Manitoba

Manitoba

1 Location and Size
2 Topography
3 Climate
4 Plants and Animals
5 Environmental Protection
6 Population
7 Ethnic Groups
8 Languages
9 Religions
10 Transportation
11 History
12 Provincial Government
13 Political Parties
14 Local Government
15 Judicial System
16 Migration
17 Economy
18 Income
19 Industry
20 Labor
21 Agriculture
22 Domesticated Animals
23 Fishing
24 Forestry
25 Mining
26 Energy and Power
27 Commerce
28 Public Finance
29 Taxation
30 Health
31 Housing
32 Education
33 Arts
34 Libraries and Museums
35 Communications
36 Press
37 Tourism, Travel, and Recreation
38 Sports
39 Famous Manitobans
40 Bibliography

ORIGIN OF PROVINCE NAME: Likely comes from either the Cree Indian manitowapow or the Ojibway Indian Manitou bou (both of which mean "the narrows of the Great Spirit"). The words referred to Lake Manitoba, which narrows to less than 5/8 of a mile (1 kilometer) at its center. The waves hitting the loose surface rocks of its north shore produce curious bell-like and wailing sounds, which the first Aboriginal Peoples believed came from a huge drum beaten by the spirit Manitou.

NICKNAME: Winnipeg.

CAPITAL: Keystone Province.

ENTERED CONFEDERATION: 15 July 1870.

MOTTO: Gloriosus et liber (Glorious and free).

COAT OF ARMS: In the center, the provincial shield of arms displays in the lower two-thirds a buffalo standing on rock on a green background, symbolizing Manitoba's prairie nature and the historically important Red River buffalo hunt. The red Cross of St. George appears in the upper third and represents the province's bond to the United Kingdom. Above the shield is a crest with a red-and-silver-mantled gold helmet and a beaver holding a pasqueflower and carrying a royal crown on its back. Supporting the shield on the left is a unicorn with a green and silver collar from which hangs a Red River cart wheel. A white horse supports the right side and wears a bead and bone collar from which hangs an Indian symbol. Beneath the shield are displayed grain, pasqueflowers, white spruce trees, and symbols for water. The provincial motto appears on a scroll at the base.

FLAG: On a field of red, the Union Jack (the flag of the United Kingdom) occupies the upper quarter on the staff side. The provincial coat of arms is centered in the half farthest from the staff.

FLORAL EMBLEM: Pasqueflower, known locally as prairie crocus.

TARTAN: Manitoba Tartan (maroon and green, with yellow, dark green, and azure blue).

BIRD: Great gray owl.

TREE: White spruce.

TIME: 6 AM CST = noon GMT.

1 Location and Size

Manitoba is bordered by Nunavut to the north, Hudson Bay to the northeast, Ontario to the east, the US states of Minnesota and North Dakota to the south, and Saskatchewan to the west. Manitoba, along with Alberta and Saskatchewan, is one of the three prairie provinces and is located in the center of Canada. Manitoba's total area is 261,000 square miles (676,000 square kilometers), with a total land area of 212,000 square miles (548,000 square kilometers).

2 Topography

Elevations rise slowly from sea level at Hudson Bay to the higher areas of the south and west. Most of Manitoba lies between 500 and 1,000 feet (150 and 300 meters) above sea level. But in the Turtle, Riding, Duck, and Baldy Mountains, heights rise to 2,300 feet (700 meters) or higher. The highest point in Manitoba is Baldy Mountain, in Duck Mountain Provincial Park, at 2,726 feet (831 meters).

Manitoba is known as the land of 100,000 lakes, a legacy of enormous Lake Agassiz, which covered much of the province after the glaciers retreated. Lake Winnipeg, Lake Winnipegosis, and Lake Manitoba dominate the southern topography; Lake Winnipeg is the fifth-largest freshwater lake in North America. The north shows enormous changes from the glaciers' movements and is covered in forest.

Manitoba: Population Profile

Estimated 2006 population	1,148,401
Population change, 2001–2006	2.6%
Percent Urban/Rural populations, 2001
Urban	71.9%
Rural	28.1%
Foreign born population	12.1%
Population by ethnicity
Canadian	252,330
English	243,835
German	200,370
Scottish	195,570
Ukrainian	157,655
Irish	143,950
French	139,145
North American Indian	109,515
Polish	73,885
Métis	57,075
Dutch (Netherlands)	51,350
Filipino	31,645

Population by Age Group

Major Cities by Population

City	Population, 2006
Winnipeg	633,451
Brandon	41,511
Thompson	13,446
Springfield	12,990
Portage la Prairie	12,728
Hanover	11,871
St. Andrews	11,359
Steinbach	11,066

3 Climate

Manitoba is one of the sunniest provinces in Canada. It has what is known as a continental climate, which features great temperature extremes. Summer temperatures in Manitoba range from an average of 62-75°f (17-24°c) in June to 45-65°f (8-18°c) in September. Winter temperatures average 8 to 30°f (−13 to 0°c). Typical of southern Manitoba, the normal daily January temperature in Winnipeg is about −4°f (−20°c), while the normal daily July temperature is about 66°f (19°c). In Thompson, in the center of northern Manitoba, the normal daily temper-ature ranges from about −17°f (−27°c) in January to 59°f (15°c) in July. The warmest recorded temperature in Manitoba was 112°f (44.4°c) on 11 July 1936 at St. Albans, while the coldest was −63°f (−52.8°c) on 9 January 1899 at Norway House.

