There was a census conducted in Manitoba in 1885 which I had a look at today.
About a third of the population was born in Ontario. In some ways southwestern Manitoba was an extension of southwestern Ontario with its "Clear Grit" politics. Just as SW Ontario was a bastion of support for the United Farmers of Ontario/Progressives, SW Manitoba supported the Liberal-Progressives. In Manitoba, there was never a tradition of "agrarian socialism" or farmer-labor politics like there was in Saskatchewan for the CCF in the 1940s.
In 1885, Manitoba was about 10% French or Metis origin, and one tenth German (8% of the population was Mennonite).
Fewer Americans ever settled in Manitoba as it wasn't part of the "last best west" like Saskatchewan and Alberta were.
Last edited by Docere; Feb 17, 2016 at 3:30 AM.
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