth. Ontario, and the Greater Toronto Area in particular, have been the recipients of most immigration to Canada. Changes in federal immigration law have led to a massive influx of non-Europeans since the 1980s. From a largely ethnically British province, Ontario has now become very culturally diverse. The nationalist movement in Quebec, particularly after the election of the Parti Québécois in 1976, contributed to driving many businesses out of Quebec to Ontario, and Toronto surpassed Montreal as the largest city and economic centre of Canada. According to the provincial government website, English is Ontario's official language, although French language rights have been extended to the legal and educational systems under the French Language Services Act of 1990.

Government

1990 The British North America Act 1867 section 69 stipulated "There shall be a Legislature for Ontario consisting of the Lieutenant Governor and of One House, styled the Legislative Assembly of Ontario". The assembly has 103 seats representing ridings elected in a first-past-the-post system across the province. The legislative buildings at Queen's Park in Toronto are the seat of government. Following the Westminster system, the leader of the party currently holding the most seats in the assembly is known as the "Premier and President of the Council" (Executive Council Act R.S.O. 1990). The Premier chooses the cabinet or Executive Council whose members are deemed "ministers of the Crown". Although the Legislative Assembly Act (R.S.O. 1990) refers to members of the assembly, the legislators are now called MPPs (Members of the Provincial Parliament) in English and députés de l'Assemblée législative in French, but they have also been called MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly), and both are acceptable. The title of Prime Minister of Ontario, while permissible in English and correct in French (le Premier ministre), is generally avoided in favour of "Premier" to avoid confusion with the Prime Minister of Canada.

Politics

Territorial evolution 1788-1899

Executive Council in Northwestern Ontario.]] Land was not legally subdivided into administrative units until a treaty had been concluded with the native peoples ceding the land (see Royal Proclamation of 1763). In 1788, while part of the Province of Quebec (1763-1791), southern Ontario was divided into four districts: Hesse, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, and Nassau. In 1792, the four districts were renamed: Hesse became the Western District, Lunenburg became the Eastern District, Mecklenburg became the Midland District, and Nassau became the Home District. Counties were created within the districts. By 1798, there were eight districts: Eastern, Home, Johnstown, London, Midland, Newcastle, Niagara and Western. By 1826, there were eleven districts: Bathurst, Eastern, Gore, Home, Johnstown, London, Midland, Newcastle, Niagara, Ottawa, and Western. By 1838, there were twenty districts: Bathurst, Brock, Colbourne, Dalhousie, Eastern, Gore, Home, Huron, Johnstown, London, Midland, Newcastle, Niagara, Ottawa, Prince Edward, Simcoe, Talbot, Victoria, Wellington and Western. In 1849, the districts of southern Ontario were abolished by the Province of Canada and county governments took over certain municipal responsibilities. The Province of Canada also began creating districts in sparsely populated Northern Ontario with the establishment of Algoma District and Nipissing District in 1858. The northern and western boundaries of Ontario were in dispute after Confederation. Ontario's right to Northwestern Ontario was determined by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1884 and confirmed by the Canada (Ontario Boundary) Act, 1889 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. By 1899, there were seven northern districts: Algoma, Manitoulin, Muskoka, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River, and Thunder Bay. Four more northern districts were created between 1907 and 1912: Cochrane, Kenora, Sudbury and Temiskaming.
- [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/maps/districts.htm Early Districts and Counties 1788-1899]

External links

- [http://www.gov.on.ca/ Government of Ontario]
- [http://atlas.gc.ca/rasterimages/english/maps/reference/provincesterritories/ont_new.pdf Map]
- [http://www.ontariotenants.ca/government/mpp.phtml Ontario MPP Contact Information]
- [http://www.ontarioghosttowns.com/ Ontario Ghost Towns and Abandoned Places]
- [http://www.historicbridges.org/b_s_ont.htm Learn about and see photos of historic bridges in southwestern Ontario]
- zh-min-nan:Ontario ko:온타리오 주 ja:オンタリオ州 simple:Ontario