4 Plants and Animals

There are remnants of the native prairie grasses in protected areas of the central plains. Basswoods, cottonwoods, and oaks are common tree species there. Pelicans, beavers, raccoons, red foxes, and white-tailed deer are commonly found near Lake Manitoba; bison were once numerous there too but now exist only in small herds in protected areas. Some 27 species of waterfowl nest in southern Manitoba through the summer, and fall migrations bring thousands of ducks and geese. Polar bears and beluga whales are native to the Churchill area.

In 2006, there were 25 animal species listed as threatened or endangered. Endangered birds included the burrowing owl and the Eskimo curlew. The lake sturgeon and mapleleaf mussel were also endangered. There were no endangered mammals, but the plains bison, grey fox, and woodland caribou were listed as threatened. The passenger pigeon has become extinct. Also in 2006, there were nine plant species listed as threatened or endangered, including the western prairie fringed orchid and buffalograss.

5 Environmental Protection

The Manitoba Division of the Environmental Protection Branch of Canada's Ministry of the Environment is responsible for enforcing the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and regulations; enforcing the pollution prevention provision of the Fisheries Act (FA) and regulations; being prepared to respond to environmental emergencies; and for promoting or providing advice regarding compliance, pollution prevention, and other Environment Canada environmental initiatives to federal government departments, industry, and the public and private sector. Manitoba annually releases about 583,000 tons of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide (gases that cause smog), 554,000 tons of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide compounds, and the equivalent of 3.4 million tons of carbon dioxide. Manitoba generates about 0.8% of Canada's annual hazardous waste, and creates about one million tons of solid waste (0.8 tons, per resident) each year.

In 2002, Manitoba began a project to help reduce the amount of consumer electronic products going into Manitoba landfills. The project received a c$50,000 grant from Manitoba Conservation's Sustainable Development Innovations Fund to reduce the amount of "E-waste." It was estimated that Manitobans would throw out 2,680 tons of personal computers by the year 2005. This was added to the number of old televisions, cell phones, and other electronic products that are disposed of when they are replaced or updated by consumers.

In 2002, a total of 896,556 metric tons of non-hazardous waste was disposed of in public and private waste disposal facilities in the province of Manitoba. Of that total, residential sources accounted for 412,612 metric tons, while industrial, commercial and institutional sources accounted for 405,954 metric tons, and construction and demolition sources accounted for 77,990 metric tons.

6 Population

As of 1 April 2006, Manitoba's population was estimated at 1.15 million, of which about 56% lived in metropolitan Winnipeg, the provincial capital. The Winnipeg metropolitan area is the eighth-largest in Canada, with a population of 633,451. The second-largest city is Brandon, in southwestern Manitoba, with 41,511 people. Other cities in the province are Thompson, Springfield, Portage la Prairie, Hanover, St. Andrews, and Steinbach.

The median age of Manitoba's population increased 3.8 years from 1991 to 2001, from 33 years to 36.8. (Canada's median age is 37.6 years.) The high fertility rate of the Aboriginal population keeps the median age below Canada's average. In 2006, seniors age 65 and over made up 14% of the population.

Premiers of Manitoba

TERM	PREMIER	PARTY
1870–71	Alfred Boyd (Chief Minister)	Conservative
1871–72	Marc-Amable Girard (Ch. Min)	Conservative
1872–74	Henry Joseph Clarke (Ch. Min.)	Conservative
1874	Marc-Amable Girard	Conservative
1874–78	Robert Atkinson Davis	Conservative
1878–87	John Norquay	Conservative
1887–88	David Howard Harrison	Conservative
1888–1900	Thomas Greenway	Liberal
1900	Sir Hugh John MacDonald	Conservative
1900–15	Sir Rodmond Palen Roblin	Conservative
1915–22	Tobias Crawford Norris	Liberal
1922–28	John Bracken	United Farmers
1928–43	John Bracken	Liberal Progressive
1943–48	Stuart Sinclair Garson	Liberal Progressive
1948–58	Douglas Lloyd Campbell	Liberal Progressive
1958–67	Dufferin Roblin	Conservative
1967–69	Walter Cox-Smith Weir	Conservative
1969–77	Edward Richard Schreyer	New Democratic
1977–81	Sterling Rufus Lyon	Conservative
1981–88	Howard Russell Pawley	New Democratic
1988–99	Gary Albert Filmon	Conservative
1999–	Gary Doer	New Democratic

7 Ethnic Groups

Although Manitoba is one of the smaller provinces in population, it is an important center for a number of ethnic groups. It is one of the most important centers of Ukrainian culture outside Ukraine. It also has one of the largest populations of Mennonites in the world. There was a Filipino population of 31,645 in 2001. Almost 166,600 people (15%) trace their ancestry to Aboriginal Peoples or Métis (people of mixed Aboriginal and European ancestry). Winnipeg has the largest French community outside of Québec. Gimli has the largest Icelandic community anywhere outside of Iceland.

