MANITOBA WOMEN WIN THE VOTE

MANITOBA WOMEN WIN THE VOTE

By George Siamandas

A bill to give women the vote was passed on January 27, 1916 in the Manitoba Legislature. Manitoba became the first province to enfranchise women. Hon T. H. Johnson declared that January 27 1916 will for all days remain a milestone for this province. There was a time in society when women were considered chattels of their husbands. They were thought not to be interested in worldly issues like voting. It was thought that they were pre-occupied with other things. Home, the children and their husband's needs. And it has to be noted that the Rodmond Roblin government of the day was not at all interested in any kind of reform. Nowhere in Canada did women have the right to vote. But things were about to change in Manitoba.

Women had been working on this issue since the late 1890s. On January 28 1914 a delegation from the Political Equality League met Premier Roblin in the old Legislature to ask for the right to vote. It was novelist Nellie McClung and President of the League, Dr. Mary Crawford who led the delegation. They stressed that women would help clean up corruption. She felt women were inherently purer and more virtuous than men.

Nellie McClung noted women were about to vote in the US, they had been voting in China and England. She declared women were ready to be let out of the asylum. And she compelled men to be the fair sex. The women said they were not asking for a favour or a gift, but for a right.

McClung wanted to address Roblin's cabinet, a request which Roblin refused. He considered her a "rather conceited young woman who may have had some success at Friday afternoon schoolhouse entertainment and so was labouring under the delusion that she had the gift of oratory."

She responded "You'll hear from me later Sir Roblin.. and you may not like what you will hear." "Is this a threat?" Roblin asked. "No," Nellie said, A prophecy!"

Roblin refused their request for the vote. Roblin felt that Winnipeg women didn't want the vote. The next night at a meeting at the Walker Theatre, Nellie McClung parodied Roblin to a great reception by the audience. The movement for the women's vote had gathered a lot of political backing. The Political Equality League had support from the Icelandic Women's Suffrage Association, the Women's Temperance Union, the Trades and Labour Council, the Canadian Women's Press Club, and the Young Women's Christian Association.

NELLIE MCCLUNG
She was born Nellie Moonie in Ontario in 1873. In 1880 her family moved west to homestead in Manitou. As a young woman she fought for higher education and against the customs that kept women at home. She went to the Normal School (Teacher's College on William Ave.) and later taught in Treherne and Manitou.

In Manitou she married Wes McClung a druggist who gave her the freedom to be herself. Nellie wrote that she "could be happy with Wes. We did not always agree, but he was a fair fighter. I would rather fight with him than agree with anyone else."

She began to write children's literature and published her first novel "Sowing Seeds in Danny" in 1908 which became a Canadian best seller earning her $25,000 for 100,000 sales. Wes, who had joined Manufacturer's Life, Nellie and their four children moved to Winnipeg in 1911 and lived in a house at 97 Chestnut Street.

Winning the vote took what it seems has always been required in politics. And that is being able to get the ear of a party that is willing to listen. Thus in the provincial election of July 10, 1914 the reformers supported the Liberals and their leader TC Norris.

Roblin's government did however win with a slim majority. But his days in power were numbered. The Legislature construction scandal blew wide open forcing Roblin to resign on May 12, 1915. Norris took over, called, and won the election of August 16, 1915. On December 23, 1915, a delegation of 60 men and women presented new Premier TC (Tobias Crawford) Norris a petition of 40,000 names in support of women's suffrage. Two weeks later, Norris brought in a bill and it received third reading on January 27 1916. A year later, another act gave women the right to vote in civic elections if they met property qualifications. But suffrage was still not available to all women. Aboriginal women had to wait till 1952 to get the same privilege.

WHAT HAPPENED TO NELLIE MCCLUNG?
Her husband's job caused a move to Alberta in 1916, where she continued to press for the vote in Alberta winning that one by late 1916. She was elected to the Alberta legislature in 1921. And she continued to champion issues mother's allowances, public health nurses, free medical and dental for children, new laws for women's property rights. She served on the Board of the CBC during 1936-1942. She continued to work for improved prison conditions and liberalized divorce laws. She died in Victoria BC, in September 1951.

THE STORY OF TWO MACHRAYS

THE STORY OF TWO MACHRAYS

Robert Machray the Good & John Alexander Machray the Bad

by George Siamandas

ARCHBISHOP MACHRAY
Robert Machray was born in Aberdeen Scotland on May 17 1831. While he was brought up a Presbyterian, he became an Anglican and studied at Cambridge and was ordained in 1856. In 1865 he became the youngest Bishop taking charge of Rupertsland. At Red River he took an interest in the changes about to take place in the late 1860s and spoke up against the Canadian government for lack of consultation and for their surveying work. But at the same time Machray was not supportive of the violent method by which Riel was seizing power.

Machray became archbishop in 1893, was chosen as the first primate for Canada. he also served as the chancellor of the University of Manitoba from 1877 to 1904. Machray never married but had living with him for many years his nephew John Alexander Machray. On March 9 1904 the distinguished Anglican Archbishop, Robert Machray passed away after 41 years of service in Winnipeg.

THERE IS ANOTHER MACHRAY NOT HELD IN AS HIGH ESTEEM: THE OTHER MACHRAY THE $2 MILLION MAN
John A Machray was the nephew of the esteemed Anglican Archbishop. He was adopted by the Archbishop and received his training in law at Cambridge. He began his law practise in Winnipeg about 1903 and by 1912 had become a Kings Counsel. John Machray rose to the top of Winnipeg society; Bursar to the University of Manitoba and on its Board of Governors. Chair of the red Cross Chancellor of the Archdioceses of Rupertsland, president of the league for Nations.

But after shortage started to be discovered after the 1929 crash, Machray became known as the $2 million man. In today's terms he might be the $30 million man. In 1932 a Royal Commission found out he had been misappropriating funds since 1903.

Machray lost $971,000, which was most of the University's endowment funds. He also stole $800,000 from the Anglican Church including from the widows and orphans fund and from the clergy's retirement funds from three provinces. The University losses were made up by hiking tuition fees and cutting salaries of the professors. Machray was sentenced to 7 years and died in prison within the year in 1933.

FATHER NOEL JOSEPH RITCHOT

FATHER NOEL JOSEPH RITCHOT

St Norbert's Man for all Seasons & Riel's Right Hand Man

by George Siamandas

FATHER RITCHOT
Ritchot the parish priest for St Norbert and a Metis leader who arrived at St. Boniface on June 7 1862. Born in 1825 in Quebec and the son of a farmer, Ritchot was initially reluctant to come to Red River because he could speak only French. Other priests had seen being placed in St Boniface as a kind of demotion. Ritchot arrived just in time as the previous priest perished within days of his arrival. A large man with a full beard, Ritchot was considered one of the strongest men in Red River.

ST NORBERT BEFORE RITCHOT ARRIVED
The 1860s were tough years for Ritchot's parishioners. Most were nomads following the buffalo and they were simply not interested in becoming farmers. With floods, grasshopper plagues, poor harvests the farming option was not encouraging during the decline of the buffalo hunt during the 1860s. There was serious poverty amongst the Metis during the 1860s and Ritchot was front and centre in mounting a relief effort.

The 1860s were also seeing the development of the west for settlement and the worry about Metis land rights as survey parties pushed west and as speculators started to move in the late 1860s. This led to the Red River Rebellion in which Ritchot was an active part. And after the rebellion had been quelled Ritchot became the lead negotiator on behalf of Riel's cause.

RIEL'S CHIEF NEGOTIATOR
He was one of three delegates dispatched to try to find a solution to the Riel business. He and Black were imprisoned for two weeks in Ottawa. He held out for recognition as an official delegate of the new government and actually got a hearing with the prime minister McDonald on April 26 1870. He fought hard for Metis land rights as part of Manitoba's entry into confederation. In effect he was Riel's negotiator in Ottawa. For example he battled the prime minister for land rights obtaining 1.4 million acres after being offered 200,000. His negotiations resulted in the postage stamp province of Manitoba, so called because it was very small of what it is today. He also won French language rights as part of the Manitoba Bill.