Alberta

Alberta is one of Canada's provinces. It celebrated 100 years as a province in 2005 on September 1st. As part of the Centennial celebration, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited the province from May 23 to May 25, 2005. Alberta's capital is the city of Edmonton. Its most populous city and metropolitan area, Calgary, is Alberta's economic hub and is located in the southern region of the province. Other major cities and towns include Banff, Camrose, Wetaskiwin, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Jasper, Lethbridge, Lloydminster, Medicine Hat, and Red Deer. See also: List of communities in Alberta. The Premier of the province is Ralph Klein. See also List of Alberta Premiers. Alberta is named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848-1939), the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. Princess Louise was also the wife of Sir John Campbell, who was the Governor General of Canada from 1878-1883. Lake Louise was also named in honour of Princess Louise.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Alberta Alberta is in western Canada, with an area of 661,190 km² (255,287 mi²). Southwards, at 49° north, it borders the US state of Montana. Eastwards at 110° west it borders the province of Saskatchewan. At 60° north it is separated from the Northwest Territories. To the west, its border with British Columbia follows the line of peaks of the Rocky Mountains range along the Continental Divide, which runs northwesterly, until it reaches 120° west, at which point the border follows this meridian to 60° north. With the exception of the southern section, the province is well watered. Alberta contains dozens of rivers and lakes ideal for swimming, water skiing, fishing and a full range of other water sports. There are a multitude of fresh-water lakes each less than 260 km² situated in Alberta, and three of more considerable size. These are Lake Athabasca, 7898 km², part of which is in the province of Saskatchewan, Lake Claire, 1436 km², and Lesser Slave Lake, 1168 km². As Alberta extends for 1200 km from north to south, and about 600 km wide at its greatest east-west extent, it is natural that the climate should vary considerably between parallels of 49° and 60° north and also between 110° and 120° west. It is also further influenced by the different altitudes above sea level of the different parts of the province. Northern Alberta has fewer frost-free days than southern Alberta, which is almost desert-like in its summer heat and lack of rain. Western Alberta is protected by the mountains, and enjoys the warmth brought by winter chinook winds, while eastern Alberta is flat, dry prairie, where temperatures can range from very cold (−35°C (−31°F) in the winter) to very hot (+35°C (+95°F) in the summer). Central and southern Alberta are the most likely places in Canada to experience tornadoes because of the summer heat, and violent summer thunderstorms are common in the eastern half of the province. Alberta's capital city, Edmonton, is located almost exactly in the centre of the province, and most of Alberta's oil is refined here. Southern Alberta, where Calgary is located, is known for its ranching, and cattle run free through the whole winter. Much of the unforested part of Alberta is given over either to grain or to dairy farming, with ranching predominantly a southern Alberta industry. In southeastern Alberta, where the Red Deer River traverses the flat prairie and farmland, are the Alberta badlands with deep gorges and striking landforms. Dinosaur Provincial Park, near Drumheller, Alberta, showcases the badlands terrain, desert flora, and remnants from Alberta's past when dinosaurs roamed the then lush landscape. Overall, Alberta has cool winters, with a daytime average of about −10°C (14°F) in the south to −24°C (−12°F) in the north. In the summer the temperature averages about 13°C (55°F) in the Rocky Mountains and 18°C (64°F) in the dry prairie to the south-east. Alberta is one of only two Canadian provinces or territories to have no maritime coast (the other being the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan.)

Largest municipalities and metro areas by population

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Municipality	2005	2001	1996
Census Metropolitan Areas:
Calgary CMA	1,037,100 -	951,395	821,628
Edmonton CMA	1,014,000 -	937,845	862,597
Cities (10 Largest):
Calgary	956,078	878,866	768,082
Edmonton	712,391	666,104	616,306
Red Deer	79,082	67,707	60,080
Lethbridge	77,202	67,374	63,053
St. Albert	56,318	53,081	46,888
Medicine Hat	56,048	51,249	46,783
Grande Prairie	44,631	36,983	31,353
Airdrie	27,069	20,382	15,946
Spruce Grove	18,405	15,983	14,271
Camrose	15,850	14,854	13,728
Districts (3 Largest):
Strathcona County	80,232	71,986	64,176
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo	73,176	41,466	35,213
Municipality of Rocky View	30,688 -	28,441	23,326

Sources: All 2005 figures are based on official 2005 census data from municipalities. Where no 2005 data is available, (
- ) indicates the most recent official data from either the municipality or the 2001 Statistics Canada federal census. All data for 2001 and 1996 is from the respective federal census. CMA data is from the most recent Statistics Canada estimate. (
- ) indicates 2004 CMA estimates according to [http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo05a.htm Statistics Canada - Population of Census Metropolitan Areas] (
- ) indicates 2005 estimate according to the City of Edmonton [http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_690414_0_0_18/demographic].

