Manitoba

Kingdom of Manitoba La Royaume de Manitoba
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  Latin: Gloriosus et liber "Glorious and free" "Glorieux et libre"
Anthem: "L'Ouinipignaise"
Location of Manitoba in North America
Capital and largest city	Toscouné
Official languages	French
Demonym(s)	Manitoban (English) Manitobain (French)
Supranational union	Conference of American States
Government	Unitary parliamentary democracy
• Queen	Elizabeth II
• Governor-General	Julie Payette
• Prime Minister	Benoit Thibodeaux
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	House of Commons
Independence  from Canada
• Establishment	TBD
• Statute of Westminister	December 11, 1931
• Patriation	April 17, 1982
• Current constitution	TBD
Area
• Total
Population
• 2020 estimate	12,911,377
Time zone	UTC -8, -7, -6, -5, -4
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy (AD)
Driving side	right

Manitoba, officially the Kingdom of Manitoba (Le Royaume de Manitoba), is a sovereign nation in North America. It is one of the four francophone nations in North America, the others being the Maritimes, Quebec, and Yukon. Manitoba shares land borders with Astoria and Yukon to the west, Superior to the south, and Quebec to the east; it shares a maritime border with Greenland (part of Scandinavia). With an area of X.X million km² (X.X million sq mi.), Manitoba is the Xth-largest state in the world. Manitoba is relatively sparsely populated, with the total population estimated to be 12.91 million in 2020. Its capital and largest city is Toscouné, with the Toscouné-Fort Augustus boasting a population of 6 million. Other cities include Ouinipignon, Sascoiton, and Victoire.

Manitoba was historically part of New France. Manitoba was first explored by explorer Charles Nathaniel Godécque in the 1680s, who mapped the Nelson River basin in two expeditions and founded three major forts - one of which, Fort du Christ, would devleop into the city of Ouinipignon (also known as Winnipeg). The colonial Manitoban economy was centered on the trade of furs and skins, especially beaver pelts. In 169X, after their attempts to settle in the St. Lawrence Valley were thwarted by Catholic authorities, a group of Huguenots led by Louis Guillaume settled modern-day Toscouné (though their original goal was to reach the Pacific Coast). The presence of Protestants in what was a strategically-important region (due to the prairie's agricultural potential) alarmed colonial authorities, who bolstered the number of Catholics in the region by converting the indigenous population and sending French settlers. While territorial expansion was relatively rapid, the Manitoban population (known in French as Les Manitobains) experienced rapid growth, the non-native population was no more than 14,803 by the last census (1754). Nevertheless, most of the 7 million Franco-Manitobans are descendants of this population.

After the Seven Year's War, much of French North America was ceded to Britain. The 1774 Canada Act affirmed the cultural autonomy of the French settlers. Eventually, the French Catholics comprised into the rural landholding class and clerical elite, while the Huguenots became the urban bourgeouisie and English the political elite. Huguenots served as the liaison between the Franco-Manitobans and the Anglo-Manitobans, because of this, Manitoba did not partake in the Rebellions of 1837–1838. In 1867, Manitoba together with Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, were united into the Dominion of Canada - despite petitions to become a separate dominion. Unlike in Quebec, there was little conflict between francophones and anglophones: the government institutionalized bilingualism without much controversy, and as a result, the majority of the population came to speak both French and English. However, it was the conflict between the Catholic majority and Protestant minority that would underlie Manitoban history. The main Protestant groups, the Anglo-Manitobans and Huguenot Manitobans, dominated Manitoban politics until the late 20th century. They disenfranchised the Catholic majority through literacy tests and poll taxes. The Manitoban government also sought to dilute the Catholic majority through encouraging immigration, particularly of British and Germans. Starting from 1870, Manitoba entered a period of rapid economic growth, with the economy reorienting to commercial agriculture (thanks to the emergence of wheat as a major cash crop) and exploitation of natural resources such as timber, minerals, and oil.

