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Winnipeg Manitoba

INTRODUCTION

The capital of Manitoba is not only the largest municipal center in the province, it is the driving force being the economy. As the transportation hub of central Canada, virtually all rail and highway traffic passes through the city. Winnipeg has a long and varied history, and offers a unique opportunity to explore the natural character of the region, lying only a short drive from one Lake Winnipeg, of the largest lakes in the country.

HISTORY

Winnipeg's location at the confluence of two major rivers (the Assiniboine River and the Red River), made the region ideal for trade by both First Nations and European settlers. In fact, the first trading post in the area was built here in 1738. The French outpost, called Fort Rouge, was abandoned as other more lucrative posts were set up along the river network, but the site remains an important historical and cultural attraction.

Trade in the area was secured when the North West Company came to town. In 1809, Fort Gibraltar was among their most prosperous. Fortunes began to change when the Hudson's Bay Company set up a competing fort, Fort Douglas, in 1812, in what is now downtown Winnipeg. Fort Douglas became the HOB headquarters, spurning conflict with Fort Gibraltar. Both forts were repeatedly burnt and rebuilt, sometimes by their rivals and occasionally by disgruntled employees, as when Fort Gibraltar was destroyed by Colin Robertson in 1816.

In 1821, the North West Company was taken over by the Hudson's Bay Company, ending the long held rivalry and ushering in years of commercial prosperity for the HBC.

In 1822, Fort Gibraltar was renamed Fort Garry, and emerged as the leading trading post in the region. The economy and the population began to grow.

The Red River Rebellion brought war to the city. Dissatisfied Métis, led by Louis Riel, captured Fort Garry, but would ultimately be defeated. The rebellion led to negotiations with Métis, and ultimately to the formation of the Province of Manitoba, under the Manitoba Act. In July of 1970, Manitoba joined the Canadian Confederation.

In 1875, Louis Riel was exiled from Canada. Curiously, he was elected to the Canadian Parliament three times. In 1885, Riel went on trial for treason. The government, fearing a sympathetic jury of mixed ethnic groups, moved the trial to Regina, Saskatchewan, where Riel was found guilty and sentenced to hang. He now rests at the St. Boniface Cathedra, where a tombstone commemorates the mark he made on the nation.

The Canadian Pacific Railway came to town in 1881, leading to a population boom that would continue into the 20th century. The result was an ethnic diversity that remains strong to this day.

The Winnipeg economy suffered as the First World War took a large portion of the workforce overseas. The situation was made worse with the construction of the Panama Canal, which diverted much of the nation's international trade interests from the national railway to Vancouver's large shipping port. Economic trouble led to the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919, when many refused to work. After more than a month off work, the strike was brought to an end when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police red the Riot Act.

The Manitoba Legislative Building was completed in 1920, bearing the now famous Winnipeg Icon known as the Golden Boy, symbolizing the city's "spirit of enterprise".

The economic struggles facing the capital city would last into the early years of the Second World War, when Canadians would enlist in record numbers. Many found their way to Winnipeg for training in engineering and navigation.

The post war years brought an increasing number of residents, boosting the construction industry. The boom slowed temporarily, however, during the Red River Flood of 1950, when more than 50,000 residents were evacuated. The city suffered more than 25 million dollars in damages, but took the opportunity to restructure. The following years saw Winnipeg grow considerably.

In the early 1970s, Winnipeg was the center of a large metropolitan area housing more than 60% of the provincial population. In the summer of 1971, the City of Winnipeg Act incorporated Winnipeg, Fort Garry, St. Vital, St. Boniface and St. James-Assiniboia, among others. Fort Gibraltar was rebuilt in the late 1970s, in Whittier Park. It now plays host to the Festival du Voyageur, the largest winter festival in Western Canada.

The economy slowed during the recession years of the 1980s, but would bounce back with a vengeance. By the new millennium, Winnipeg had become an important economic center with the third fastest growing economy in the nation. Many major corporations now call the capital home, including Manitoba Telecom Services, CanWest Global Communications, Palliser Furniture and Boeing Canada Technology.

The city is also a cultural centre, being the proud home of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Annual festivals such as the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival, the second largest of its kind in North America, and the Winnipeg International Writers Festival continue to draw crowds from across the country. Winnipeg culture has even hit the main stream, appearing in the popular animated TV show the Simpsons, and is known around the world as the home of the Winnipeg Bear, the famous inspiration for the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh.