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A Look at the Provinces, Part III: Saskatchewan

© David Newman

This is the third article in the series. Saskatchewan is the province east of Alberta. It has an area of 661, 190 square kilometers and has a population of 990 237 people (1996 census). The Capital is Regina. It along with Alberta joined in 1905.

The Climate in Saskatchewan, much like Alberta is Dry Continental to the South and Cold Continental to the rest, which means the summers are hot and the winters are damned cold. The Area is a 652,330 square kilometer flat prairie (actually there is some sort of elevation to the north).

The Hudson's Bay Company first sent people in Saskatchewan in 1690 but was only really explored by Sieur de la Verendrye in 1730. After certain treaties, the territory belonged to the Bay until it was sold to Canadian Government, as part of the North West Territories in 1870. At that point, more and more farming settlements appeared in Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan, along with Alberta became provinces of the Dominion of Canada in 1905. The Farming population grew even more at that point. In the Prairies there was nothing else to do except farming at that time. The Depression and the War were hard times for Saskathewanians and they elected the Cooperative Commonwelth Federation (CCF) in 1944 and stayed in office until 1964 (at which point they had changed their name to New Democratic Party). The Discovery of Oil in the 1970's helped Saskatchewan's economy like the other Prairie Provinces.

Wheat is the most important part of Saskatchewan's economy but Barley and Rye are other crops cultivated in Saskatchewan. In fact Saskatchewan is the most important wheat growing area in North America. Saskatchewan's economy relied on Agriculture until Oil was found in the 70's.

More than a quarter of the total population of the province of Saskatchewan lives in either Saskatoon or Regina. The rest live mainly near the American Border because of the richer soil for good farming area. There is no province that has as many ethnic varieties than that of Saskatchewan. There are so much ethnic groups that there is no majority by the British or the French.

Fourteen members in the Canadian Parliament and six in the senate represent Saskatchewan. The Alberta Legislature is composed of 58 members. The Premier of Saskatchewan at this moment is Roy Romanow of the New Democratic Party. He was elected in 1991 and re-elected in 1995. The Opposition parties are the Saskatchewan Party (Official Opposition), Liberal Party and two Independent members of Legislative Assembly.

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