Industry

Main article: Industry in Alberta Alberta is the largest producer of conventional crude oil, synthetic crude, natural gas and gas products in the country. Two of the largest producers of petrochemicals in North America are located in central and north central Alberta. In both Red Deer and Edmonton, world class polyethylene and vinyl manufacturers produce products shipped all over the world, and Edmonton's oil refineries provide the raw materials for a large petrochemical industry to the east of Edmonton. The Athabasca Oil Sands (previously known as the Athabasca Tar Sands) have estimated oil reserves in excess of that of the rest of the world, estimated to be 1.6 trillion barrels (254 km³). With the advancement of extraction methods, bitumen and economical synthetic crude are produced at costs nearing that of conventional crude. This technology is Alberta grown and developed. Many companies employ both conventional strip mining and non-conventional methods to extract the bitumen from the Athabasca deposit. With current technology, only 315 billion barrels (50 km³) are recoverable. Fort McMurray, one of Canada's youngest and liveliest cities, has grown up entirely because of the large multinational corporations which have taken on the task of oil production. Another factor determining the viability of oil extraction from the Tar Sands is the price of oil. In 2005, record oil prices have made it more than profitable to extract this oil, which in the past would give little profit or even a loss. While Edmonton is considered the pipeline junction, manufacturing, chemical processing, research and refining centre of the province, Calgary is known for its senior and junior oil company head offices (unlike Edmonton, Calgary is not close to any large sources of oil). With concerted effort and support from the provincial government, several high-tech industries have found their birth in Alberta, notably the invention and perfection of liquid crystal display systems. With a growing economy, Alberta has several financial institutions dealing with several civil and private funds.

Agriculture and forestry

liquid crystal display liquid crystal display Agriculture has a significant position in the province's economy. Over 5 million cattle are residents of the province at one time or another, and Alberta beef has a healthy worldwide market. Nearly one half of all Canadian beef is produced in Alberta. Alberta is one of the prime producers of plains buffalo (bison) for the consumer market. Sheep for wool and mutton are also raised. raised Wheat and canola are primary farm crops, with Alberta leading the provinces in spring wheat production, with other grains also prominent. Much of the farming is dryland farming, often with fallow seasons interspersed with cultivation. Continuous cropping (in which there is no fallow season) is gradually becoming a more common mode of production because of increased profits and a reduction of soil erosion. Across the province, the once common grain elevator is slowly being lost as rail lines are decreased and farmers now truck the grain to central points. Alberta is the leading beekeeping province of Canada, with some beekeepers wintering hives indoors in specially designed barns in southern Alberta, then migrating north during the summer into the Peace River valley where the season is short but the working days are long for honeybees to produce honey from clover and fireweed. Hybrid canola also requires bee pollination, and some beekeepers service this need. The vast northern forest reserves of softwood allow Alberta to produce large quantities of lumber and plywood, and several northern Alberta plants supply North America and the Pacific Rim nations with bleached wood pulp and newsprint.

Government

See also: Politics of Alberta The government of Alberta is a parliamentary democracy. Its unicameral legislature -- the Legislative Assembly -- consists of 83 members. As Canada's head of state, Queen Elizabeth II is the Government of Alberta's chief executive. Her duties in Alberta are carried out by Lieutenant Governor, Norman Kwong. The government is headed by the Premier, Ralph Klein. The city of Edmonton is Alberta's government capital. The province's revenue comes mainly from the taxation of oil, natural gas, beef, softwood lumber, and wheat, but also includes grants from the federal government primarily for infrastructure projects. Albertans are the lowest-taxed people in Canada, and Alberta is the only province in Canada without a provincial sales tax (though residents are still subject to the federal sales tax, the GST). Alberta's municipalities have their own governments which (usually) work in co-operation with the provincial government. Alberta's politics are much more conservative than those of other Canadian provinces. Alberta has traditionally had three political parties, the Progressive Conservatives ("Conservatives" or "Tories"), the centrist Liberals, and the social democratic New Democrats. A fourth party, the strongly conservative Social Credit Party, was a power in Alberta for many decades, but fell from the political map after the Progressive Conservatives came to power in the early 1970s. Since that time, no other political party has governed Alberta. As is the case with many western Canadian provinces, Alberta has had occasional bouts of separatist sentiment. Even during the 1980s, when these feelings were at their strongest, there has never been enough interest in secession to initiate any major movements or referenda. There are a number of groups wishing to promote the independence of Alberta in some form currently active in the province. See also: Alberta separatism. In the 2004 provincial election, held in November, the Alberta Alliance Party, running to the right of the Conservatives, won one seat. See also: List of Alberta Premiers, List of Alberta general elections

Education

As with any Canadian province, the Alberta government is the highest authority in education, creating and regulating the school boards, public colleges, universities, and other education isntitutions.

K-12

The vast majority of Alberta's schools are run by publicly funded school boards (each with its own district of authority). The largest are English language Public school boards. Alberta also has English Separate Catholic boards throughout the province, which serve a substantial minority of students. There is one protestant school board in part of the province. Where numbers warrant, there are francophone school boards (Public and Separate Catholic). All five of these types of boards are fully publicly funded (without tuition) by local property taxes and provincial grants given on an equal per student basis by the province (with some adjustments). The different types of school boards are a necessity under the Canadian constitution, which guarantees the francophones and Catholic communities both the right to their own schools, and the right to administer them. Some other Canadian provinces have reformed their school systems on non-religious lines, by seeking a constitutional amendment, but Alberta has not. Often the decision to go to one system or another is not based on religion, but a parent's belief of which system provides a better education. Starting in 1994, the province has allowed some chartered schools to operate, independently of any district school board, reporting directly to the province. Homeschooling is officially recognized and partially funded from within the Alberta school system. Originally in Alberta, school boards had the power to levy property taxes within their respective districts. However, this meant districts with a low tax base were underfunded, so the province moved to a system that pools the education property tax, and distributes it based on student population and need.