8 Languages

In 2001, 74.6% of all residents reported English as their mother tongue, while 4% claimed French. Other first languages—including German, Ukrainian, and various indigenous languages—were reported by 20% of Manitobans. The remaining 1.4% had two or more native languages.

9 Religions

Over 43% of all Manitobans—449,195 people—are Protestant. The leading Protestant denominations are United Church of Canada, Anglican, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Baptist, and Presbyterian. The province has about 305,390 Catholics, or 27.7% of the population. About 15,645 Manitobans are of Eastern Orthodox faith and approximately 13,040 are Jewish. Buddhists, Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus were also present, each with less than 6,000 followers. About 205,865 Manitobans—18.7%—report no religious affiliation.

10 Transportation

The Trans-Canada Highway connects Winnipeg with Kenora, Ontario, to the east and with Portage la Prairie and Brandon to the west before continuing on to Saskatchewan. In 2005, Manitoba had 661,740 registered motor vehicles, with 3,711 registered buses and 8,813 registered motorcycles and mopeds. There were 107,664 registered trailers and 105,971 off road, construction, or farm vehicles.

Urban transit systems operate about 600 motor buses. Winnipeg's bus service is called Winnipeg Transit.

Greyhound Bus Lines offers scheduled and chartered passenger bus service throughout Canada and the United States. Grey Goose Bus Lines and Beaver Bus Lines provide travel service in Manitoba only.

In 2005, Winnipeg International Airport served nearly 3.2 passengers. There are about 22 regional airports, which handled a combined passenger traffic of 169,758 in 2005/06. Winnipeg is also a major hub for the two major railroad networks in Canada, Canadian Pacific Rail and Canadian National Rail. In 2004, there was a total of about 4,481.9 miles (7,213 kilometers) of freight and passenger rail track in the province.

The province spent about $1 billion on transportation from 1999–2005.

11 History

Manitoba is the easternmost of Canada's Prairie Provinces. The Assiniboine Indians were the first inhabitants of Manitoba. Other tribes included the nomadic Cree, who roamed from place to place following the herds of bison and caribou on their seasonal migrations. The name Manitoba likely comes from either the Cree Indian manitowapow or the Ojibway Indian Manitou bou (both of which mean "the narrows of the Great Spirit"). The words applied to Lake Manitoba, which narrows to less than a kilometer at its center. The waves hitting the loose surface rocks of its north shore make unusual bell-like and wailing sounds, which the first aboriginal, or native, peoples believed came from a huge drum beaten by the spirit Manitou.

In their search for the rich Far East by means of the Northwest Passage, Europeans reached Manitoba through Hudson Bay. Unlike the majority of Canada's provinces, the northern parts of Manitoba were settled before the south. In the winter of 1612, Captain Thomas Button steered two ships to a point at the mouth of the Nelson River on Hudson Bay. Later, between 1733 and 1738, a party led by Canadian explorer Pierre Gaultierde La Vérendrye surveyed the Red and Winnipeg rivers and built several settlements there.

The Importance of the Fur Trade

Europeans became interested in Manitoba in the 17th century because of its promising fur trade. In 1670, the Hudson's Bay Company was created. King Charles II of England granted the company a large piece of land named Rupert's Land to set up fur-trading posts. During the 18th century, intense rivalry developed between the Montreal-based North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company, as they both sought to rule the fur trade.

In 1812, Scottish colonists established the first European agricultural settlement in the area. The colonists were led by Lord Selkirk of the Hudson's Bay Company. Their settlement, known as Assiniboia, developed around the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. The Selkirk colony suffered through floods, problems arising from unfamiliarity with the environment, and fur trade disputes. Nevertheless, it survived.

The Canadian government was anxious to expand its provinces into the great northwest and offered to buy the land from the Hudson's Bay Company in the 1860s. The native peoples of the region, known as the Métis (people of mixed French and Indian heritage), began to fear for the preservation of their land rights and culture. The Métis, under the leadership of Louis Riel, opposed the Canadian proposals in a conflict known as the Red River Rebellion. Riel succeeded in establishing a locally elected, temporary government in December 1869. In mid-July of 1870, this government negotiated terms with the new federal government of Canada, making Manitoba a province of the Dominion of Canada.