HOW DID HE DIFFER FROM THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CLERGY?
Ritchot believed in immersing himself in people's daily lives and needs; political things. Hence his intimate involvement in the uprising. After 1870 the French population of St Norbert declined sharply from about 1,211 in the 1870 census to 446 original settlers in 1881. Half the population moved away. Ritchot spent his time buying land and trying to find new settlers for replacements. In time he became a major land owner in St Norbert with about 50 properties. Ritchot became a kind of community foundation or community banker. Over time he became a wealthy property owner leaving an estate of $50,000 upon his death in 1905. By WW1 the value of his holdings increased 10 times, and his money was used to develop many community institutions in St Norbert such as a church, an orphanage, the Trappiste monastery. Ritchot lies buried in St Norbert the only place he worked. The St Norbert parish ran to the US border when it was established in 1857. Ritchot helped populate many of the communities south along the Red River such as St Agathe.

Winnipeg's Richardson Family

Winnipeg's Richardson Family

"The family that has kept its roots and faith in Manitoba"

By George Siamandas

The founder was James Richardson who was a tailor in Kingston Ontario. He had come to Kingston from Ireland in 1823 with his father, after his mother's death. The story goes that many of Richardson's customers were farmers who had more produce than cash, and Richardson would often take grains and other commodities as payment for the work he did. And he found he could resell these commodities for more than their original cash value by waiting for the right time to sell.

In 1857 he decided to devote all his time to the business of buying and selling grain, and with his two sons, James and Henry, he set up the firm James Richardson and Sons. They built their first elevator in Kingston in 1882. In 1883 they shipped the west's first grain to Liverpool and later in 1890 they set up the first prairie elevator in Neepawa, home of their first Winnipeg grain representative Edward O'Reilly.

The company's founder never visited Winnipeg. Son George visited Winnipeg in the 1890s. It was James A Richardson, the founder's grandson that made Winnipeg his home since 1912. He is described as having had a true western heart by writer John Anderson. They formed Pioneer Grain and had 250 elevators across western Canada by the 1930s. As the fortunes of the prairies boomed so did the Richardson's grain interests.

Alan Artibise writes in his history of Winnipeg that James A Richardson more than anyone contributed to the recovery of Winnipeg after WW1. "He saw the Prairie West as a complex place, not just a breadbasket. And he saw the businessman's role as a creative one that involved not only making money but also promoting a balanced development of the wealth of the country."

It was in the 1920s and 1930s that the firm saw most of its expansion and diversification into other industries. In the 1920 they also got into investment securities joining Montreal Stock Exchange in 1926 and buying a Wall Street firm's Winnipeg office in 1927. In 1982 they bought Greenshields a Montreal company that had been established in 1910.

By 1923 Canada had become the world's largest wheat exporting nation and James Richardson and Sons was canada's leading exporter. The firm's executive office was transferred from Kingston to Winnipeg in 1923 and head office in 1939.

THEY PIONEERED IN AVIATION AND BROADCASTING
Starting in the 1920s they set up Canada's largest air transportation companies like Western Canada Airways and Canadian Airways. The later was sold to CP in 1941. They started with a small radio station in Moose Jaw which they used to broadcast grain and stock prices. In 1940 they got out of radio.

Muriel Richardson ran the company for 27 years after her husband died suddenly in 1939. She introduced a pension plan. The investment area was expanded in the 1940s. She promoted talented employees to executive levels. After Muriel retired in 1966 James took over for two years till he was elected to Parliament, at which time George T Richardson took over and remains president today.

OTHER BUSINESSES
Grain related fields like feeds, fertilizer, stock farms. But they are also into business forms, commercial and domestic heating fuels and pipelines. And of course they are into real estate with the Lombard Place project which they built starting in 1966.

It is said that the Richardson building which was Winnipeg's first modern skyscraper was more than forty years in coming to fruition. It had been planed as an 8 storey art deco building complete with clock, but the 1929 crash and depression prevented its construction. It took another 35 years to be built and by then it had become at 32 stories the tallest building west of Toronto. Its construction signalled Winnipeg's emergence from almost 50 years of modest growth since the hey day that had ended during WW1.

PHILANTHROPY
The Richardsons are well known for their philanthropy. But they are so modest many people do not know the great extent to which they support Winnipeg cultural and artistic life.

They have always been known for innovation. And for success. And for hiring high performing people. Bill Rait is credited with the company's grain success during the 1930s. Today they employ 3,000 people and have combined assets of about $4.7 billion.

R B RUSSELL

Winnipeg's Grand Old Man of Labour

by George Siamandas

On November 24 1919 labour leader RB Russell went on trial for seditious conspiracy during the 1919 strike. Of all the participants in the strike Russell paid a high price spending a year of his two-year sentence at Stony Mountain.

Robert Boyd Russell was born in 1888 in a working class district of Glasgow Scotland. His father was a staunch socialist and he grew up a rebel. RB became immersed in the world of the socialism and shared his father's concern for social problems. In 1911, seeking better fortunes, he arrived in Winnipeg where he soon found a job as a machinist in the CPR shops. He married his childhood sweetheart who had also emigrated along with her brother and RB.

LABOUR POLITICS
He soon became involved in the Machinists union and in the Socialist Party of Canada. He was cautioned for his unpatriotic views during WW1 where he called it a capitalist war. Russell was a committed Marxist who did not believe in partial solutions offered by people like Fred Dixon, who Russell saw as weak. Conditions and pay in Winnipeg were lagging behind the cost of living. The cost of living had gone up 75% between 1913 and 1919. Average pay was $900 yet it was estimated that $1,500 was needed to feed a family. Russell helped establish half day Saturday work hours in western Canada. He believed that the working class was destined to rule the world. He railed against the more moderate reformist Winnipeg Labour Party. After the Russian revolution RB began to address his colleagues "comrade." And he worked to establish the One Big Union.

RB RUSSELL ON TRIAL
RB became the leader of the 1919 strike and was arrested. He went on trial on Nov 24. The crown was unable to prove that he had tried to bring about a Bolshevik revolution. His lawyer contended that RB had only used colourful language and that he was being taken too seriously. Revolution was just another word for change or for normal evolution. Russell was found guilty and on Christmas eve 1919 RB was sentenced to two years in prison. But first Judge Metcalfe sent RB home to celebrate Christmas with his family. The next day the police came hand cuffed him and took him to Stony Mountain. He was freed a year later on Dec 11, 1920.

Russell continued to work on the idea of the One Big Union. But it did not materialize as workers in western Canada and later in Winnipeg failed to support it. Russell ran for federal election under the Independent Labour party in 1926 in St James but was soundly defeated. He then turned his attention to organizing restaurant workers. The One Big Union officially wound up in 1956. Russell then saw appointment to the Manitoba Labour Relations Board, the Fair Wage Board, and served on community groups like the Community Chest and the Cancer Research Board.

HONOURING THE GRAND OLD MAN OF LABOUR
Russell waited a long time before his contributions to labour were recognized by the entire Winnipeg society. On Labour Day 1964, RB Russell was honoured by receiving his address of appreciation from the Manitoba Conservative Govt. Russell sat at the front of the Labour Day Parade like he had done many years before. He died a few weeks later on Sept 25, 1964.

On April 4, 1967 the cornerstone was laid on RB Russell Vocational school. The school's official opening was attended by RB's wife Margaret, daughter Margaret and son David. The Winnipeg Labour Council also unveiled a plaque to RB Russell recognizing his work as a labour leader and activist for vocational education.

BISHOP PROVENCHER

BISHOP PROVENCHER

THE FATHER OF ST BONIFACE

by George Siamandas

Joseph Norbert Provencher had been born at Nicolet Lower Canada in 1787, the son of a farmer. He came from a large family of limited means and had to wait till he was 14 years old before he could begin to attend a free primary school. He was ordained in 1811 was sent by Bishop Plessis to help establish the Roman Catholic Church at Red River in 1818. Initially, Provencher did not wish to come to Red River, questioning whether he was the right man for the job. On July 16 1818 Father Provencher together with Father Dumolin and seminarian Guilaume Etienne Edge arrived at Fort Douglas (now Point Douglas) to establish a mission east of the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers.

