Notes from John

Reminder of what is involved in this western vision:

We begin with Riel, his surrender in May of 1885, and all communication circumstances surrounding the putting down of the Northwest Rebellion. But we must also be concerned with the consequences which are integral to the process: namely the resettlement of the Canadian Prairie. In the case of certain portions of Saskatchewan (See Bill Waiser’s book on Saskatchewan) and Alberta, the High River areas (Paul Voisey, High River and the Times); there is a two-step sequence of resettlement: first ranching, then wheat +mixed farming. The latter generates a different relationship to the land, a different ordering of elements in space and hence of infrastructure in space: including communication infrastructure: post offices, means of conveying mail, telegraph, telephone, newspapers…



The Last Spike

It might be interesting to know more about communication events surrounding the last spike in the fall of 1885. Check out Pierre Berton and also contemporary descriptions. Maybe a little something re the trial of Louis Riel. A propos I have a couple of books loaned by our plains ethnologist (Morgan Baillargeon): George R.D. Goulet The Trial of Louis Riel; Chester Brown, Louis Riel. A Comic-Strip Biography. There is more stuff out there than this.



Objects:

The CMC may be receiving some firearms that pertain to Batoche. I suggest you have a look at the Métis sections of the displays either in the Canada Hall, or in the First Nations display. I am not sure what they have at the Canadian War Museum. There there is the Mountie Museum out west….