Gateway to the West

The new "postage stamp" province (so named because of its square shape and small size) consisted of 36,000 square kilometers surrounding the Red River Valley. However, the province did not remain that small; its boundaries were stretched in 1881 and again in 1912. Because of its central location as the entry point to western Canada, Manitoba grew quickly over the next half century. With the help of the railway, thousands of settlers from eastern Canada and from countries all over the world made Manitoba their home. By the early 1880s, the capital city of Winnipeg, located where the Assiniboine and Red rivers meet, became the centre of river and rail transport. In 1906, the first hydroelectric plant in the province was built on the Winnipeg River.

The prosperity of the early years of the twentieth century came to an end in 1913, when a major depression hit Manitoba. Wheat prices fell, freight rates rose, and the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 gave Winnipeg serious competition as a trading center. Because goods could now be transported from east to west more cheaply by sea than by rail, Winnipeg lost its status as the prime gateway to western Canada. In 1919, workers in the metals and building trades in Winnipeg staged a strike to protest management problems.

The 1920s Bring Economic Problems

The small province of Manitoba lost around 7,800 soldiers in World War I (1914–19). After the war, the remaining people of Manitoba faced a bleak future. Wheat prices fell 50% by 1920. Jobs were scarce and low-paying, and tariffs (taxes) on imported products kept prices for consumer goods high. Manitoban farmers organized the United Farmers Movement in the early 1920s to protest low farm product prices and high transportation rates. Over the course of the decade, though, grain prices recovered, and Canada as a whole experienced a period of rapid industrialization. In Manitoba, industry grew with the development of copper and zinc mining. Power plants were built, and Manitoba's first paper mill was established in Pine Falls. Improvements to railways and roads boosted commerce. Automobiles, telephones, electrical appliances, and other consumer goods became widely available. As in the United States, consumer confidence led to the rapid expansion of credit and greater business opportunities.

All of the economic gains of the middle to late 1920s were lost when the Great Depression—a period of severe economic downturn that began in 1929—hit Manitoba and the other Prairie Provinces. Low grain prices, along with the devastating effects of droughts and frequent crop failures, ruined the economy of the province. Manitoba became one of the most impoverished areas of Canada. Social welfare programs expanded rapidly during the 1930s to assist the people hardest hit.

The Economy Bounces Back

World War II (1939–45) brought an end to the Depression, and consumer spending and immigration to Canada increased rapidly. Although Manitoba continued to depend heavily on agriculture after the war, the mining industry grew with the discovery and development of nickel deposits by Inco Ltd. in the north of the province. Similarly, the establishment of other large projects, including Manitoba Forest Resources at The Pas and the Nelson River hydroelectric power plant, promoted Manitoba's economy.

The years between the mid-1940s and the 1960s were a time of cultural and social development in Manitoba. The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Winnipeg Ballet became key cultural attractions, and the first skyscraper in the city was built. Winnipeg also played host to the Pan American Games in 1967.

The French-English Issue

Manitoba has been at the center of controversy in more recent years. In the 1970s, the Nelson River hydroelectric power plant brought a storm of complaints from native people whose lands and lifestyles were being affected by the flooding at this site. The controversy led to the signing of the Northern Flood Agreement in 1977, which promised the native people compensation for damage to their lands or disruption of their lifestyle. The late 1970s also highlighted the French-English issue in Manitoba. In 1979, a man from St. Boniface refused to pay a parking fine because his ticket was written in English only. After he took his case to the Supreme Court of Canada and won, the Court ruled under the Manitoba Act of 1985 that all of the laws enacted in Manitoba (going back to 1890) had to be published in English and French.

Facing the 21st Century

The 1980s were particularly hard on the province's farmers. Low farm prices caused some to declare bankruptcy, while others simply gave up on farming altogether, sold their land, and moved on to look for other opportunities. The goal of balancing agriculture with other industry continued, however, and overall the economy grew as mining and forestry were developed.

Canada's unity has been threatened by the possibility of Québec's secession, or separation, from the rest of the country. Québec is a French-speaking area that places high value on the preservation of its French culture. The Meech Lake Accord (1987) and the Charlottetown Accord (1992) both proposed the recognition of Québec as a "distinct society" within the nation. The Canadian government had hoped that these accords would alleviate Québec's fears of cultural loss and discrimination while maintaining a unified Canada, but Québec's separation issue remains unresolved.

In April 1997, the Canadian military sent Navy rescue units and thousands of soldiers to the flooded area of the Red River. More than 6,000 military personnel went to southern Manitoba to help build dikes, guard evacuated towns, and search for stranded people. Approximately 17,000 people were evacuated in the region's worst flood of the century. But 1999 brought renewed optimism to the province as Winnipeg played host to the Pan American Games, the third-largest athletic competition ever held in North America, and a new premier, New Democrat Gary Doer, was sworn in.

On 16 September 2004, the Court of Queen's Bench ruled that Manitoba's exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage was unconstitutional. On 20 August 2005, same-sex marriage in all jurisdictions within Canada became legal when federal law C-38, passed in July of that same year, went into effect.

