It's Yesterday Once More III

This is another one of my favourite Canada Vignettes by the National Film Board of Canada. This animated vignette is about the role of Thomas Spence in the formation and demise of the Republic of Manitoba at Portage la Prairie in 1867-68.

During this time the future province was still part of Rupert's Land, a territory owned by the Hudson's Bay Company(HBC). It was soon to become a part of the Northwest Territories when Canada purchased Rupert's Land from the HBC in 1869.

As Portage la Prairie had no government, laws or taxation at the time, Spence and a group of local settlers wrote to Queen Victoria asking for recognition as a political entity. There was no reply. Spence organized the community as the "Republic of Caledonia" in January 1868. The name was later changed to the Republic of Manitobah[sic].

The republic never had clearly defined borders, and could not persuade local HBC traders to pay their taxes. By late spring 1868, the Republic had been informed by the Colonial Office in London that its government had no power. The Republic's problems were compounded by misappropriation of tax funds, and a botched treason trial. The Republic of Manitobah collapsed before it had a chance to blossom.

Thomas Spence served in the council for Louis Riel's Provisional Government, whose actions led to the formation of the Province of Manitoba within the Dominion of Canada on May 12, 1870.

Enjoy!