The Crimsong Spring of 1919–1921 resulted in the collapse of the Canadian Confederation and the establishment of landonism in Quebec, Ontario, and the Maritimes. British Columbia and Manitoba (including the Northwest Territories), became their own dominions. The conflict between the Catholics and Protestants waned in the aftermath of the Crimson Spring, due to common concerns over communism, liberalism, and secularism. The conservative Union Manitobain (its members called emmenistes from the party's initials) rose to power, getting support both from the Catholics (including the Catholic Church in Manitoba) and Protestants. Their platform consisted of a hardline authoritarian government that combined a mixed economy with Catholic social teaching. They also advocated for militarism and close ties with Britain, in anticipation of an invasion from the newly-established United Commonwealth. Manitoba was invaded twice in the 20th century (in the First and Second World Wars). Manitoba's independence was narrowingly defended in WWII, with the victory fostering a sense of nationalism. The post-war economic expansion (the Manitoba Miracle), underpinned by the discovery of oil, led to unprecedented prosperity. The Union Manitobain Coalition began to weaken in the 1970s, as Catholic-Protestant relations once again soured. In 197X, the Fronte de Libération Catholique (FLC) was formed, thus marking the beginning of a low-scale civil conflict known as Les Peturbances. In response, the party reformed itself under Prime Ministers Henry Rousseau, Nathan Goedeke-Williams (a descendant of Charles Nathan Godécque), and André Arsenault. The Tumultuous 1990s (Les Années Tumultueuse) ended with the collapse of the Union Manitobain, with the elections of 1998 resulting in the newly-formed Bloc Manitobain winning two-thirds of the seats in Parliament, and the election of Blanche Bisset, the first Catholic, woman, and person of color to be elected Prime Minister of Manitoba.

Today, Manitoba is a highly-developed country with an advanced economy. It has a GDP (nominal) per capita of $XX,XXX and a GDP (PPP) per capita of $XX,XXX, with the total GDP (nominal) and GDP (PPP) being $XXX billion and $XXX billion respectively. The mainstays of Manitoba's economy are oil, chemicals, and commercial agriculture; in recent years, aerospace, information and communication technologies, biotechnology, and the pharmaceutical industry play big roles in the economy. Manitobans enjoy one of the highest standards of living and is one of the most technologically-advanced societies, ranking Xth in HDI (0.9XX), Xth in life expectancy, Xth in educational attainment, and Xth in the ICT Index. Despite a rather tumultous history in the 20th century, Manitoba is now considered a mature democracy, with an active civic culture and the population exercising numerous civil and political liberties. Nevertheless, Manitoba continues to be relatively conservative and is one of the most militarized nations, with universal conscription for both its male and female citizens. Manitoba is currently going in a demographic shift due to immigration, and the Franco-Manitobans are expected to lose their majority by 2044.

History of Manitoba

Indigenous peoples and European exploration and settlement

Manitoba was first inhabited by the First Nations people (les autochtones Manitobains - "natives of Manitoba") after the retreat of the last ice age glaciers about 10,000 years ago; the first area to be exposed was the Turtle Mountain area. Groups that inhabited Manitoba by the start of European exploration and settlement were the Assiniboine, Cree, Dene, Mandan, Ojibwe, and Sioux peoples. Agriculture first arose along the Red River, where maize, beans, and squash (the Three Sisters) were cultivated. Native Manitobans lived a semi-sedentary lifestyle, and supplemented their agriculture with hunting and foraging. Other tribes also entered the area to trade fur and foodstuffs.

In 1522–1523, Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano persuaded King Francis I of France to finance an expedition to find a western route to China. New France, France's colonial possessions in North America, was established in 1534 when Jacques Cartier claimed the land around the Gaspé peninsula (now in Quebec) in the name of Francis I. Early attempts at settlement failed, though French fishing fleets visited the area and fostered cordial relations with the natives (with contrasted with the English and Spanish relationship with their native subjects). In 1608, Samuel de Champlain established the Habitation de Québec, which was initially a trading outpost. They forged a trading and military relationship with Algonquin and Huron nations, with whom the French acquired furs and pelts in-exchange for scrap metal, guns, alcohol, and clothing. Territorial expansion was rapid, with courreurs des bois, voyageurs, and Catholic missionaries all taking part in the exploration and claiming of new land. The French established forts in the Great Lakes (by 1615), Hudson Bay (by 1659–1960), the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers (1682), and Saskatchewan and Missouri Rivers (1734–1738). The Hudson Bay watershed was claimed by the Hudson's Bay Company, administering the region (named "Rupert's Land") under the British.