Lord Selkirk who had encouraged the Catholics to send the missionaries, had set aside 25 acres opposite the Forks and an area of 4 by 5 miles (20 square miles) or 13,000 acres for a new Catholic mission. Upon arrival the new comers caused quite a stir. Standing a majestic 6' 4", in his long flowing robes, Provencher was described as a most handsome man of about 300 pounds. Provencher looked larger than life. Provencher's mission was to convert the Indian nations and to "morally improve" the delinquent Christians who had "adopted the ways of the Indians." They were to also to educate the young, and assist in colonization.

And most of all, the clerics had been warned by Plessis to stay out of the war between the HBC and the North West Co. There was a lot of work to be done. In the first two weeks the clerics performed 72 baptisms. Many of these were of the Indian women the French Canadians had taken as wives. Provencher was appointed the first bishop for the north west in 1822.

PLEADING FOR HELP
Bishop Provencher spent many years trying to interest various orders of nuns and priests to come to the new settlement. But most orders were too small or were intimidated by Red River's frontier conditions, as he himself had been. Provencher persisted and looked only for truly committed priests which priests he found among the Oblates. Provencher succeeded in attracting the Grey Nuns. By the 1840s after numerous trips to Quebec and to France, Provencher was generating enough funds to do his work.

HOW EFFECTIVE WAS PROVENCHER?
He clearly succeeded in his mission. He built St Boniface into a thriving community. He gave it schools. He recruited other outstanding priests like Belcourt and Tache.
Provencher looked after St Boniface's political needs as well. As the head of the churches, starting in 1835, Bishop Provencher sat on the HBC-run Council of Assiniboia and on its Finance Committee, with merchants like Andrew McDermot.
In 1838 provencher established an industrial school for weaving that would use the wool of sheep and buffalo. Abuse of alcohol was rampant and Provencher tried to discourage the HBC's sale of liquor and beer to natives. He also railed against the conjugal lives of the settlers who took on "wives of convenience."

It was not until Father Belcourt came out to Red River in the spring of 1831 that the work amongst the natives began to bear fruit. Belcourt proved to be too independent and disagreed with Provencher and his HBC sympathies. In turn, Provencher feared Belcourt had gone too native.

This deeply moral man who believed in self denial, and had slept on a block of oak as his pillow, had succeeded in his mission during his 35 years here. Provencher had brought the Catholic church to life in Manitoba. By the time of his death they had baptised 4,309 Indians. There were 2,000 people in St Boniface of which 1,000 were Catholics. St Charles had 200, ST Norbert 900, Francis Xavier had 900, a community that had been transplanted from Pembina.

Provencher died on June 7 1853, at age 66 of apoplexy. He lies buried in a special tomb within the walls of St Boniface Cathedral. Provencher remains the spiritual father of St Boniface.

Nicholas Bawlf

Nicholas Bawlf

THE CONSUMMATE WINNIPEG GRAIN MAN

By George Siamandas

One of Winnipeg's millionaire merchants of grain, Nicholas Bawlf, was born on July 17, 1849. in Smiths Falls Ontario the son of Nicholas Bawlf and Catharine Kirby. He was educated at Smiths falls and became a moulder for an agricultural implements dealer called Cossitt Bros.

In 1877 Bawlf married Catharine Madden and they came west to Winnipeg to find their fortunes. He established a flour and feed business on Princess St and later a business dealing with rawhides. But it was in the grain business that Bawlf made his mark and his money. In the 1880s he was an early advocate for the establishment of a market or exchange. But it was not 1886 when the railway came through and a doubling of wheat being marketed through Winnipeg that others saw the logic of an exchange. In Nov 1887 Bawlf was the pilot of the group of 11- leading grain men that established the Winnipeg Grain Exchange.

After operating for several years from the basement of city hall, The Grain Exchange took up Bawlf on his offer to take free space in his Princess St building the Bawlf Block (still standing) and later developed its own grain exchange building just north along Princess (also still standing).

THE CONSUMMATE WINNIPEG GRAIN MAN
His motto had been "Be sure you are right then go ahead." In the 1890s he expanded his grain business by building elevators in at least 11 towns. But even then he recognized the importance of consolidation and in joined with four other companies to form the Northern Elevator Association. With partners he built a new company called the Northern Elevator Co which by 1900 ran 100 country elevators.

In 1909, his eldest son William joined him in the formation of a new company called N Bawlf Grain Co. From an early age Bawlf was able to read the writing on the wall. He was one of the first to see the benefits of shipping to the Pacific.

THE BAWLF FAMILY
Bawlf was described as a tall handsome man with piercing eyes and a full beard. Bawlf and his wife had 6 sons and two daughters. Bawlf and his family were active members of St Mary's Catholic Church and he was a staunch advocate for Catholics including the urging of more Catholic senators. They lived in a palatial home at 11 Kennedy St right across from govt house.

Armed with a sharp mind and keen wit Bawlf was a very prominent business figure. No one had sold more grain in the dominion. He was very popular with directorships to more than half a dozen companies including Monarch Life, great west Permanent, Bank of Toronto, Standard trust, Royal Canadian Securities, and Winnipeg's Board of trade. He also did two stints as president of the Winnipeg Grain Exchange.

After visiting the Exchange and dinner with his family Bawlf died on Boxing Day 1914 after a heart attack. He was remembered as one of those that laid the foundation of the grain trade in Winnipeg.

At one time three generations of Bawlfs were in grain. Son Eddie did not fare as well losing everything in the grain crisis of 1931. A life long bachelor who lived on the second floor of the Fort Garry Hotel, he was a gambler and eccentric. He died in 1952.

Mary Speechly

Mary Speechly

Winnipeg's First Lady of the University

By George Siamandas

Mary Speechly was born Mary Barrett in London England in 1873. Her father was a schoolmaster who wanted Mary to receive a good education. He was concerned that the local girl's school was "too feeble," and instead had her attend his boy's school. She would be the only girl among 80 boys. It was clearly not a time when the education of women was considered important. And she was denied access to higher mathematics, science, carpentry and sport.

In 1889 she won a scholarship to University College in Liverpool where she received a degree in classics. She later attended Cambridge University where women formed only 10% of the population and were not permitted degrees except through arrangements with lower colleges. She married Henry Speechly, a doctor, in 1895, and they came to Manitoba in 1901.

LIVING IN PILOT MOUND
Dr Speechly arrived at Pilot Mound 8 months ahead of Mary at a time when it was still a pioneering community. Mary had obtained training as a professional photographer and practised as Pilot Mound's only photographer for the first few years. She found taking pictures financially rewarding and a great way of meeting local people. Mary Speechly found the first few years very difficult in pioneering Manitoba with no running water, no electricity and no phone. But their house was frequently full of people. And Mary found that she had to be not only a nurse to Henry's patients but also a cook as well as patients brought their families and they sometimes stayed for hours. She educated her daughter herself till age 14.

Mary became involved with the school board and noticed that the area's young women knew nothing of cooking or sewing. She found a travelling teacher who would teach these simple homemaking skills. Mary Speechly went on to become one of the founders of the Women's Institute. She became very active in the area's Agricultural Council, played the church organ, was church treasurer and sat on many committees.

THE MOVE TO WINNIPEG
During WW1 Dr Speechly went to serve in England. By 1916 the family had moved to Winnipeg and they would reside at 232 Home St. for the rest of their lives. Dr Speechly became famous as Winnipeg's coroner and the man who in 1925 campaigned for the introduction of mosquito abatement.

In Winnipeg Mary Speechly became involved in many educational and family causes. She founded organizations like the Birth Control League, which helped improve the lives of Manitoba women. The Birth Control League was founded in October 1933. She worked tirelessly for the Red Cross, the Community Chest, and the Anglican Church. It was her work in relief where she recognized the problems brought about by large families that led to her work with the Birth Control League. It was work that at that time was against the law. She was the first woman to be appointed to serve on the Agricultural College Council in 1927. Later she continued to serve on the University's Board of Governors 1933-1947. In 1947 she received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. In 1964 the new Women's Residence at the University of Manitoba was named Speechly Hall.