Post-secondary

The largest two universities in Alberta are the University of Calgary and Edmonton's University of Alberta. There is also Athabasca University, which focuses on distance learning, and the University of Lethbridge. There are 15 colleges that receive direct public funding, along with two technical institutes[http://www.advancededucation.gov.ab.ca/college/postsecsystem/postsecinst/postsecinst.asp]. Students may also receive government loans and grants while attending selected private institutions.

Transportation

Alberta has over 180,000 km of highways and roads, of which nearly 50,000 km are paved. The main north-south corridor is Highway 2, which begins south of Cardston at the Carway border crossing. Highway 4, which effectively extends U.S. Interstate Highway 15 into Alberta and is the busiest U.S. gateway to the province, begins at the Coutts border crossing and ends at Lethbridge. Highway 3 joins Lethbridge to Fort Macleod and links Highway 4 to Highway 2. Highway 2 travels northward through Fort Macleod, Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton before dividing into two highways. One continues northwest as Highway 43 into Grande Prairie and the Peace River country; the other (Highway 63) travels northeast to Fort McMurray, the location of the Athabasca Oil Sands. Highway 2 is supplimented by two more highways that run parallel to it: highway 22, west of highway 2, known as 'the cowboy trail', and highway 21, east of highway 2. Alberta has two main east-west corridors. The southern corridor, part of the Trans-Canada Highway system, enters the province near Medicine Hat, runs westward through Calgary, and leaves Alberta through Banff National Park. The northern corridor, also part of the Trans-Canada network but known alternatively as the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16), runs west from Lloydminster in eastern Alberta, through Edmonton and Jasper National Park into British Columbia. On a sunny spring or fall day, one of the most scenic drives in the world is along the Icefields Parkway, which runs some 300 km between Jasper and Banff, with mountain ranges and glaciers on either side of its entire length. Urban stretches of Alberta's major highways and freeways are often called trails. For example, Highway 2 is Deerfoot Trail as it passes through Calgary, Calgary Trail as it leaves Edmonton southbound, and St. Albert Trail as it leaves Edmonton northbound toward the city of St. Albert. Visitors from outside Alberta often find this disconcerting, accustomed as they are to the notion that a trail is an unpaved route primarily for pedestrians. Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge have substantial mass transit systems. Edmonton and Calgary also operate light rail vehicles. Alberta is well-connected by air, with international airports at both Edmonton and Calgary. Calgary's airport is the larger of the two, and is also the third busiest in Canada. It is a hub airport for a significant proportion of the connecting trans-border and international flights into and out of Alberta. There are over 9000 km of operating mainline railway, and many tourists see Alberta aboard Via Rail or Rocky Mountain Railtours.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Alberta Alberta is well known for its warm and outgoing friendliness and frontier spirit. Summer brings many festivals to the province. Edmonton's Fringe Festival is the world's second largest after Edinburgh's. Alberta also hosts some of Canada's largest folk festivals, multicultural festivals, and heritage days (to name a few). Calgary is also home to Carifest, the second largest Caribbean festival in the nation (after Caribana in Toronto). These events highlight the province's cultural diversity and love of entertainment. Most of the major cities have several performing theatre companies who entertain in venues as diverse as the Arts Barns and the Francis Winspear Centre. Alberta also has a large ethnic population. Both the Chinese and East Indian communities are significant. According to Statistics Canada, Alberta is home to the second highest proportion (two percent) of Francophones in western Canada (after Manitoba). Many of Alberta's French-speaking residents live in the central and northwestern regions of the province. As reported in the 2001 census, the Chinese represented nearly four percent of Alberta's population and East Indians represented better than two percent. Both Edmonton and Calgary have Chinatowns and Calgary's is Canada's third largest. Aboriginal Albertans make up approximately three percent of the population. The major contributors to Alberta's ethnic diversity have been the European nations. Forty-four percent of Albertans are of British and Irish descent, and there are also large numbers of Germans, Ukrainians, and Scandinavians. Both cities heavily support first-class Canadian Football League and National Hockey League teams. Soccer, rugby union and lacrosse are also played professionally in Alberta. Tourism is also important to Albertans. A million visitors come to Alberta each year just for Calgary's world-famous Stampede and for Edmonton's Klondike Days. Edmonton was the gateway to the only all-Canadian route to the Yukon gold fields, and the only route which did not require gold-seekers to travel the exhausting and dangerous Chilkoot Pass. Visitors throng to Calgary for ten days every July for a taste of "Stampede Fever". As a celebration of Canada's own Wild West and the cattle ranching industry, the Stampede welcomes around 1.2 million people each year. Only an hour's drive from the Rocky Mountains, Calgary also makes a visit to tourist attractions like Banff National Park something which can easily be done in a day. Calgary and Banff each host nearly 5 million tourists yearly. Alberta is an important destination for tourists who love to ski and hike; Alberta boasts several world-class ski resorts. Hunters and fishermen from around the world are able to take home impressive trophies and tall tales from their experiences in Alberta's wilderness.