12 Provincial Government

The structure of the provincial government reflects that of the federal government. For example, the provincial premier, as the majority party leader of the legislature, functions much like the Canadian prime minister. Provincial legislators, like their federal counterparts in Parliament, are elected to represent a constitutional jurisdiction and pass legislation. They do so as members of the 57-seat Legislative Assembly. A provincial lieutenant-governor approves laws passed by the legislature, much like the Governor General at the federal level. There is no provincial equivalent, however, to the federal Senate.

13 Political Parties

After Manitoba joined the confederation, the Conservatives held power until the late 1880s. The Liberal provincial government after the 1890s often campaigned for xenophobic (anti-foreigner) policies which targeted non-British immigrants.

The most recent general election was held on 3 June 2003. The parties held the following number of seats in Manitoba's Legislative Assembly: Progressive Conservatives, 20; New Democrats, 35; Liberals, 2.

14 Local Government

Manitoba has no counties or regional governments, but is divided into incorporated cities, towns, villages, and rural municipalities. Municipal elections are held every three years. As of 2006, there were 83 cities, towns, and villages in Manitoba; 120 rural municipalities; and 109 unincorporated urban centers in rural municipalities.

15 Judicial System

The Canadian Constitution grants provincial jurisdiction over the administration of justice, and allows each province to organize its own court system and police forces. The federal government has exclusive domain over cases involving trade and commerce, banking, bankruptcy, and criminal law. The Federal Court of Canada has both trial and appellate divisions for federal cases. The nine-judge Supreme Court of Canada is an appellate court that determines the constitutionality of both federal and provincial statutes. The Tax Court of Canada hears appeals of taxpayers against assessments by Revenue Canada.

The provincial court system in Manitoba consists of a Provincial Court, which is a trial court hearing primarily criminal matters, although it also hears youth proceedings and some family law matters; the Court of Queen's Bench, which is the highest trial court in the province, hearing criminal, civil, and family cases (both jury and non-jury cases); and the Court of Appeal, which is the highest court in the province, hear-ing appeals from the Court of Queen's Bench and the Provincial Court.

In 2005, there were nearly 1,600 violent crimes per 100,000 persons, and about 4,995 property crimes per 100,000 persons.

16 Migration

Early in the province's history, most Manitobans were of British origin. During the 1870s and 1880s, immigrants began settling in the prairie regions of Canada. German-speaking Mennonites from Russia, Icelanders, Swedish farmers from the nearby Dakota territories of the United States, English planters, and Jewish refugees from Russia all settled in Manitoba. By the 1880s, about one-third of the 120,000 people living in Manitoba and the Northwest Territories were recent immigrants.

In 2001, 11.4% of the 133,660 immigrants living in Manitoba had come from the United Kingdom, 19.5% from Southeast Asia (including the Philippines), 14.3% from Eastern Europe (including Poland), and 11.5% from Northern and Western European countries other than the United Kingdom (including Germany). In addition to large percentages of immigrants coming from the Philippines, Poland, and Germany, many immigrants come from China and India.

Most interprovincial migration was with Ontario. In the period 1996–2001, Manitoba was among six provinces or territories to experience a loss in population across all five census age groups (5-14 years; 15-29 years; 30-44 years; 45-64 years; and 65 years and over). For that period, the province had a net loss of 18,560 people or 1.8%.

17 Economy

Manitoba's early economy was based on agriculture, with manufacturing and transportation later becoming vital sectors. Manitoba now has a very diversified economy, but the service sector is the most important. The central location of the province makes Manitoba an attractive base for a wide variety of services, notably in transportation and wholesale distribution.

In 2005, Manitoba's gross domestic product (GDP) totaled c$41.933 billion, up from c$39.990 billion the year before.

18 Income

As of 2005, average weekly earnings were c$655.88 per worker. Average family income in the province was c$54,100 in 2004.

19 Industry

In 2005, food and transportation equipment were the leading manufacturing industries in Manitoba by shipment value. Other important industries that year were chemicals, machinery, wood products, fabricated metal products, and furniture and related products.

In 2005, the shipment value of all manufactured products in the province was c$13.963 billion, of which food products was the largest at c$3.464 billion, followed by transportation equipment at c$1.525 billion; chemicals at c$1.352 billion, machinery at c$976.6 million, and wood products at c$734.1 million.

A total of 68,500 people were employed in the province's manufacturing sector in 2005, or nearly 12% of all those actively employed.

20 Labor

Manitoba's labor force in 2006 was 616,000. About 588,400 persons were employed, with 27,600 unemployed, for an overall unemployment rate of 4.5%. The hourly minimum wage as of January 2004 was c$6.75. In 2005, the average hourly wage among all industries was c$16.53 and the average weekly pay among all employees was c$655.88.