THE SPEECHLY FAMILY
Mary and Dr Speechly lived at their famous white columned home where they raised three children. Their oldest son William Grove taught at Gordon Bell high School. Everyone who went to Gordon Bell in the 1960s will remember Mr. Speechly as "The Chief" and how entertaining his geography classes were for all the boys in the "Mob."

Local newspapers continued to honour Mary Speechly well into her nineties dubbing her Winnipeg's First Lady of the University. In 1963 at age 90 she was reported to still be caring for bachelor son William. She would walk a mile to do her shopping. She needed no glasses and she still had all of her teeth. She lived to 95 and died Nov 7 1968.

MARC AMABLE GIRARD

MARC AMABLE GIRARD

Manitoba's First French Canadian Premier

By George Siamandas

Marc Amable Girard, Manitoba's first and only French Canadian premier died 107 years ago Sept 12 1892. While Alfred Boyd and HJ Clarke served before him, Girard is considered the first premier under a system of responsible govt. Girard was one of Cartier's young men sent to Red River to help provide leadership to the Metis. Girard had been born on April 25 1822 in Varennes, Quebec, and the 5th of 6 children and only son of farmer Amable Girard. He trained as a notary, which he did for 26 years and had been active in land speculation. He had also been a school commissioner, municipal councillor and mayor. In politics Girard had favoured economy in spending and reduction of public debt.

ONE OF CARTIER'S YOUNG MEN
In 1870 as Manitoba became a province, Cartier asked Girard to go to Manitoba to provide leadership for the Metis. At age 48, bilingual and unmarried, Girard went west to take up the challenge, arriving in St Boniface on Aug 23 1870 along with Tache and Joseph Royal. Girard ran successfully for the new legislature and first Lieutenant Gov, Adams George Archibald seeing a need to provide French and English representation, appointed Girard treasurer and Alfred Boyd premier.

In order to make the new govt work Girard saw the need for reconciliation and hoped Riel would stay away from Manitoba. In 1871 Girard became the first Manitoban to be admitted to the Manitoba bar. And later in December he was appointed a federal senator and left his provincial seat.

GIRARD BECOMES PREMIER
After the provincial govt fell in July 1874, Girard was invited to form a govt. His govt would last half the year. At a time of growth in the English population, it was necessary to retain a balanced view. But Girard's colleague Dubuc was clearly on the French side, as president of the St Jean Baptiste society and as counsel to Riel. By December, Girard could no longer retain the confidence of the house and submitted his resignation.

SENATOR AND MLA
Girard then faced difficulties in serving both as an MLA and a senator and he failed to be nominated in the next election, losing his provincial seat. In 1878 Girard was invited by Norquay to lead the French wing and won a seat and served the Norquay govt provincial secretary and as minister of agriculture till 1883. In 1883 a new provincial law made it impossible to hold both a federal seat and a provincial seat. Girard resigned on Sept 6.

WHAT HAPPENED TO GIRARD?
Girard continued as a senator, a job he held for 21 years, and headed a senate committee on railways. But his days of influence were declining. In 1878, at age 56, Girard married a widow from Montreal who did not enjoy living in Manitoba, although at her first Winnipeg Christmas, she sang in the St Mary's choir. Her two children would inherit Girard's property in St Boniface. Girard died Sept 12 1892 in St Boniface. He is buried at St Boniface Cathedral near the tomb of Louis Riel.

GIRARD IS NOT WELL REMEMBERED
While a street in Fort Rouge was named in his honour in 1882, it was spelled incorrectly, as "Gerrard", and since then, no one has bothered to change it to the correct spelling. Further until 1970, Manitoba Archives had none of his papers and it was not until 1970, that the govt of the day spent $5,000 buying up some of his papers in Montreal. The only item in his biography file is the 1970 press release telling of the purchase of his papers.
We should be doing more to remember people like our first premier.

Louis David Riel

Louis David Riel

"The Father of Manitoba"

By George Siamandas

Louis Riel was described as a handsome, eloquent, and impatient man. Very moody and prone to depression at times. And vain. Riel was one for the few educated men in Red River. He was not a buffalo hunter and did not spend his time riding horses or doing those outdoorsy things. He served as an advisor and translator for many people. Had an incredible fondness for children giving away his money. He was always in debt to somebody. Riel House in St. Vital was the recognized Riel house according to Parks Canada, but recently a man called Maurice Prince maintains he was actually born near the junction of the Seine and Red River at Whittier Park which was the old Lagimodiere homestead.

RIEL'S PARENTS
His parents were Louis Riel Senior and Julie Lagimodiere. Julie was a daughter of Marie Anne Gaboury who gave birth to the first white child in wed lock at Red River. Louis David Riel was the oldest of their 11 children. Riel Sr had already had two previous children by a Metis woman. Riel Sr. who had been born in Northern Saskatchewan in 1817, was active in the resistance of the Hudson Bay Co's monopoly over trading. Riel Sr led the French Metis community in the 1850s and established the pattern of leadership his son would continue. He was also a wool carder or wool maker who set up an early mill on the Seine. The stones from this mill stand outside the St. Boniface Museum today. Riel Sr. met his son Louis David en route for the son to study for the priesthood in 1858, the last time they saw one another. He died in 1868.

RIEL'S EARLY YEARS
Louis David Riel was born in Red River on October 22, 1844 and was educated in St Boniface were he had been picked out for priesthood. His family was deeply religious. Riel worshipped his father and tried constantly to please him. He worked hard in school and caught the attention of the priests like Tache. In 1858 he was sent to the College of Montreal to study for the priesthood. He proved to be an erratic scholar who did well at some subjects and poorly in others and left his studies without graduating.

His father's death in 1864 plunged him into a deep depression. And in 1866 his love affair with a Marie-Julie Gueron in Montreal was stopped by her parents who did not approve of Riel's 1/8 part Indian ancestry. He moved first to Chicago and then to St Paul. In 1868 at age 24 he returned to Red River to help his widowed mother and to accomplish something with his life. This was at the time that the Federal government was trying to annex the North West to prevent Americans from taking it over. It was a most turbulent time. The buffalo had disappeared, and crops were terrible. Settlers were moving in from Ontario. The Metis and their country born cousins numbered 5,750 and 4,000 respectively vs 1,600 whites and perhaps 700 Indians rounded out the population in Red River. The Hudson Bay political control was collapsing.

Riel and the Metis were not happy with the coming changes. They feared for their land and language rights. Riel seized Upper Fort Garry (Downtown) On Nov 2 1869. Riel was also responsible for the second Rebellion in Saskatchewan in 1884.

RIEL'S WIFE
In 1881 Louis Riel married Marguerite Monet dit Bellehumeur. They lived at Sun River Montana. She is described as a timid silent woman who was very devoted to Riel and to their three children. She came from White Horse Plains, but they met in a wintering camp in the US. She was not educated. They lived a very difficult life where they had to depend on the charity of others. Their marriage is said to have been sad. Apparently Riel tried to remake her in the image of his lost love Evelina. Evelina Barnabe was from New York and a sister of a priest. She was fond of Riel and became broken hearted when he married in Red River.

Riel worked as a school teacher and trapper in Montana but was persuaded to go to Batoche to help with the North West rebellion, a replay of what had happened in Red River 14 years earlier. He was hung on Nov 15, 1884. Marguerite died of TB at St. Vital a few months after Riel was hung. They had three children.

The man who was once considered a traitor is now taking his place as the true father of Manitoba. And little by little, more and more, French Manitobans are taking pride in their Metis ancestry.

Lillian Beynon Thomas

Lillian Beynon Thomas

Writer and Social Reformer

by George Siamandas

LILLIAN BEYNON THOMAS
In the decade between 1907 and 1917 she was one of the most influential women in Canada. As a writer for the Winnipeg Free Press and the Prairie Farmer, Thomas raised the consciousness of women. She was also one of the founders of the Political Equality league which fought the Roblin govt for the right to vote.