Demographics

Alberta has enjoyed a relatively high rate of growth in recent years, due in large part to its burgeoning economy. Between 2003 and 2004, the province saw high birthrates (on par with some larger provinces such as British Columbia), relatively high immigration, and a high rate of interprovincial migration when compared to other provinces [http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo33c.htm]. As of 2004, the population of the province was 3,183,312 (Albertans). 81% of this population lives in urban areas and 19% is rural. The Calgary-Edmonton Corridor is the most urbanized area in the province and one of the densest in Canada. Many of Alberta's cities and towns have also experienced very high rates of growth in recent history. Racially and ethnically, the province is predominately Caucasian. 88.8% of the population is either white or Aboriginal (Aboriginals represent a fairly small proportion of this percentage, however). This number is significantly smaller in many of the cities, particularly Calgary and Edmonton which are home to a much larger number of visible minorities. Visible Minorities
- 3.3% Chinese
- 2.3% Asian
- 1.1% Black
- 1.1% Filipino Most Albertans identify as Christians. Nevertheless, many people in the province observe other faiths or do not profess to a religion at all. Alberta has a somewhat higher percentage of evangelical Christians than do other provinces. The Mormons of Alberta reside primarily in the extreme south of the province. There are temples in both Cardston and Edmonton. Many Alberta Mormons descend from Mormon pioneers who emigrated from Utah around the turn of the 20th century. Alberta also has a large Hutterite population, a communal Anabaptist sect similar to the Mennonites, and a significant population of Seventh-day Adventists in and around the Lacombe area due to the presence of the Canadian University College. Many people of the Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim faiths also make Alberta their home; one of the largest Sikh temples in Canada is located just outside of Edmonton. Religion
- Protestant: 38.9%
- Roman Catholic: 26.7%
- Christian Orthodox: 1.5%
- other Christian: 4.1%
- Muslim: 1.5%
- Buddhist: 1.1%

History

Main article: History of Alberta The present province of Alberta as far north as about 53° north latitude was a part of Rupert's Land from the time of the incorporation of the Hudson's Bay Company (1670). After the arrival in the North-West of the French around 1731 they settled the prairies of the west, establishing communities such as Lac La Biche and Bonnyville. Fort La Jonquière was established near what is now Calgary in (1752). The North-West Company of Montreal occupied the northern part of Alberta territory before the Hudson's Bay Company arrived from Hudson Bay to take possession of it. The first explorer of the Athabasca region was Peter Pond, who, on behalf of the North-West Company of Montreal, built Fort Athabasca on Lac La Biche in 1778. Roderick Mackenzie built Fort Chipewyan on Lake Athabasca ten years later in 1788. His cousin, Sir Alexander Mackenzie followed the North Saskatchewan River to its northernmost point near Edmonton, then setting northward on foot, trekked to the Athabasca River, which he followed to Lake Athabasca. It was there he discovered the mighty outflow river which bears his name -- the Mackenzie River -- which he followed to its outlet in the Arctic Ocean. Returning to Lake Athabasca, he followed the Peace River upstream, eventually reaching the Pacific Ocean, and so being the first white man to cross the North American continent north of Mexico. The district of Alberta was created as part of the North-West Territories in 1882. As settlement increased, local representatives to the North-West Legislative Assembly were added. After a long campaign for autonomy, in 1905 the district of Alberta was enlarged and given provincial status. Population of Alberta since 1901

