Manitoba Flashcards

Manitoba was created as a province in 1870 through a negotiated agreement rather than simply being annexed. Which act of the Canadian Parliament formally established Manitoba as a province?

Answer: The Manitoba Act, 1870

The Manitoba Act, 1870, passed by the Canadian Parliament, formally created Manitoba as Canada's fifth province on July 15, 1870. It was largely negotiated with Louis Riel's Provisional Government and guaranteed rights for the Métis population, including French language rights and separate schools.

Manitoba is sometimes called the 'Keystone Province.' Which of the following best explains the origin of this nickname?

Answer: Manitoba's geographic position at the centre of Canada makes it essential to holding the country together, like a keystone in an arch

Manitoba is called the 'Keystone Province' because of its central geographic location — it sits in the middle of Canada much like a keystone sits at the top of an arch, holding the structure together. This reflects its role as a connector between eastern and western Canada.

The Red River Resistance of 1869–1870 led directly to Manitoba's entry into Confederation. Which of the following outcomes of that resistance is LEAST accurate?

Answer: The federal government immediately granted full amnesty to all Métis leaders following the resistance

Full and immediate amnesty was NOT granted to all Métis leaders. In fact, Louis Riel was exiled rather than pardoned, and the amnesty question remained politically contentious for years. Riel was eventually elected to Parliament but was expelled, and he was later executed in 1885 after the Northwest Resistance.

Lake Winnipeg is one of the largest lakes in Canada, but what is its most significant geographical distinction within Manitoba's watershed system?

Answer: It drains into Hudson Bay via the Nelson River, making it part of the largest watershed in Canada

Lake Winnipeg drains northward via the Nelson River into Hudson Bay. The Lake Winnipeg watershed is enormous, draining parts of four Canadian provinces and four U.S. states, making it one of the most expansive drainage basins on the continent. The Nelson River is also a major source of hydroelectric power for Manitoba.

Manitoba's Legislative Assembly has a unique historical distinction regarding women's suffrage in Canada. What was it?

Answer: Manitoba was the first province in Canada to allow women to vote in provincial elections, in January 1916

On January 28, 1916, Manitoba became the first province in Canada to grant women the right to vote in provincial elections and to run for provincial office. This was a landmark achievement driven largely by activists like Nellie McClung and the Political Equality League. Saskatchewan and Alberta followed just weeks later in 1916.

Which of the following statements about Manitoba's official languages and constitutional language rights is accurate?

Answer: Both English and French are official languages of Manitoba's legislature and courts under the Manitoba Act, 1870, and this was reaffirmed by the Supreme Court in 1985

Section 23 of the Manitoba Act, 1870 guaranteed the use of both English and French in the Manitoba Legislature and courts. Despite Manitoba unconstitutionally suppressing French language rights for most of the 20th century, the Supreme Court of Canada in Reference re Manitoba Language Rights (1985) struck down all unilingual English laws and reaffirmed the constitutional bilingual obligation.