Lillian Beynon was born Sept 4, 1874 in Kings Ontario. Her family moved to Hartney in the south west corner Manitoba in 1884. After her father's death, her family moved to Winnipeg, and she received her Normal School certificate in 1896. In the next nine years she taught in various rural Manitoba locations developing a compassion for the lives of rural women. In 1905 a time in which women were only 11% of all college graduates, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesley College and began teaching in Morden.

BECOMING A WRITER
It was John Dafoe of the Free Press who gave her a chance to write in 1907. It had been her life-long ambition. She wrote under the pseudonym Lillian Laurie and the column was called "Home Loving Hearts." Her column was not about how to be beautiful nor how to win a husband. Instead she told stories about women who had been abandoned, mistreated, and who had no legal rights to children. She began to be an advocate for social reform, for dower rights, and for temperance as she had seen how many farm families had been torn apart due to liquor. Thomas, well ahead for her times, also supported unwed mothers and illegitimate children. She soon realized that obtaining reform would come only after women had secured the right to vote for reform.

THE SUFFRAGETTE'S FIGHT
Manitoba was ahead of other provinces in lobbying for the right to vote. This was attributed to the Icelandic women that had come to Manitoba who had enjoyed the right to vote in their home country. The fight to ban the booze had started in 1885 and by 1893 the Women's Christian Temperance Union took up the voting issue.

In 1906 women who owned property were allowed to vote in municipal election. But the Manitoba government fearing they would vote in prohibition, in which the govt had a vested interest, took away their right to vote. This move strengthened women's resolve to pursue the vote. Thomas continued to write and was instrumental in the establishment of homemaker's clubs throughout Saskatchewan.

MOCK PARLIAMENT SKIT
In 1912 the Political Equality league was set up with Lillian Beynon Thomas as its first president. She helped set up a Speaker's Bureau whose members toured the province. Despite changing public support the Roblin govt refused women the right to vote and finally Lillian Beynon Thomas having seen a skit in which she decided to show thew absurdity of Roblin's reasons fro not giving the women the right to vote. The famous Mock Parliament skit at the Walker Theatre. Here the roles were reversed. Men came to women begging for the right to vote and were told that beautiful and cultured men should not receive the right to vote.

LEGISLATIVE BUILDING SCANDAL GIVES WOMEN AN OPENING
In May 1915 Roblin's govt fell after the scandal over the escalating costs of building the legislature. TC Norris the new premier promised women the vote. Lillian Beynon Thomas was also an advocate of social concerns. In 1912 she initiated a campaign to get nurses into rural areas and arranged for the exchange of care parcels between have and have not Manitobans. She gave exposure to the work of JS Wooodsworth.

WHAT HAPPENED TO LILLIAN BEYNON THOMAS
In 1917 she moved to New York with her husband AV Thomas where she studied short story writing at Columbia University. In 1922 they returned to Winnipeg were she began work for the Tribune. She also began to write plays and found great sucess in this new carreer. She died Sept 2 1961 at age 77.

JS WOODSWORTH

JS WOODSWORTH

"How God's Angry Man Became the Conscience of Canada"

by George Siamandas

James Shaver Woodsworth was elected to Parliament on Dec 6, 1921. He was a reform minded clergyman who helped initiate the social democratic movement in Canada. James Shaver Woodsworth was born in Etobicoke Ontario in July 29, 1874. He arrived in Brandon in 1885 with his family. Like his father he became a Methodist minister and was ordained in 1896. The family were United Empire Loyalists.

Woodsworth grew increasingly unhappy with his church. Woodsworth's education at Oxford and travels in England where he saw the incredible levels of poverty made him question the church's focus on spiritual issues. He saw the church as being used by the powerful and the rich for their own aims. He also saw the church behaving more and more as institution with institutional aims and ambitions. This was not the place from which to urge radical reform.

Woodsworth grew to hate capitalism and all its "brutal struggles and needless suffering." He had become an exponent of the Social Gospel and was more concerned with the real lives of people over that of their souls. He sought to establish a kingdom of god in the here and now. Woodsworth then became head of the All People's Mission in 1907. In Canada at the outbreak of WW1 he did not like the use of the pulpit to recruit men for war. By 1917 he had left the church and when he lost his job for a social research organization he went to the West Coast to work as a longshoreman.

TRADE UNION ADVOCATE
Woodsworth who now lived in BC was asked to come to Winnipeg to speak during the 1919 strike. In Winnipeg he became a strong supporter of unions and took over the publication of the Western Labour News when the original editors were imprisoned. In turn Woodsworth was arrested for preaching sedition when all he was doing is quoting from Isaiah. With the support of labour Woodsworth was elected to Parliament in 1921 for Winnipeg North centre. His slogan was "human needs before property rights." Woodsworth was very popular winning every election till his death in 1942. In 1933 he helped give birth the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and served as its first leader.

He chose to stand alone for principle. In 1939 for example, he was the only MP to vote against Canada's entry in WW2. But effective spokesmanship in Parliament was not enough to get things done. Woodsworth the pragmatist, cut a deal to support Mackenzie's shaky federal government of the day, and was rewarded with the introduction of old age pensions in 1927. Woodsworth became an expert on Parliamentary procedures and helped bring forward much other social legislation such collective bargaining, unemployment insurance and civil liberties, all initiated by his speeches in the House of Commons.

WOODSWORTH'S DARK SIDE
With the massive immigration of the 1910s Winnipeggers were concerned with the impact that all these immigrants would have. Woodsworth wrote a book on this very topical issue called "Strangers within our Gates." A strong believer in assimilation he thought that the new European immigrants were having a very hard time fitting in.

He felt some were better immigrants than others. For him the best were the British, Germans, Scandinavians and Americans. The absence of democratic traditions in eastern and southern European made these immigrants less suitable he thought. And according to Woodsworth, the Orientals and blacks were even less desirable. In 1909 he argued that Blacks should not be allowed into Canada. The irony is that he cared for all of them equally in his work. Woodsworth died in Vancouver on March 21 1942, age 68 and still a member of Parliament. His daughter Grace McInnes, is one of 6 children.

Joseph Dubuc

Joseph Dubuc

One of Riel's Wise Men from Quebec

By George Siamandas

Dubuc was a Quebecer who had been invited by Louis Riel to help run the fledgling province of Manitoba. Dubuc had been born Dec 26, 1840 in Chateauguay Quebec the oldest of 15 children. At age 18 he left home travelling to the USA in order to learn English and to find a well paying factory job. After returning to the College de Montreal where he met Louis Riel, (Riel attended from 1858 to 1865), Dubuc he entered the faculty of law at McGill. At the same time Dubuc began his life-long interest in journalism writing articles for Le Minerve.

He graduated in 1869 setting up a modest practise till invited to Manitoba the following year by Riel. Riel wrote him saying he needed "an educated assistant, a man of law, energetic and determined." It was Father Richot who had travelled to Ottawa to convince Dubuc to follow him back to Fort Garry. Dubuc arrived during the Riel rebellion. While Riel fled Manitoba, he had left Dubuc in charge of the Metis. Dubuc was a strong supporter of the Rebellion and later pleaded for amnesty for Riel.

AN ADVOCATE OF FRENCH RIGHTS
Dubuc was a strong champion of the French Catholic duality of early Manitoba. He helped direct the first census, which created 12 English and 12 French speaking districts. Dubuc continued to write for the Minerve and together with his partner Joseph Royal began Le Metis. As a lawyer, Dubuc helped the Metis pursue their land rights.

Dubuc was elected to the first legislature and played an important role helping draft the School Act of 1871. It was a tumultuous time of ill feelings between the French and the new Canadians coming from Ontario. He Dubuc served as Attorney General in Girard's short-lived govt of 1874 and helped set up the court of Queens' Bench. Dubuc also served as Speaker of the House from 1875 to 1878. In 1878 Dubuc left provincial politics for a federal seat. But his political life was nearing its end.

ENCOURAGED FRENCH IMMIGRATION TO MANITOBA
Dubuc also tried to maintain the French Canadian balance of Manitoba by being the co founder of the Society De Colonization, which helped bring 15,000 Quebecois to Manitoba between 1875 and 1880. But it was not enough as enormous English speaking migration from Ontario was underway. Soon the French language had been removed from the legislature, the civil service and the courts.