In 2005, the sectors with the largest numbers of employed persons were: trade, 84,400; health care and social services, 75,500; manufacturing, 68,500; educational services, 45,500; accommodation and food services, 37,500; transportation and warehousing, 35,000; agriculture, 33,600; finance, insurance, real estate and leasing, 33,100; public administration, 30,000; construction, 28,200; other services, 27,100; professional, scientific, and technical services, 24,900; information, culture, and recreation, 24,500; management, Business and other support services, 19,700; utilities, 6,900; and forestry, fishing, mining, and oil and gas, 5,900.

21 Agriculture

Agriculture is the economic basis of rural Manitoba. It also supports thousands of jobs in towns and cities. Wheat is the most important crop, accounting for about a third of crop production value. The province is a leading Canadian producer of flaxseed, wheat, and canola.

Of the total land area, some 25% has some agricultural potential. Of the 7.6 million hectares (18.8 million acres) of farm land in 2001, 4.7 million hectares (11.6 million acres) were used for growing crops. Manitoba had 21,071 farms in 2001, with nearly all of them family-operated.

In 2004, the most valuable crop was canola, with 1.67 million tons (1.7 million metric tons) valued at over c$596 million. Other crop production that year included over 3.73 million tons (3.8 million metric tons) of wheat (valued at over c$380 million), 129,915 tons (132,000 metric tons) of flaxseed, and 43,305 tons (44,000 metric) tons of sunflower seeds. The top fruit crops are strawberries and saskatoons (also a berry). The top field-grown vegetable crops are potatoes and corn.

22 Domesticated Animals

Receipts for livestock products totaled c$1.88 billion in 2003. Manitoba's livestock population in 2006 included 1.72 million cattle. The pig population that year was 3 million and sheep and lambs totaled 65,000. In 2005, there were over 29.1 million chickens valued at over c$66.7 million and 1.4 million turkeys valued at over c$18 million. Egg production in 2005 reached c$68.8 million. The same year, about 79 million gallons (302 million liters) of milk and cream were produced with a value of c$184 million. Small numbers of pheasants, goats, rabbits, wild boars, ostriches, bison, and emus and rheas are also kept as livestock. Foxes and minks are raised for their pelts.

23 Fishing

Commercial fishing on Lake Winnipeg was common in the late 1800s, and helped Icelandic immigrants to build fishing towns including Hecla and Gimli. More recently, however, sport fishing has become an important part of the tourism industry. In 2000, there were 136,334 residents actively engaged in sport fishing in Manitoba. Fish hatcheries in Grand Rapids and Whiteshell raise trout, walleye, and other species to replenish stock. The value of fish exports from Manitoba in 2003 was c$49.1 million.

24 Forestry

Northern Manitoba's forests are dominated by pine, hemlock, and birch. As of 2003, Manitoba's forested area was 65 million acres (26.3 million hectares), of which 37.6 million acres (15.2 million hectares) was considered productive for timber.

In 2004, lumber production totaled 23.8 million cubic feet (674,000 cubic meters). The value of Manitoba's forestry exports in 2005 was c$732.5 million, which included newsprint, wood pulp, and softwood lumber. There were 7,000 persons directly employed in the forestry industry in that same year.

25 Mining

Metals account each year for at least three quarters of the total value of mining production in the province. The most important metals are nickel, copper, and zinc. Production in 2005 included 104,592 metric tons of zinc, 36,849 metric tons of nickel, 35,468 metric tons of copper, 36 metric tons of silver, and 6,415 pounds (2,910 kilograms) of gold. The total value of metallic mineral production in 2005 was c$1.1 billion. Manitoba also produces a number of industrial minerals, including sand and gravel. The total value of non-metallic minerals (except fuels) was c$116 million.

26 Energy and Power

In 2005, Manitoba's production of crude oil averaged 14,000 barrels per day, with proven reserves as of 2004 of 24 million barrels. The province has no natural gas production, nor any refining capacity. Although Manitoba produced modest amounts of coal and lignite into the mid-20th century, there has been no commercial production of either since 1943.

The vast majority of Manitoba's electric power comes from hydroelectric sources. In 2004, the province's installed power generating capacity stood at 5.532 million kilowatts, of which hydroelectric power generation accounted for 5.028 million kilowatts, followed by thermal (steam, internal combustion, and combustion turbine) at 503,205 kilowatts of generating capacity. Of that total, combustion turbine capacity accounted for 373,710 kilowatts, with steam generating capacity at 119,500 kilowatts. Electric power output in 2004 totaled 27.703 million megawatt hours, of which hydroelectric sources accounted for 27.219 million megawatt hours. As of that same year, the province had no wind/tidal or nuclear generating capacity.

The major rivers of western Canada flow into the lowland region of Manitoba, giving Manitoba 90% of the hydroelectric potential of the prairie region. Hydroelectric power in the province is provided by Manitoba Hydro, which has fourteen hydroelectric generating stations on the Nelson, Winnipeg, Saskatchewan, and Laurie Rivers, and two thermal generating stations.

Manitoba Hydro is also the principal distributor of natural gas in the province.