From 1683–1686, Charles Nathan Godécque explored and mapped the Nelson River Basin. In 1685, he established Fort Ouinipignon (modern day Ouinipignon). Ouinipignon would later become the capital of the District of Manitoba. While the area was abound with furs and pelts, French colonial authorities initially did not pay much attention to Manitoba - instead consolidating their possessions in the St. Lawrence River Valley. In the 1680s, a group of Huguenots led by Louis Guillaume moved from New England to Quebec. After facing hostility from Catholic authorities (as the settlement of the region by non-Catholics was explicitly forbidden), they moved westwards - settling Toscouné in three separate expeditions by 1695. The news of a successful Huguenot settlement in a strategically important area (due both to the fur trade, and the prairie's agricultural potential) led to more earnest attempts at settlement of Manitoba. In the 1720s, the King sponsored the passage of 1,600 women (twice sent to Quebec) to Manitoba, with the majority ending up either in Toscouné or Ouinipignon. While population growth was high, total settlement was low, with only a total of roughly 4,000 Frenchmen in total permanently settling in Manitoba before 1763 (half of the number that settled Quebec). Nevertheless, the 7 million Franco-Manitobains are descended from this population and another small stream (<3,000 individuals) from Quebec in the period 1763–1815.

Manitoba's colonial economy was fuelled by the North American fur trade and by the cultivation of wheat for profit. By 1754, about 5,600 tons (enough to support 14,000 people) of unhusked wheat had been transported to other parts of New France - most arriving in either the St. Lawrence Valley or to Louisiana via the Misssissippi River. Toscouné and Ouinipignon were the main urban centers: Toscouné processed grain, while Ouinipignon was the main trading center for furs and skins. Manitoba's economic potential was not fully harnessed, however, due to a dispersed population (which owed itself to a low rate of immigration). Relations between natives and the Franco-Manitobains were largely cordial, with the Plains Indians (such as the Cree) trading furs and skins in-exchange for guns, scrap metal, and alcohol. Many French men, especially prior to the arrival of the filles du roi, also took native wives. The multiracial métis group are the result of these interracial marriages, as well as the broader phenomena of the North American fur trade.

Seven Years' War

The population of New France was quite low compared to British North America, with non-natives in New France numbering less than 100,000 by the 1754 Census (the last one conducted before the Seven Years' War). French attempts to expel British traders and colonists from the Ohio Valley led to a surprise attack by George Washington on a group of French soldiers sleeping in early morning hours (later known as the Jumonville affair). There was no declaration of war issued by either country, though by 1756, the Franco-British tensions escalated to a global war. In 1758, the British mounted an attack on New France and took French-controlled Louisbourg. The Treaty of Paris (1763), which concluded the conflict, transferred control over most of French North America (except Saint Pierre and Miquelon) to the British in-exchange for Guadeloupene; French Lousiana was ceded to Spanish in the secret Treaty of Fountainebleau.

Quebec Act and American Revolution

British troops defending Quebec from an American attack during the Battle of Quebec in December 1775

With brewing discontent in its American colonies, the British were worried that the 100,000+ "Canadians" (Canadiens) of Quebec and Manitoba (then organized into the Province of Quebec) would join the rebellion. British immigration was low, hence people of French descent continued to dominate the population. Governors James Murray and Guy Carleton promoted the need for change - culminating in the enactment of the Quebec Act of 1774. This preserved French culture and language, allowed French speakers to practice French civil law (as opposed to British common law), and guaranteed freedom of religion. Nevertheless, there was still some conflict between the French-speaking majority and incoming British settlers, which was religious in nature in Manitoba (Protestants versus the Catholics), and more so linguistic/cultural in Quebec (French speakers and English speakers).