SERVICE IN THE COURTS
In 1879 Dubuc left politics to serve on the Queen's Bench. He was happy to leave the turmoil of politics. He became a man of law and enjoyed the dignity of the judiciary.
He began to distance himself from the Metis and refused to sit as an appeal judge on Riel's trial in 1885. He termed Riel a dangerous maniac and could not sit in judgement, as he knew him personally.

He left the bench in 1909 after 30 years of service and was knighted in 1912. He was the first French Canadian in western Canada to receive this honour. Dubuc enjoyed the honours he was receiving. In retirement, Dubuc was able to spend more time with his large family and could now travel more.

FAMILY LIFE
Dubuc lived in St Boniface in a modest house on Notre Dame St near Tache Ave. In 1872 he had returned to Montreal to marry Marie Anne Hennault. They had five sons and five daughters. He died Jan 7 1914 in Los Angeles and was buried at St Boniface Cathedral.

John Norquay

John Norquay

Manitoba's Only Metis Premier

by George Siamandas

Norquay had been born in a log house at the St Andrew's settlement in 1841. As a boy he hunted buffalo with his family. After he became orphaned he became the protege of Bishop David Anderson and studied classical languages at St. John's College. He was fluent in English, French, Cree and Saulteax.

He was descended from a long line of Hudson Bay Co employees and was from the original group of Selkirk settlers. He had many talents having already worked as a teacher, farmer, trapper. merchant, and fur trader. Norquay was the first Metis to be elected premier. Big John as he was called was a giant of a man estimated at about 300 pounds, and all muscle.

He was elected by acclamation at age 29 as the representative of High Bluff to Manitoba 's first legislature in 1870. The following year he became a cabinet minister.
He never lost an election but once won by only one vote. He often told the story of how an escaped bull had treed a Liberal voter on his way to the polls. Norquay became premier in 1878 after R A Davis' retirement. His political career spanned the period of time in which Manitoba went from a fur trading area of 17,000 to an agricultural area of 120,000. He was so eloquent he could command the attention of even his opponents. He was a skilled orator who called for understanding between the Catholics and the Protestants.

Norquay gave stability during a time of great change. His portfolio saw him building Manitoba's first roads, bridges and public buildings. While he started as a representative of the English mixed bloods, his moderate stance saw him receiving wider support. Unfortunately he had already made an enemy of Schultz.

His years in government between 1870 and 1887 saw major development of the province and a demand for more schools, public works, land drainage and for better and cheaper transportation services. Govt spending went from $90,000 in 1876 to $700,000 in 1886. His cabinets were competent and he obtained favourable treatment from Ottawa.

He lost all his money in a coal company that went bankrupt while he was premier. In his last years in government Norquay became embroiled in a railway scandal that would not go away. And he was being continually screwed by John A Macdonald.

In 1887 Norquay's Conservative government was defeated by Thomas Greenway but Norquay continued as leader till his death. Norquay died at the young age of 48 of peritonitis. July 8, 1889 marked the funeral of John Norquay Manitoba's only Metis premier.

When Norquay died he was credited with having been the only MLA to have been continuously an MLA since Manitoba became a province. He was the last political link between the old Red River Society and the new emerging Manitoba. He was also credited with having made party politics acceptable in Manitoba.

JOHN HIRSCH

JOHN HIRSCH

Winnipeg's Man of Theatre

By George Siamandas

JOHN HIRSCH
John Hirsch, legendary cofounder of the Manitoba Theatre Centre was born in Hungary on May 30, 1930 in a small village called Siofok. Hirsch had been born to an upper middle class cultured Jewish family. He pursued higher education in Budapest were he lived with his grandfather. During WW2 they were confined to a Jewish ghetto which his grandfather did not survive. After the Russians released Hirsch, he tried to find his parents but discovered they had perished at Auschwitz.

He decided to leave Hungary in 1946 and ended up in a United Nations relief camp in Germany were he passed the time by producing puppet shows. Later he lived in a Jewish orphan's camp in France before being brought to Canada by the Canadian Jewish Congress.

HOW HE CAME TO WINNIPEG
He chose to come to Winnipeg because he felt its central geographic location would make it safe from potential invasions. He was one of 1000 children refugees brought to Canada.

THE SHACK FAMILY
The Shack family had indicated its wish to take a young child. In fact they took in two teen-age boys. It was only to be for two weeks. John and David lived with the Sasha, Polly and Sybil Shack family and saw Sybil as his sister. He went to work as an office boy with Aronovitch and Leipsic a real estate and insurance firm. At night he went to school to learn English. Tutored by Sybil Shack a schoolteacher, Hirsch obtained his high school matriculation and went to University to study English.

A GENIUS
Sybil Shack describes him as a genius. A man who knew what he wanted to do right from the beginning. A quick student. But somewhat emotional and hyper. He hurt many feelings. People either loved him or hated him. His explosive temper was not reserved only for actors. He once called Maitland Steinkopf the father of the Centennial Centre development "Moose-headed."

EARLY THEATRE
Hirsch helped found the Winnipeg Little Theatre or Theatre 77 as it was known for its address at site where the Lombard Inn and parking lot is today.

Sybil had taught him to drive. And while he failed his first driver's test, he continued to drive his old Hillman to his evening rehearsals at Rainbow Stage or wherever he needed to go. One morning two policemen came to the house and after enjoying coffee and cinnamon buns while he got dressed, arrested him for a large number of unpaid parking tickets. On another they came to the house about his illegal (at the time) relationships with men.

Hirsch lived with the Shacks the entire time he lived in Winnipeg. He was chided only on two occasions: once fore leaving out the dog all day and another time fore bringing unkosher sausage to the house. And he never once offered to do any snow shovelling.

WORK FOR CBC
Hirsch started to do television for CBC in 1954. His work would take him all over North America. But no matter where he was he would call home to his Mother Shack every Sunday. Hirsch died on August 13 1989 of aids at age 58.

JOHN W DAFOE

JOHN W DAFOE

The newspaper man with ink in his blood

by George Siamandas

DAFOE THE NEWSPAPERMAN
John Dafoe is the celebrated editor in chief of the Winnipeg Free Press between 1902 and his death in 1944. Dafoe was a well known Liberal supporter who did not hesitate to criticize the party when it strayed from its Liberal principles. John Dafoe the legendary newspaperman is reputed to have had ink in his blood.

John Wesley Dafoe grew up a farm boy who was brought up as a Tory and Orangeman. His parents were from United Empire stock that came up from the US. Dafoe was born on March 6, 1866 in Combermere Ontario where he gained only a high school education. He was considered awful at grammar and spelling, even later as the editor of the Free Press.

HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENT
Dafoe's first assignment as a cub reporter with the Montreal Star was to help expose a crooked clothing store. The Star suspected the clothier was drawing in farm boys fresh into the city, showing them and charging them for a fine suit, but substituting a cheap one when it came time to pick it up. Young Dafoe, the farm boy from Ontario seemed the perfect bait. And indeed, his experience was as expected, the police were called, and the Montreal Star exposed the store's wickedness in a four day special series.

Dafoe went on to bigger better things reporting on Parliament. Listening to John Blake's eloquence, the young Tory was immediately converted to Liberalism. Dafoe rose quickly in journalism. At age 17 he was the Montreal Star's parliamentary reporter during a time Parliament was still lit with gaslights.

At 19 he was editor of the Ottawa Evening Journal. Dafoe joined the Free Press at age 20 in 1886 and stayed for 6 years. During this time Winnipeg had a population of 20,000 but Dafoe marvelled that it had four newspapers and he was glad to be with the best. After another stint in the east Dafoe returned to take over the Manitoba free Press in 1901 and ran it for the next 43 years.

Reflecting on his 60 year career and referring to that fateful offer to be editor of the Free Press, Dafoe remarked that took him only a millionth of a second to decide to take what he considered as the best job in the world. His boss, publisher of the Free Press, Clifford Sifton was a strong willed and autocratic man with whom Dafoe often differed on politics. Yet a kind of common view emerged.