27 Commerce

In 2005, international exports by Manitoba amounted to c$9.85 billion, while imports that same year totaled nearly c$11.8 billion. The United States was the largest consumer of Manitoba's exports at nearly c$7.6 billion, followed by Japan, China, and Mexico. The united States was also the leading source of imports to the province that same year at c$9.57 billion, followed by China, Mexico, and Germany.

In 2005, general merchandise store sales reached over c$1.6 billion. Total retail trade that year amounted to c$12.4 billion.

28 Public Finance

The fiscal year extends from 1 April to 31 March. For the fiscal year ending 31 March 2006, total revenues were c$9.959 billion, while expenditures totaled c$9.911 billion, leaving a surplus of c$48 million. Major expenditure were for health, education, social services, debt charges, and resource conservation and industrial development. As of 31 March 2004, the province's total net direct debt amounted to c$14.522 billion.

29 Taxation

In 2005, the provincial personal income tax system was set in three tax brackets ranging from 10.9% to 17.4%. The retail sales tax was 7%. Major excise (consumption) taxes were levied on gasoline at c$0.115 per liter and cigarettes at c$35 per carton (in addition to the federal tax of c$15.85 per carton). A tax of 12% is added to all alcoholic beverages except beer. Corporate income tax rates stood at 15% for large businesses. In 2006, the rate for small businesses was 4.5% (with annual income of c$400,000 or less). The small business rate was scheduled to drop to 4% in 2007.

The average family of four (two parents and two children) in 2003 earned c$73,977. Such a family paid c$34,522 in taxes.

In 2005/06, it was estimated that the province collected c$1.87 billion in personal income tax, c$366 million in corporate income tax, and c$1.18 billion in general sales tax.

30 Health

In 2005, there were an estimated 14,111 live births in Manitoba, an increase of 126 from 2004. There were 10,264 deaths in 2005, an increase of 137 from 2004. Life expectancy for men in 2001 was 75.6 years, and 81.5 years for women. Reported cases of selected diseases in 2002 included gonococcal infections, 626; cam-pylobacteriosis, 209; salmonellosis, 200; and giardiasis, 153. Between November 1985 and June 2003, 1,025 residents had become infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

31 Housing

Manitoba had 432,555 households in 2001, with an average size of 2.5 persons. There were 298,230 households living in single family detached homes, 37,625 households living in apartments in buildings with five or more stories, 7,605 households living in mobile homes, and 89,100 households living in other dwellings, including row houses and apartments in buildings with fewer than five stories. A total of c$1.1 billion was invested in residential construction in 2002. From 2001–05, there were 19,957 new housing starts in the province.

32 Education

Manitoba had 188,498 students enrolled in its public elementary and secondary schools in 2003/2004, down slightly from 189,217 the year before. In 2003/2004, a total of 12,942 educators were employed by the province's elementary and secondary public schools. Spending for elementary and secondary public schools in that same period totaled c$1.631 billion.

As of 2006, there were three public, seven private, and five community college or university campuses in Manitoba. In early 2007, the government announced that it would invest c$27 million to construct a University College of the North (UCN) campus in Thompson. A total of 38,045 students were enrolled in the province's colleges and universities in 2003/2004, of which 27,845 were full-time and 10,195 were part-time students.

The University of Manitoba in Winnipeg was established in 1877 and is western Canada's oldest university. It had about 21,000 full-time students in 2003/04. Winnipeg is also the site of the University of Winnipeg, where 6,000 full-time students were enrolled in 2003/04. Brandon University, which has a school of music, offers special Aboriginal education programs. In 2003/04, Brandon University's enrollment was 2,500. Le Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface, with class offerings taught entirely in the French language, had an enrollment of 3,800 in 2003/04.

33 Arts

Manitoba's performing arts companies give over 1,500 performances before a total attendance of nearly 800,000. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet was founded in 1939.

Other performing arts in Winnipeg include the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Manitoba Opera and several classic and contemporary theaters, including one that features productions in French. The video and film industry is rapidly expanding. There are over 14,000 arts and cultural workers in Manitoba.

The province has one of the highest per capita revenue and attendance levels for arts and culture in Canada. Manitoba has the second-highest per capita spending on the arts, at c$104 (the national average is c$67). The Manitoba Arts Council provides funding for the arts. In 2002/03, the Canada Council for the Arts provided grants worth c$6.4 million to the arts in Manitoba. Music received the highest amount of funding, followed by dance and theater.

34 Libraries and Museums

In 2005, there were 55 public library systems in the province with a total 108 library sites. A book by mail service has also been established for those who live in communities without access to a local branch library. The Winnipeg Public Library system includes the main branch, known as the Millennium Library, and 20 other service branches. In 2004, about 91.8% of all elementary and secondary schools had libraries. The Legislative Library in Winnipeg is a depository library for the United Nations.

