In 1870, Louis Riel and those who fought alongside him insisted that the rights of their descendants be protected. Specifically, the Manitoba Act promised 1.4 million acres of land to the Métis. Decades later, less than 10% of that land had made its way into the hands of Métis families. What happened to the rest of it? In this episode we'll be talking about Métis scrip: perplexing government policies, deliberate fraud, and the men who got rich from the whole fiasco.

We're back! Did you miss us? We've compiled a collection of advice letters from the early 1940s about the pressing issues of the day: how do girls learn more about 'necking', are cigarettes a gateway drug to divorce, and should a woman leave traps for her husband to see if he's cheating?

A live podcast recorded on November 8, 2023 - aka Winnipeg's 150th birthday!

Is this the most star studded episode of One Great History ever? We've got Al Simmons, Carter Chen, Fred Penner, Gramma Shingoose, John K. Samson, Katharena Vermette, Michael Redhead Champagne, Ron Robinson, and Rosemary Barton!

Originally from Wikwemikong First Nation, Daphne Odjig came to Winnipeg in 1970 and opened Canada's first-ever indigenous-owned gallery. In this episode we discuss Daphne's art, the path that brought her to Winnipeg, and the impact of her life. Thank you to Franchesca Hebert-Spence for her input on this episode! Currently residing in Inuvik, the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Franchesca is Anishinaabe (member of Sagkeeng First Nation) from Winnipeg, Manitoba, her grandmother Marion Ida Spence was from Sagkeeng First Nation, on Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba. Hebert-Spence has worked as a cultural producer with a background in making, curating, research, and administration. She has described her curatorial practice as “snacks and chats,” the foundation of which stems from Ishkabatens Waasa Gaa Inaabateg, Brandon University Visual and Aboriginal Arts program. She is the Curator of Indigenous Ceramics at the Gardiner Museum in Toronto, and previously the Curatorial Assistant within the Indigenous Art Department at the National Gallery of Canada. She is a PhD candidate in Cultural Mediations (Visual Culture) at Carleton University, examining the presence of guest/host protocols within Indigenous methodological practices with a focus on visual art in Canada.

In 1976, a man got a parking ticket in Saint Boniface. The events that followed would challenge the foundations of Manitoba's laws, and the tolerance of Manitobans for their neighbours. In this episode we discuss Georges Forest and his quest for francophone rights. Thank you to Raymond Hébert and Roger Bilodeau for their input on this episode, and to Annie Langlois for her great archival finds!

Stephen Juba was a mayor who loved a gimmick. And it paid off for him - despite a contentious reputation and attempts to oust him from the mayoral seat, he remained popular enough to serve nine consecutive terms over 20 years.

The 1950s were a busy time for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. They performed for the Royal Visit in 1951, launched several tours across Canada and the United States, were filmed by the National Film Board - and then, of course, there was the fire. Behind it all was the ballet's founders and managers, Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Hay-Farraly.

Thomas George Prince was always a man willing to leap into action. It's what made him save Ernest Pollard from drowning in the Red River in 1955, made him enlist in both the Second World War and Korean War, and travel to Ottawa in 1947 to advocate for Indigenous rights in Canada. This episode discusses residential schools, PTSD, military service, addiction and homeless. Please take care when listening. A huge thank you to Shauna Mulligan for sharing her knowledge and experiences in this episode! The Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 Veterans Association of Canada Assistance Service Support Line: 1-800-268-770 Consider donating to the Main Street Project, Resource Assistance for Youth or other community health organizations if you have the means.

In the 1930s, new ideologies flourished in the face of global economic crisis. Jacob Penner, a local communist activist, was elected to Winnipeg City Council in 1933 and remained in that position for many years, advocating for increased relief in the darkest years of the Great Depression. Despite his radical proclivities, Penner was respected by many of his less radical colleagues. In this episode we discuss municipal politics during the 1930s (we promise this is more interesting than it sounds) and Penner’s complicated legacy. Listen to Sabrina's previous episode on the Battle at Market Square to learn more about the rise of fascism in Winnipeg during this period.

If you haven't heard of Lewis Benjamin Foote, you've almost certainly seen his work. That iconic photo from 1919 of a toppled streetcar? That was Lew. If you've seen old photos of North End slums or the construction of the Fort Garry Hotel, those were his too. For decades, Foote captured the public and private lives of Winnipeggers. In this episode, we talk about the less-than-roaring 20s seen through the eyes of L.B. Foote. If you want to follow along with the photos we looked at during this episode, flip through the album on onegreathistory dot wordpress dot com! All photos are from the Foote Fonds at the Manitoba Archives.