Fauna and flora

Fauna

The three climatic regions (alpine, forest, and prairie) of Alberta are home to many different species of animals. The south and central prairie was the land of the bison, its grasses providing a great pasture and breeding ground for millions of buffalo. They were virtually destroyed by early white settlers, partly for sport, partly for the warm buffalo fur, which was used to make coats, and partly as one means of destroying the culture of the native people. The white settlers felt that the best way to "civilize" the natives was to make sure that they thought and behaved like the white men, and by removing the buffalo, a critical element of native culture, thought they could do so. Since then, buffalo have made a strong comeback, and thrive on farms and in parks all over Alberta, and the native culture is also growing stronger again. Alberta is home to many large carnivores. Among them are the grizzly and black bears, which are found in the mountains and wooded regions. Smaller carnivores of the dog and cat families include coyotes, wolves, fox, lynx, bobcat and mountain lion (cougar). Herbivorous, or plant-eating animals, are found throughout the province. Moose and deer (both mule and white-tail varieties) are found in the wooded regions, and pronghorn antelope can be found in the prairies of southern Alberta. Bighorn sheep and mountain goats live in the Rocky Mountains. Rabbits, porcupines, skunks, squirrels, and many species of rodents and reptiles live in every corner of the province. Alberta is fortunate in that it is home to only one variety of venomous snake, the prairie rattlesnake. Central and northern Alberta and the region farther north is the nesting-ground of the migratory birds. Vast numbers of ducks, geese, swans, and pelicans arrive in Alberta every spring and nest on or near one of the hundreds of small lakes that dot northern Alberta. Eagles, hawks, owls, and crows are plentiful, and a huge variety of smaller seed and insect-eating birds can be found. Alberta, like other temperate regions, is home to mosquitoes, flies, wasps, and bees. Rivers and lakes are well stocked with pike, walleye, white fish, rainbow, speckled, and brown trout, and even sturgeon. Turtles are found in some water bodies in the southern part of the province. Frogs and salamanders are a few of the amphibians that make their homes in Alberta.

Flora

In central and northern Alberta the arrival of spring brings the prairie anemone, the avens, crocuses, and other early flowers. The advancing summer introduces many flowers of the sunflower family, until in August the plains are one blaze of yellow and purple. The southern part of Alberta is covered by a short grass, very nutritive, but dries up as summer lengthens, to be replaced by hardy perennials such as the buffalo bean, fleabane, and sage. Both yellow and purple clover fill the roadways and the ditches with their beauty and aromatic scents. The trees in the parkland region of the province grow in clumps and belts on the hillsides. These are largely deciduous, typically birch, poplar, and tamarack. Many species of willow and other shrubs grow in virtually any terrain. On the north side of the North Saskatchewan River evergreen forests prevail for hundreds of thousands of square kilometres. Aspen poplar, balsam poplar (or cottonwood), and paper birch are the primary large deciduous species. Conifers include Jack pine, Rocky Mountain pine, Lodgepole pine, both white and black spruce, and the deciduous conifer tamarack.

External links

- [http://www.gov.ab.ca/ Government of Alberta website]
- [http://www.travelalberta.com/ Travel Alberta]
- [http://www.albertasource.ca/ Alberta Encyclopedia]
- [http://www.albertafirst.com/ Alberta Community Profiles] (A site offering info on tax, census info, and economic development of large and small Albertan Communities)
Category:Alberta zh-min-nan:Alberta ko:앨버타 주 ja:アルバータ州 simple:Alberta

Manitoba

Manitoba is one of Canada's provinces. It is the fifth Canadian province (created by the government in 1870). Its population as of July 1, 2005 (Statistics Canada) was 1,177,556 (Manitobans). It is the easternmost of the three Prairie Provinces. The name is Ojibwa, meaning "straits of the spirit". Its capital and largest city (containing over one half the provincial population) is Winnipeg. Other important cities and towns include Brandon, Thompson, Dauphin, Swan River, Churchill, The Pas, Selkirk, Portage la Prairie, Flin Flon, Steinbach, Morden, and Winkler.

Geography

Manitoba is located in the longitudinal centre of Canada, although it is considered part of Western Canada. It borders Saskatchewan to the west, Ontario to the east, Nunavut to the north, and the American states of North Dakota and Minnesota to the south. The province has a coast with Hudson Bay, and contains the very large Lakes Winnipeg, Manitoba (its namesake), and Winnipegosis. Important watercourses include the Red River, Assiniboine River, Nelson River, Winnipeg River, Hayes River and Churchill River. It is generally flat and low-lying though there are some hilly areas in the province. Baldy Mountain is the highest point at 831m (2,727 feet) and the Hudson Bay coast the lowest at sea level. Other upland areas include Riding Mountain, the Pembina Hills, and the Canadian Shield regions to the east. The climate in Manitoba is typical of its mid continent location and northerly latitude. In general, temperatures and precipitation decrease from south to north. Summers are generally warm to hot and winters very cold. Both spring and autumn are contracted seasons. As Manitoba is far removed from the moderating influences of both mountain ranges and large bodies of water (all of Manitoba's lakes freeze during the winter months), and because of its generally flat landscape, it is exposed to numerous weather systems throughout the year including prolonged cold spells in the winter months when arctic high pressure air masses settle over the province. This has resulted in the capital of the province being nicknamed "Winterpeg". In the summer months the climate is often influenced by low pressure air masses originating in the Gulf of Mexico resulting in hot and humid conditions and frequent thunderstorms. Only the southern parts of the province support extensive agriculture. The northern reaches of the province range through coniferous forests, muskeg, and up to tundra in the far north. There is approximately 24,000 square miles of untouched boreal forest on the eastern side of Lake Winnipeg. This area is renowned by naturalists and sportsmen for its pristine wilderness. tundra.]]