DAFOE THE PROPHET OF INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
While the Free press was a regional paper it had influence all over the west and was read in Ottawa. Dafoe had a great interest in international affairs and his paper gave them wide coverage. Before WW2 the Winnipeg Free Press was considered the most influential paper in Canada. He believed that a newspaper should be an advocate of things it believes are right even if they are unpopular views. He was the first voice to criticise the Munich agreement of 1938 and of British PM Chamberlain's appeasement of Adolph Hitler. He knew it would only lead to war.

Dafoe was staunch free-enterpriser and was very critical of unions especially during the 1919 strike but during the depression his views on economics became more moderate. He was a fierce advocate of free trade and of individual initiative.

Dafoe was well respected and well liked at the Free Press. But it was noted that he never uttered a word of praise. He was described as the quiet lonely man who worked tirelessly to get the story right. He received a doctor of laws degree but felt uncomfortable with the title.

Dafoe married Alice in 1890. Members of Dafoe's family, including Dafoe's daughter Elizabeth Dafoe, and grandson Christopher Dafoe, have gone on to become significant personalities in their own right. John Dafoe died on Jan 9, 1944.

Hugh John Macdonald

Hugh John Macdonald

Manitoba's Reluctant Politician

by George Siamandas

HUGH JOHN MACDONALD
On January 8, 1900, Hugh John Macdonald, son of Canada's first Prime Minister became Manitoba's ninth premier. He was born in Kingston Ontario in 1850 to John and Isabella Macdonald. But his mother died at age seven and as his dad was busy with his political career. Hugh John Macdonald was raised by his aunts.

He attended the University of Toronto but instead of following the wishes of his dad who wanted him to become a lawyer, Hugh John came west with the Wolseley expedition in 1870. Hugh John had shown an early interest in the military and while still only 16, had served in the Prince of Wales Militia during the 1866 Fenian Raids. Later in 1885, he served as a captain in the Winnipeg Rifles which were active in the North West Rebellion. But Hugh John did return to Toronto in the 1970s and trained as a lawyer joining his father's firm. In 1882 he returned to Winnipeg to begin his practise of law.

NOT A NATURAL POLITICIAN LIKE HIS DAD
It seems Hugh John did not share his father's passion for politics. He ran for a federal seat in 1891 and did win but he did so very reluctantly and did not wish to seek re-election. He felt that politics was distasteful. Rodmond Roblin wanted to capitalize on Hugh John's popularity and persuaded him to run for the conservatives and rebuild their weak party in the mid 1890s. He took over the conservative party in 1897 and the conservatives won the 1899 election. Hugh John became premier in 1900 at age 50, but served only until October 29 of that year resigning to contest a federal election against Clifford Sifton. He lost and subsequently left public life. One could almost think that he was not unhappy to be out of public life.

A TRAGIC FIGURE
Hugh John had a son called John Alexander, born in 1905. The boy who was called Jack died at age 19 of diabetes, and Hugh John resorted to drinking heavily. The family left Winnipeg for a while. In 1911 his friends helped him become a police magistrate, a position he handled compassionately. His health was poor and he lost a leg to erysipelas (circulatory problem) in 1927 and had to be carried into court by police officers. He died in 1929 of an infection. Hugh John was appointed to the Commission on the legislative building scandal and his presence on the commission reassured Winnipeg that the truth would come out. Hugh John tried to live down the image of his father. He was knighted in 1913. Hugh John was noted for his trust worthiness. And he was recognized as being very benevolent to youth. After his death in 1929, Sir Hugh John Macdonald Memorial Youth Hostel was established. It is now called Macdonald Youth Services.

61 CARLTON PART OF HUGH JOHN'S LEGACY TO WINNIPEG
Dalnavert was built in 1895, with Charles Wheeler as architect. It cost $10,000 a price ten times the average cost of a home. The family lived there continuously till 1929. Daughter Isabella got married in 1915 and died in 1959. She had two sons one of which is Hugh Gainsford. Little is known about the family's life there. In fact of the elaborate furnishings at Dalnavert, only two pieces are really the family's: a sofa and a china cabinet.

RECOLLECTIONS FROM GRANDSON GEORGE GAINFORD
George Gainsford is the grandson of Hugh John Macdonald and is a volunteer at Dalnavert Museum, 61 Carlton Street. Hugh John's first wife, Jean Murray King, died in Kingston. Hugh John remarried before returning to Winnipeg in 1882. His second wife's name was Agnes Getrude Van Koughnet. They had two children John and Isabella. Isabella Mary, married George K Gainsford a civil engineer. Their son is George Gainsford.

VISITING GRANDDAD AT DALNAVERT IN THE 1920s
George Gainsford recalls visiting his grandparents in their home, in an old Overland and later an old Dodge. It was a long drive from their Thompson drive home. Would go with his mother. Grandfather nice. Sometimes visited him in the Boyd Building. On most visits granddad would squeeze a quarter into his grandson's hand. Granddad advised him not to go into politics.

The setting at Dalnavert was very Victorian, and Gainsford remembers having to behave according to the Victorian notion that children should be seen and not heard.
Gainsford described his grandmother like the "step mother in cinderella". She liked high society. She had to be with the right crowd. "Very hoity toidy." Mr Gainsford was 13 when his grandfather Hugh John died. He remembers that big funeral at the Legislature; hundreds of people came by.

Henry Joseph Clarke

Henry Joseph Clarke

The Mystery of Manitoba's 1st Attorney General

By George Siamandas
© George Siamandas

INTRODUCTION
On December 5 1873 Manitoba's first legislature burned down. A book written in 1923 suggests Attorney General Henry Joseph Clarke was responsible for the fire. Clarke served in the govt of 1871 to 1874 as Manitoba's 1st Attorney General.


HENRY JOSPEH CLARKE
Clarke was born July 7 1833 in Donegal Ireland, son of Francis Clarke. His parents immigrated to Montreal when he was 3, where Clarke received his education. Clarke became a criminal lawyer in 1855 and practised law till 1858. He then went to work as a journalist on the California Gold Rush. There he learned Spanish and moved to El Salvador where he became interested in Central American curios. Clarke returned to Montreal to work as defence counsel in the early 1860s.

He served as a captain of the Volunteer rifles during the Fenian raids of 1866.
In 1867 Clarke was named a QC and came out in Nov 1870 as a builder of Manitoba's first govt and served along with MA Girard, A Boyd and Thomas Howard. He came to Manitoba under the encouragement of George Etienne Cartier and Bishop Tache. Clarke was a Conservative, a Roman Catholic, and bilingual.

Clarke was elected by acclamation to the first Legislature representing St Charles. He was an eloquent speaker and led many of the debates giving the impression that he was the first premier.

MYSTERY MAN
For some reason Clarke frequently found himself in trouble. And was frequently under criticism. Lieut. Gov Archibald found him difficult and demanding. Archibald wrote to Macdonald that Clarke wanted to become head of all legal matters in Manitoba including controlling who became a lawyer and by wanting to establish a Supreme Court in Manitoba. Morris who succeeded Archibald as Lieut. Gov continued to find Clarke difficult, as he now wanted to be declared premier of Manitoba. Clarke was a further embarrassment to the govt by leaving his wife for a married woman.

Clarke became a spokesman for the Metis that did not support Riel. This put him in direct conflict with Joseph Royal and they appeared in court opposite one another as with Ambroise Lepine where Clarke acted for the crown and Royal for the defence.
Clarke left Manitoba in 1873 and went to California. Enroute, the Minneapolis Police Chief almost beat him to death because years earlier Clarke had imprisoned him for kidnapping Lord Gordon Gordon from Manitoba. Clarke returned in 1877 to practise law again.

DEFENDER OF METIS IN 1885 REBELLION
Clarke defended a group of Metis in the Saskatchewan Rebellion of 1885. He was eloquent and described his defendants who were approximately 150 children that they were innocent and had been "merely creatures of circumstances" and "children of the plains."

MANITOBA'S FIRST PREMIER?
Another point of debate is whether Clarke was the first premier. Early sources suggest he was but Manitoba scholars believe Boyd was the first.