In the eighth episode of our One Great 150 series, we talk about John Robinson, a railcar porter and labour activist who founded one of the first black-led unions in North America. We discuss the exclusion of black workers from railway unions, the creation of the Order of Sleeping Car Porters, and how Robinson's union responded to the Winnipeg General Strike. Project funded in part by the Winnipeg Foundation’s Centennial Institute Grant, the Province of Manitoba’s Heritage Grant, and the Winnipeg Free Press.

In 1917, Helen Armstrong burst onto the labour scene. A passionate and opinionated speaker, dedicated to the labour movement, she quickly became a voice for working women in Winnipeg in a time of rapid social change and growing labour movements.

En route to a military training camp at the start of the First World War, Winnipeg veterinarian Harry Colebourn purchased a baby black bear cub for $20 from a hunter on a train platform and named her Winnipeg. She quickly become the darling of the Canadian Veterinary Corps and the rest of the troops at Salisbury Plains, and when Colebourn left her at the London Zoo for safekeeping she became a favourite for zoo visitors. Including A.A. Milne and his young son, Christopher Robin.

In the fifth episode of our One Great 150 series, we talk about Margaret Scott, an early Winnipeg philanthropist and purveyor of the social gospel. We discuss just how gross Winnipeg was at the turn of the century, and whether organizations like the Margaret Scott Nursing Mission succeeded in making it less so. Thank you to Dr. Esyllt Jones for her help on this episode! Visit onegreathistory.wordpress.com for more info

Buckle up folks, it's the big moment: Winnipeg is about to become a city. And rushing headfirst to the mayoral race is Francis Evans Cornish, local lawyer and known drunk. Surely everything will go well.

In episode three of our One Great 150 series, we cover the Red River Resistance by following the path of Elzéar Goulet, a mail carrier who became a leader in Louis Riel's Métis armed forces and, ultimately, was one of six men who decided the fate of Thomas Scott. Though Goulet was a player in many of the key moments of the resistance, the most lasting impact of his story may have been the tragedies that followed in the wake of his death. Thank you to Jean Teillet, author of The North-West is Our Mother, for her help in this episode. Her full interview can be found on our Patreon page.

The summer of 1850 saw the Red River Colony embroiled in scandal. Captain Christopher Foss was sueing several residents of Upper Fort Garry for defamation after they'd accused Sarah Ballenden (the Metis wife of the Chief Factor, and functionally the first lady of the fort) of having an affair. Social lines were drawn within the colony, highlighting the divides that been steadily growing over the past decade. Support the show on Patreon! For $5 a month you also get access to our bonus episodes, including post 150 episode discussions on sources and what we had to leave out. Thanks to the Winnipeg Free Press and the Manitoba Historical Society for their support! You can check out a brief write up of the episode in the Winnipeg Free Press. About One Great 150: The premise is simple: 15 people, 150 years. With 16 episodes leading up November 9th, 2023 - the 150th anniversary of the signing of Winnipeg's incorporation papers.

Welcome to the first episode of One Great 150, folks! We're beyond excited to get this project going and to have you along for the ride. And to kick things off, we're starting with Chief Peguis! The Red River Valley that Peguis arrived into was one already marked with the scars of the fur trade, and he quickly established himself as a skilled leader, hunter, and warrior in the area. Over his summers spent at his camp near Kildonan Park, Peguis would witness the comings and goings of countless new arrivals: Cuthbert Grant, returned home after many years away, the Selkirk Settlers, the Selkirk Settlers coming back, and Lord Selkirk - who Peguis would sign the Peguis-Selkirk of 1817 with. A huge thank you to Niigan Sinclair and Allen Sutherland for speaking to us about Peguis! If you want to hear the interviews in full (and you should, they're great), you can check them out for free on our Patreon - available here. For $5 a month you also get access to our bonus episodes, including post 150 episode discussions on sources and what we had to leave out. Thanks to the Winnipeg Free Press and the Manitoba Historical Society for their support! You can check out a brief write up of the episode in the Winnipeg Free Press. About One Great 150: The premise is simple: 15 people, 150 years. With 16 episodes leading up November 9th, 2023 - the 150th anniversary of the signing of Winnipeg's incorporation papers.

Happy Hanukkah! This December, we explore some historic Hanukkah celebrations in Winnipeg, including a potato-grating contest and a questionable fruit salad. We are also joined by Belle Jarniewski from the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, who tells us a little bit about the history of the holiday and its significance for Winnipeg's Jewish community.