In 2006, there were at least 206 museums in the province. The Winnipeg Art Gallery houses the world's largest collection of modern Inuit art, in addition to a collection of contemporary, historical, and decorative art. Also located in Winnipeg are the Western Canada Aviation Museum, the Manitoba Children's Museum, the National Aquatic Hall of Fame and Museum of Canada, and the Wildlife Museum. The Marine Museum of Manitoba is located in Selkirk. The Costume Museum of Canada is in Dugald.

35 Communications

As of 2004, Winnipeg had 8 AM and 29 FM radio stations, and 4 television stations. As of 2005, about 57.5% of the population had home access to the Internet.

36 Press

Daily newspapers in Manitoba include the Winnipeg Sun, the Winnipeg Free Press, The Brandon Sun, The Daily Graphic (in Portage La Prairie), and The Reminder (in Flin Flon). In 2005, the Winnipeg Free Press was the 12th largest newspaper in the country with an average weekly circulation of about 879,502. Also in 2005, there were 41 weekly papers in the province. Kanada Kurier is a small German weekly and Ukrainsky Holos is a Ukrainian weekly, both of which are based in Winnipeg. Special interest magazines include Manitoba Business, Manitoba Outdoors, and Manitoba Gardener.

37 Tourism, Travel, and Recreation

Revenues from tourism in 2001 were estimated at c$1.29 billion. The industry employed an estimated 60,200 persons. Sixty percent of tourism revenues comes from visits and activities of Manitoba residents. Twenty percent of revenues is derived from visitors from other Canadian provinces, 14% from the United States, and 6% from overseas visitors. The majority of overseas visitors come from the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, France, and Australia.

Campgrounds, parks, lakes, rivers, and historic sites are the principal attractions for Manitoba's visitors. Both tourists and Manitobans alike can also take advantage of the province's 124 golf courses, most of which are open to the public. Lake Winnipeg is the seventh-largest freshwater lake in North America and the thirteenth-largest in the world.

Tourism additionally relies on dozens of community festivals, a number of which have international reputations. Winnipeg's Folklorama is an elaborate two-week summer multicultural celebration. The Jazz Winnipeg Festival in June is Canada's only thematic jazz festival. Other ethnic events include the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Festival du Voyageur, and Oktoberfest. Canada's National Strawberry Festival is held in Portage la Prairie.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America. The International Peace Garden at the province's border with North Dakota is the world's largest garden dedicated to peace.

38 Sports

Manitoba is the home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Blue Bombers won the Grey Cup as CFL champions nine times, most recently in 1990. The Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League play their home games in the Winnipeg Arena. The Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL) moved to Arizona in 1996 to become the Phoenix Coyotes. The Brandon Wheat Kings is a minor league team affiliated with the Western Hockey League, a development league for the National Hockey League. The Double-A professional baseball team, the Winnipeg Goldeyes, play in the independent Northern League.

The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is in Winnipeg. The Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is in Morden.

39 Famous Manitobans

Controversial hero/outlaw Louis Riel (1844–1885) was the founding father of Manitoba and leader of the Métis rebellions of 1870 and 1885. Nellie McClung (b.Chatsworth, Ontario, 1873–1951), an activist and author from Manitou, was instrumental in women's suffrage being attained in Manitoba in 1916.

Noted Manitobans in entertainment include television host Monty Hall (b.1925), singer Gisele MacKenzie (1927–2003), and magician Doug Henning (1947–2000). All three were born in Winnipeg. Singer-songwriter Neil Young (b.Toronto, 1945) moved to Winnipeg as a child. The rock group Crash Test Dummies is from Winnipeg.

Celebrated Manitoban authors include historian and journalist George Woodcock (1912–1995), novelist Adele Wiseman (1928–1992), and historian William L. Morton (1908–1980). Margaret Laurence (1926–1987) used her hometown of Neepawa as the inspiration for the town of Manawaka in her novels. Gabrielle Roy (1909–1983) was a noted francophone (French-language) author. Winnipeg soldier Harry Colebourne bought a mascot for his regiment in World War I, naming it Winnie, after his home town. Colebourne's bear became the inspiration for British author A. A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh.

Manitoban hockey stars include Robert Earle "Bobby" Clarke (b.1949), from Flin Flon; Walter "Turk" Brody (1914–1972), from Brandon; and Bill Mosienko (1921–1994) and Terry Sawchuck (1929–1970), both from Winnipeg.

40 Bibliography

BOOKS

Beckett, Harry. Manitoba. Calgary, AB: Weigl, 2001.

Emmond, Ken. Discover Canada: Manitoba. Toronto: Grolier, 1991.

Laws, Gordon D. Manitoba. San Diego: Lucent, 2003.

LeVert, Suzanne. Manitoba. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2000.

Walsh, Kieran. Canada. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Publishing Co., 2005.

WEB SITES

Government of Manitoba. www.gov.mb.ca/splash.html (accessed on March 28, 2007).

Statistics Canada. www.statcan.ca (accessed on March 28, 2007).

Travel Manitoba. www.travelmanitoba.com (accessed on March 28, 2007).