The Quebec Act also forbade American settlement into the Province of Quebec. This, together with the recognition of the Catholic Church, angered many Americans (though it is not regarded as one of the Coercive Acts). The United States attempted to conquer Lower Canada, with General George Washington and his Continental Army invading Quebec starting June 27, 1775. British reinforcements arrived in May 1776, and the Americans were soundly routed in the Battle of Trois-Rivières. The Canadiens were largely ambivalent to the American cause, with the punishment of American sympathizers further deterring them from joining against the British. Frederick Haldimand replaced Guy Carleton as Governor of Quebec in 1778.

10,000 loyalists arrived in Quebec following American independence, with more arriving until 1815. Only a few of these settled Manitoba, and the Anglo-Manitobains never comprised more than 10% of the population prior to 1870 (when immigration started surging). Most of them settled in Ontario, with concerns over the relations between the English and French settlers prompting the division of the province of Quebec in 1791 into three regions: French-speaking Manitoba and Lower Canada (Quebec), and English-speaking Upper Canada. A this point, Quebec and Manitoba started to diverge culturally, with Manitoban culture being strongly influenced by the Plains Indians and métis, and the traditions of the Huguenot minority.

Province of Manitoba (British Crown Colony)

Main article: Province of Manitoba (1795–1867

English settlement continued to be quite low. Their population stabilized at 10%, with immigration being offset by the high birth rates of the Franco-Manitobains (especially the Catholics). In the early 1800s the average Franco-Manitoban woman had 8 children, this was lower still than the figure (10 births per woman) during the 1700s. The English were primarily concentrated in Toscouné and Ouinipignon, as the Franco-Manitobans were more inclined into living in rural regions. Their demographic minority meant they learned French and accomodated French culture (such as civil law, and to an extent, the presence of Catholicism), which was unlike the situation in Canada. In addition, they relied heavily on the Huguenots (which were a similarly-sized minority) for commerce and administration as "middlemen"; their Protestant faith allowed them to connect to the English, while their French cultural heritage allowed them to connect to the French Catholics.

Manitoba did not participate in the Lower Canada Rebellion (1837–1838), despite being predominantly French-speaking (~90%) and Catholic (~80%) like Quebec. This was probably because seigneural landowners as well as the institution of the Catholic Church were much weaker than in Quebec, though still prominent. Furthermore, Anglo-Manitobains were well-integrated into francophone society and were more receptive to a bilingual language policy, while English-speaking Quebeckers lived in enclaves where they did not perceive a need to learn French. Nevertheless, Manitoba was mentioned (albeit briefly) in Report on the Affairs of British North America. The Act of Union (1841) consolidated Manitoba, Lower Canada (Quebec) and Upper Canada (Ontario) into the Province of Canada, per the suggestion of Lord Durham. All Manitobains were opposed to this: the Franco-Manitobains did not want English supremacy, while the Anglo-Manitobains believed the influx of more English settlers would weaken their unique position in Manitobain society. The Province of Canada inherited Manitoba's land conflict with the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), which the British government initially ruled in favor of the latter. However, much of what is now northern Manitoba would be taken back from the HBC in the Rupert's Land Act 1868.

Unlike in the St. Lawrence Valley, there was no perceived shortage of land. Relations between White and Native Manitobains continued to be cordial. Native Manitobains continued their way of living until the late 19th century - largely undisturbed. The growing non-native population (especially the influx of English settlers starting 1830) eventually led to greater contact between them and White Manitobains. Resurgent demand for furs and the booming alcohol trade led to competition and conflict between the Native Manitobains, which was facilitated by the increasing availability of guns. The last major conflict fought between Native Manitobains was the Battle of the Belly River in 1870 - fought between the Cree and the Blackfoot Confederacy. The use of guns also led to the overhunting of bison (the primary food source of Plains Indians), which coupled with heightened incidence of disease, ultimately decimated the Native Manitobains population.

Province of Manitoba (part of Canadian Conederation)

Main article: Province of Manitoba (1867–1919)

Dominion of Manitoba

WWI

Winston Churchill in Toscouné in 1943

Kingdom of Manitoba

Interwar period

Flag of Manitoba

WWII

Manitoba's involvement in the Second World War began when...

Out of a population of around 6 million, about 700,000 Manitobans - both men and women - served in the armed forces in the Second World War.

