The Forks area - History
- Waiser, B. 2005
-
Saskatchewan: A New History. Fifth House Ltd, Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, Canada. 563 pages.
AEU HSS FC 3511 W325 A highly readable
account
of Saskatchewan's recent history, concentrating on the interval
since it became a province on September 1 1905. Several themes
stand out in this account. The tension between rural and urban
areas and increasing disparity in wealth and influence between
those components of the economic landscape as drivers (or not)
of
prosperity is one theme. Another is the tension between
Aboriginal
people, who are becoming a proportionally larger part of the
population, and the rest of the population. To some extent, this
is
also a rural/urban split or a north/south split but not entirely
because many Aboriginal people have moved to the cites but have
not
shared in their prosperity. Another theme that comes through is
the
"poor cousin" status of Saskatchewan compared to Alberta, right
from the start when Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier chose to
attend
provincial inauguration ceremonies in Edmonton not Regina.
Although
much of this account inevitably revolves around politics and
accounts of changing government policies, other aspects of
Saskatchewan life and government, other aspects of Saskatchewan
life are touched on, including sports, cultural events, and
popular
culture. Illustrated with some great historic photos. My only
quibble is a need for more maps due to the plethora of place
names
mentioned. This is a lucid account and a good read.
(27/Jun/2011).
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