History

Manitoba was settled by members of the Ojibwa and Assiniboine tribes. The first European to reach present-day Manitoba was Sir Thomas Button, who visited the Nelson River in 1612. Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, Sieur de la Vérendrye, visited the Red River Valley in the 1730s as part of opening the area for French exploration and exploitation. An important French-Canadian population (Franco-Manitobains) still lives in Manitoba, especially in the Saint-Boniface district of Winnipeg. The territory was won by Britain in 1763 as part of the French and Indian War, and became part of Rupert's Land, the immense monopoly territory of the Hudson's Bay Company. Hudson's Bay Company The founding of the first agricultural community in 1811 by Lord Selkirk, near modern Winnipeg, resulted in conflict between the white colonists and the Métis who lived near there. Twenty colonists, including the governor, were killed by the Métis in the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816. When Rupert's Land was ceded to Canada in 1869 and incorporated into the Northwest Territories, a lack of attention to Métis concerns led their leader Louis Riel to establish a provisional government, The Red River Rebellion. Negotiations between this government and the Canadian government resulted in the creation of the province of Manitoba and its entry into Confederation in 1870. Originally the province was only 1/18 of its current size and square in shape - it was known as the "postage stamp province." It grew progressively, absorbing land from the Northwest Territories until it attained its current size by reaching 60°N in 1912.

Demographics

Ethnic origin :Note: the percentages do not necesarily add up to 100% as multiple responses are allowed.
- 22.8% Canadian
- 22.0% English
- 18.1% German
- 17.7% Scottish
- 14.2% Ukrainian
- 13.0% Irish
- 12.6% French
- 9.9% North American Indian
- 6.6% Polish
- 5.1% Métis Ethnic origins with less than 3% of the responses are not listed. [http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo26h.htm Source] Manitoba is home to the largest Icelandic population outside of Iceland.[http://www.gov.mb.ca/finance/budget05/advantage/culture.html] There are about 26,000 people with Icelandic ancestry living in Manitoba.[http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/ETO/Table1.cfm?Lang=E&T=501&GV=1&GID=46] About 35% of the Icelandic-Canadian population lives in Manitoba.[http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/ETO/Table1.cfm?Lang=E&T=501&GV=1&GID=0] Religious groups
- 43.0% Protestant
- 29.3% Roman Catholic
- 4.0% Christian not included elsewhere
- 1.4% Christian Orthodox
- 1.1% Jewish
- 18.6% No religious affiliation Religions that make up less than 1% are not listed. [http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo30b.htm Source]

Famous Manitobans

- Randy Bachman, musician, (The Guess Who) & Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO)
- Ashleigh Banfield, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1044752/ TV actress], TV host
- Cordell Barker, Oscar nominated animator The Cat Came Back
- Brenda Barrie, novelist and poet
- Burton Cummings, musician, (The Guess Who)
- Len Cariou, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0137230/ actor]
- Bill Cody, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0168565/ actor]
- Richard Condie, Oscar nominated animator The Big Snit
- Dionisio, Ma-Anne, lead role of Kim in Miss Saigon in Toronto and in Sydney, Australia
- Deanna Durbin, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002052/ actress]
- Marcel Dzama, [http://www.richardhellergallery.com/dynamic/artist_bio.asp?ArtistID=3 artist]
- Brendan Fehr, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0270451/ actor], star of the television series Roswell
- Ken Finkleman, director, writer and actor
- Terry Fox, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1745181/ cancer activist] and national hero
- Aaron Funk, musician
- Joanna Gleason, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0322306/ actress]
- Monty Hall, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0355937/ TV celebrity], television game show host
- Bob Hunter, co-founder of Greenpeace
- Doug Henning, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0377392/ magician]
- Terry Jacks, singer
- Chantal Kreviazuk, musician & [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0471092/ actress]
- Mimi Kuzyk, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0476906/ tv actress]
- Kyle McCulloch, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0567143/ actor], writer for South Park
- Todd MacCulloch, basketball player
- Gisele MacKenzie, singer
- Mary MacLane, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0533695/ writer]
- Guy Maddin, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0534665/ director]
- Joan Mitchell, painter, first wife of Alan Greenspan
- Bob Nolan, musician
- Anna Paquin, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001593/ actress]
- Fred Penner, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0672094/ children's entertainer], musician
- Frank Pickersgill, SOE agent in World War II executed by the Nazis
- Douglas Rain, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0706937/ actor]
- Brad Roberts, musician, [http://www.crashtestdummies.com/ Crash Test Dummies]
- Gabrielle Roy, author
- Ray St. Germain, musician
- John K. Samson, singer-songwriter (The Weakerthans)
- Terry Sawchuk, NHL goalie
- Remy Shand, musician
- Al Simmons, musician, children's entertainer
- Alexander Steen, NHL
- David Steinberg, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0825731/ actor, comedian]
- Sir William Stephenson (aka Intrepid), spy, man on whom the character of James Bond is based
- Nia Vardalos, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0889522/ actress and writer]
- Catherine Wreford, [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1671908/ stage actress], wife of Jeff Goldblum
- Maiko Watson, musician, founding member of girl-group Sugar Jones, wife of Remy Shand