Much of eastern Manitoba, including the then-capital of Ouinipignon, and the sparsely populated but strategically important regions of Nord-d'Ontario and Ungava, was overrun by the United Commonwealth during the Second World War. As a result, the Manitoban government temporarily relocated (and later, permanently) to Toscouné. The occupation of Manitoba's Hudson Bay ports essentially isolated Manitoba from the rest of its allies - including its traditional protector, Britain.

The Manitoban Campaign (196X–197X) eventually faltered, with victory in the Battle of TBD thwarting further Continental advances. Like in the First World War, albeit to a lesser extent, the widely dispersed nature of Manitoba's population centers aided its defense. In addition, by 196X, the United Commonwealth was bogged down in the Rockies while also facing an increasingly restive Superian and Brazorian population.

Politics

Canadian reunification

Main article: Canadian reunification

Canadian reunification is an irredentist movement that seeks to reestablish the Canadian Confederation through the unification of the Canadian successor states. Canada lasted from 1867 (with the unification of the provinces of Canada, New Brunwick, and Nova Scotia), until the Landonist Revolutions of 1919–1921, which saw the Maritimes, Ontario, and Quebec falling under the control of communist governments. Astoria, Manitoba, and the Yukon Territory continued to be ruled by the British, though separately. Another form of Canadian reunification involves unifying the Canadien (Franco-Canadian) population of Manitoba, the Maritimes, Quebec, and Yukon while excluding the primarily-English speaking states of Astoria and Ontario. Despite historically gaining widespread support during the 1930s to 1960s (in the height of Manitoba's anticommunism and conservatism), currently both forms of Canadian reunification are not endorsed by any major political party.

Eastern alienation

Main article: Eastern alienation

In Manitoban politics, Eastern alienation (L'aliénation de l'Orient) is the notion that East Manitoba have been increasingly alienated or excluded from mainstream Manitoban political affairs in favor of West Manitoba, centered around the Toscouné–Fort Augustus Corridor. Eastern alienation claims that while Ouinipignon is the capital, the government is excessively centered around West Manitoban affairs, which holds most of the population (slightly less than 60%) and economy. Eastern alienation is sometimes tied to nativism and anti-immigration, as Toscouné and Fort Augustus have a larger proportion of first-generation and second-generation Manitobans and allophones (people whose mother tongue is neither French or English).

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Manitoba

Historical population of Manitoba

Year	Pop.	±%
1686	57	—
1692	249	+336.8%
1706	1,341	+438.6%
1713	1,865	+39.1%
1720	2,483	+33.1%
1727	4,635	+86.7%
1734	6,966	+50.3%
1739	8,548	+22.7%
1754	14,803	+73.2%
1765	22,077	+49.1%
1784	45,470	+106.0%
1790	57,088	+25.6%
1806	101,958	+78.6%
1814	134,572	+32.0%
1822	173,662	+29.0%
1831	227,342	+30.9%
1844	336,350	+47.9%
1851	414,972	+23.4%
1861	555,041	+33.8%
1871	730,663	+31.6%
1881	900,672	+23.3%
1891	1,139,025	+26.5%
1901	1,427,233	+25.3%
1911	1,907,292	+33.6%
1921	2,673,536	+40.2%
1931	3,256,954	+21.8%
1941	3,649,923	+12.1%
1951	4,206,989	+15.3%
1961	5,172,014	+22.9%
1971	6,302,993	+21.9%
1981	7,294,727	+15.7%
1991	8,578,041	+17.6%
2001	10,047,769	+17.1%
2011	11,619,116	+15.6%
2020 (est.)	12,911,377	+11.1%

Projected population of Manitoba (medium growth scenario)

Year	Pop.	±%
2021	13,057,512	—
2031	14,600,142	+11.8%
2041	16,156,318	+10.7%
2051	17,589,969	+8.9%
2061	18,911,806	+7.5%

In the 2011 Census, Manitoba had a population of 11,619,116, a 15.6% increase from its 2001 population of 10,047,769. With a land area of X.X million km² (XXX,000 sq mi) it had a population density of X.X/km² (X.X/sq mi) in 2015. The country's population is expected to be 12,911,377. Manitoba's population growth rate is the highest among developed countries, fuelled by substantial annual migration and, until recently, high fertility. Its population is projected to hit 18.8 million by 2060.