Clarke has three streets named after him: Henry, Joseph and Clarke. He liked antiques and liked to live in hotels including the Clarendon Hotel. (Now A&B Sound). Clarke married but had none of his own children. He died Sept 13 1889 on a CPR train enroute to Medicine Hat. He was buried in Pembina North Dakota, but his wife later moved his grave to Seattle.

DR. GORDON BELL

DR. GORDON BELL

Manitoba's Titan of Medicine

By George Siamandas
© George Siamandas

GORDON BELL
Dr Gordon Bell was Winnipeg's first bacteriologist. He was born in Pembroke Ontario in 1863. He received an MA from the University of Toronto and then came to Manitoba Medical College where he graduated as a brilliant student in 1890. He took postgraduate work in Vienna. He was noted for having a photographic memory.

Bell faced an early personal tragedy. He contracted typhoid fever and had to have a leg amputated. It barely affected his active lifestyle and Bell was a noted outdoorsman as well as a colossus of medicine.

PHYSICIAN, TEACHER, BACTERIOLOGIST AND
BUILDER OF MANITOBA'S PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES
Bell became the first superintendent of the Brandon Mental Hospital. In 1897 he was appointed the Manitoba's first bacteriologist and for years did all the work himself, founding the Provincial Bacteriological Laboratory.

Decades ahead of his time, Bell suggested the initiation of North America's first public health nursing program, and introduced measures to control venereal diseases. Bell faced various epidemics including small pox, diphtheria, salmonella, polluted water and milk.

Bell was also a highly regarded teacher at the Medical College, and an inspiration to his students. During the turn of the century Bell was virtually Manitoba's one man public health officer. He established the tuberculosis sanatorium in Ninette and devised the public health act.

Bell was also available on Sundays to doctors who came to his office for consultations on medical problems they were facing. Bell 's wife referred to the group the "fugitives from a church pew" and "the ungodly ones."

BELL THE ROUNDED MAN
He was cheerful, cultured, and humble. He loved gardening. He valued books and music more than anything else. He was never driven by money and was always helping someone. He built a shooting lodge on the marshes of Lake Manitoba and had a cottage at Fox Lake. He won the trap skeet shooting competition of Manitoba.

THE MYSTERY OF GORDON BELL SCHOOL
Gordon Bell School was named after him Nov 12, 1926. Its location was that of the present Mulvey School at Maryland and Wolseley. In 1960 the name Gordon Bell was transferred to the newly built high school located at Maryland and Broadway Ave.

AN EARLY DEATH
Bell died in the prime of life on Aug 8, 1923. He had been called to Brandon in the summer of 1923 to consult on several virulent cases of a streptococcal sore throat infection. Bell caught the disease and died in 48 hours. His death at age 60 was a tragic loss and he was mourned as "Winnipeg's most loved doctor." Bell was buried at Elmwood cemetery.

SON IN HIS FOOTSTEPS
His son Dr Lennox Bell was one of the founders of the Winnipeg Clinic and the first full time Dean of Medicine.

GEORGE CHAMPION

George Champion

Major Developer of Winnipeg's Parks System

by George Siamandas

In the early 1900s Winnipeg civic leaders were embarking on one of their most prosperous decades. They wanted to do things well in all areas of civic improvement and this applied to the rapidly expanding collection of urban parks. The city had just acquired the land for Assiniboine Park and in 1907, they wanted to put someone very capable in charge of parks. In response to their advertisements all over the US and Canada they received 40 applications. The most suitable applicant was a promising young man from Toronto called George Champion. He had great references, and excellent training obtained in England. This candidate looked so good, that Mayor James Ashdown travelled to Toronto to interview him. Ashdown was so impressed he hired him on the spot.

It was under Champion that the plans for Assiniboine Park which had been designed by Frederick G Todd of Montreal were realized. Starting in 1907 what had been an old dairy farm, the Monroe Pure Milk Company, became Winnipeg's major urban park. It had cost a mere $39,00 to acquire 290 acres. Parks staff began work on the park by creating roads, clearing bush and seeding the area for the childrens' meadow behind the pavilion. In 1908 they excavated the duck pond and built the first Pavilion. And on Victoria Day 1909 Assiniboine Park had its the official opening.

Champion had envisioned a system of parks throughout the city connected by scenic drives and parkways. He urged buying land in the north for the creation of Kildonan Park. The city fathers were so pleased with his ability that he was placed in charge of the design of Kildonan, and in 1911 this park was begun. Champion was a visionary and had encouraged the upgrading of the of old river road going up to St. Andrews. And to save money during the lean years of 1917 and 1918 when he was developing the fairways of the Kildonan Golf Course, he proposed that a flock of sheep be employed to help keep the weeds down and the grass trimmed.

In George Champion the city had hired a man of great energy, vision, a wide ranging knowledge of horticulture and simple good taste. Champion would work for the city for the next 28 years.

GEORGE ARMSTRONG

GEORGE ARMSTRONG

The Radical Orator of Market Square

by George Siamandas

No event has polarized Winnipeg more than the 1919 strike. On May 15, 1919, 12,000 union members walked off their jobs and were joined by another 12,000 unorganized workers, effectively shutting down all business activity in Winnipeg. "Thursday May 15, 1919 is a date that will live long in the history of Winnipeg" declared the leaders of the Winnipeg General Strike.

In less than two hours the whole productive industry of an entire city was tied up. Not a wheel was turning in the big plants, not a street car was visible. Workers were convinced that their cause of improved wages, the right to bargain as large groups and to organize politically were just causes. Businessmen and government leaders felt they were seeing the beginning of a revolution and an effort to establish Bolshevism.

The youngest of four children, George Armstrong had been born on a farm near Scarborough, Ontario in 1874. His parents were of United Empire Loyalist stock. Armstrong moved to Winnipeg in 1905. He worked as a master carpenter and rose to become business agent of the carpenters' union during WW1. He was also one of the founders of the Socialist Party of Canada.

How Armstrong became a socialist after being brought up on the farm was a mystery according to RB Russell. Armstrong was a Marxist who saw revolution inevitable. He saw a growing gap between the rich and poor and preached opposition to all forms of private property as a way of abolishing exploitation of the workers. He believed that the capitalist system had to be replaced and could not be reformed. Armstrong did not find common ground with moderates and had nothing but scorn for anyone who thought they could improve capitalism. Armstrong actually expected the working class to rise up and take over the levers of power in Winnipeg. But he never preached violence.

He was a "rough and tough kind of speaker, always handing out the Marxist line" according to Fred Tipping. "A big man with a voice to match." And when Armstrong tired, his wife Helen would take over with "her shrill anti-capitalist vituperation."

Mrs Helen Armstrong was also active in union activity and had helped organize the retail sales clerks. She had been born Helen Jury, the daughter of a socialist tailor from Toronto. Helen served on the Winnipeg Women's Labour League and worked on the General Strike Committee.

Armstrong was under police surveillance and on June 17, 1919 he was arrested. His house on Edmonton St was searched. The police found no guns; just some revolutionary literature. After the strike Armstrong was charged with seditious conspiracy, brought to trial and was imprisoned along with John Queen, William Ivens, RE Bray, Richard Johns, William Pritchard and RB Russell. Armstrong's lawyer had pleaded for British justice and the freedom of expression. He asserted that Armstrong could not have lead such a diverse collection of people such as are found in the labour movement. Armstrong was found guilty of sedition and sentenced to a year on a Manitoba prison farm.

One of the jail guards was overheard referring to Armstrong's group in jail: "Seditious conspiracy? My god you fellows can't agree on any one point." Upon release he took the seat to the Manitoba legislature to which he, Ivens and Queen had been elected. Armstrong was elected as the only Socialist Party of Canada member to sit as an MLA till 1922.

After the mid twenties the Armstrongs faded away from labour activity. His entire family including his three daughters and their families moved to Chicago en masse. In 1945 he and his wife retired to Victoria. Helen died in 1947, George lived to 86 and died in 1956 in California. Did the authorities over react in the 1919 Winnipeg Strike? Had Armstrong been a threat to peace and order? Would he be a threat today? What role did the strike play in the decline of Winnipeg?