Map

image:manmap.PNG

External links

- [http://www2.marianopolis.edu/quebechistory/docs/manitoba/index.htm The Manitoba School Question]
- [http://www.mhs.mb.ca The Manitoba Historical Society] Category:Manitoba zh-min-nan:Manitoba ko:매니토바 주 ja:マニトバ州 simple:Manitoba

Prairie provinces

and mountains as well as the prairies proper).]] The Canadian prairies is a vast area of flat sedimentary land that stretches from Ontario and the Canadian Shield to the Canadian Rockies covering much of the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta — the Prairie Provinces. The prairies are one of the world's most important farming areas with two of the most important commodities being wheat grown in the southern prairies and beef cattle raised in Alberta. Three grassland types occur in prairie Canada: tallgrass Prairie, mixed prairie and fescue prairie. Each has a unique geographic distribution and characteristic mix of plant species. All but a fraction of one percent of the Tallgrass Prairie has been converted to cropland. What remains occurs on the 6,000 square kilometre plain centred in the Red River Valley in Manitoba. Mixed Prairie is more common and is part of the dry interior plains that extend from Canada south to Texas. More than half of the remaining native grassland in prairie Canada is mixed prairie. Though widespread in southern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta, due to extensive cattle grazing, it is estimated that only 24 percent of the original Mixed Prairie grassland remains. Fescue prairie occurs in the moister regions, occupying the northern extent of the prairies in central and southwestern Alberta and west central Saskatchewan (see [http://www.mb.ec.gc.ca/nature/whp/prgrass/df03s56.en.html map]). The southern prairies are semi-arid and are highly prone to frequent and severe droughts. One region known as Palliser's Triangle is so arid that farming has never been successful there without government help. The zones around the cities of Regina and immediately east of Calgary are also very dry. In an average year, southern Saskatchewan receives between 300 mm (12 in) and 510 mm (20 in) of precipitation, with the majority falling between April and June. Frost from October to March limits the growing season. The eastern section of the prairies, in Manitoba, is well watered with several large lakes, most notably Lake Winnipeg, and several large rivers. The area also gets reasonable amounts of precipitation. The middle sections of Alberta and Saskatchewan are also wetter than the south and have better farmland, despite having a shorter growing season. The areas around Edmonton and Saskatoon are especially notable as good crop land. However, Edmonton and Saskatoon both lie far enough north that they are surrounded by aspen parkland rather than fescue prairie. Further north, the area becomes too cold for most agriculture and is dominated by boreal forest. The Peace Region in northwestern Alberta is an exception, however. It lies north of the 55th Parallel and is warm and dry enough to support extensive farming. In fact, agriculture plays a major economic role in the Peace Region.

External link

- [http://www.mb.ec.gc.ca/nature/whp/prgrass/df03s02.en.html Grasslands of the Canadian Prairies] Category:Geography of Canada Category:Regions of Canada Category:Prairies

Pacific

:For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). The Pacific Ocean (from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan) is the world's largest body of water. It encompasses a third of the Earth's surface, having an area of 179.7 million km² (69.4 million sq miles). Extending approximately 15,500 km (9,600 miles) from the Bering Sea in the Arctic to the icy margins of Antarctica's Ross Sea in the south (although the Antarctic regions of the Pacific are sometimes described as part of the circumpolar Southern Ocean)the Pacific reaches its greatest east-west width at about 5°N latitude, where it stretches approximately 19,800 km (12,300 miles) from Indonesia to the coast of Colombia. The western limit of the ocean is often placed at the Strait of Malacca. The lowest point on earth—the Mariana Trench—lies some 10,911 m (35,797 ft) below sea level. The Pacific contains about 25,000 islands (more than the total number in the rest of the world's oceans combined), the majority of which are found south of the equator. (See: Pacific Islands.) Along the Pacific Ocean's irregular western margins lie many seas, the largest of which are the Celebes Sea, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Sea of Japan, South China Sea, Sulu Sea, Tasman Sea, and Yellow Sea. The Straits of Malacca joins the Pacific and the Indian Oceans