At 1.72 births per woman (2019), Manitoba's fertility rate is lower than the replacement fertility rate of 2.1. It is also slightly lower than the North American average, but slightly higher than the EU average. Manitoba historically had one of the highest fertility rates of any industrialized society, peaking at 4.28 births per woman in 1960. This dropped to 2.47 births per woman by 1990, but remained well above replacement rate until the Great Recession. Life expectancy was 82.3 years as of 2015.

Ideas

CONFLICT

• between catholics & protestants
• language not an issue due to early bilingualism
• protestant dominance (anglo-manitoban/huguenot manitoban)
• common support for anticommunism, antiliberalism, and antisecularism > mixed Union Manitobain
• catholic support for UM dwindled by 1990s

cultural regions

• toscouné
  • quarters of toscouné:
    • english quarters
    • huguenot quarters
    • creole quarters
    • catholic quarters
• ouinipignon
  • english town
  • french town
  • creole town
• prairie (saskatchewan)
  • ukrainian manitobans
  • german manitobans
• reservations

• historical division into "two societies"
• urban society
  • british - administrative class
  • huguenots - financial/professional class
  • black (creole) - artisanal class
• rural society
  • clergy
  • landlords
  • peasantry
• first nations - marginalized minority

• the british/huguenots dominated manitoba politically, historically
  • combination of apathy, poll taxes, literacy tests
  • the huguenots were protestant like the anglo-manitobans, but french-speaking like the franco-manitobans
  • thus all prime ministers were huguenots

les perturbances

• instigated by the catholic liberation front (front de liberation catholique - FLC)
  • leftist tendencies
• goals
  • want end to huguenot-british dominance
  • want the weakening of catholic church (viewed as complicit with huguenot-british dominance)
• catholic church condemned the movement
• mixed public support
  • many moderate catholics view it as subversive
  • most support - young urban, working-class catholics

history

• 1800s
  • manitoban nationalism
  • common identity fostered easily
    • continued tensions between prots and catholics (mitigated by huguenots)
• 1870 - dominion of manitoba
• 1880s
  • allophone migration encouraged
  • esp. brits, germans, scandinavians - later ukrainians, italians, irish
• franco-manitobans:
  • 1850 - 90%
  • 1900 - 80%
  • 1920 - 60% (nadir), before restricted immigration (both anglo and french backlash)
  • 1970 - 68%

• 1930s
  • great depression
  • foundation of union manitobans - french catholic, french huguenot, and anglos united in common identity
    • stress ultraconservatism, anticommunism, antisecularism
    • catholic-protestant relations are put at the backburner
  • foundation of the manitoban catholic liberation front, against perceived catholic oppression

• 1930s–1990s
  • manitoban catholic liberation front (front de liberation catholique manitobaine) slowly become more moderate, gain more mainstream popularity

• 1960s–1990s
  • union manitobain continue to dominate politics
  • concessions from anglo and huguenot manitobans to catholic french manitobans majority
    • economic development programs
    • anti-discrimination laws
    • industrialization & urbanization

• 1990s
  • crisis between religious groups
  • manitoban catholic church switch positions - used to be complacent w/ anglo-huguenot dominance
  • ending w collapse of union manitobain, creation of bloc manitobain
  • first woman of color as prime minister

language

• 70% of manitobains have basic english proficiency
• "franglais" in informal media; french in formal media
• code-switching phenomenon
• concern about decline of english quality
• concern about anglicisms

economy

• historically, exporter of wheat, forest products, and beef/cattle products
• now : energy (oil, natural gas)
• GDP per capita (2019) ~ $59708.75 (basically, albertan gdp/c + average of manitoban and saskatchewan gdp/c)

military

• universal conscription
  • enacted in 1930s
• british bases in ungava & hudson bay area
• close ties w/ britain & sierra

city in ungava

• use pics of murmansk
• historical british base
• pop = 200k