southern region is mainly flat prairie with some rolling hills and valleys
sand dunes 30 m. high at Athabasca Provincial Park in northwest Saskatchewan
“Great Sand Hills” region in southwest Saskatchewan
main rivers: Assiniboine, North and South Saskatchewan and Churchill
The people
First people : Chipewyan (north) , Assiniboine (east), Blackfoot (west) and Cree
Métis (of mixed European and Aboriginal descent) were among the first settlers.
majority of Saskatchewanians are of British origin, followed by Germans and Austrians, native people, Ukrainians, Scandinavians, and French
population just over a million (2008)
largest cities – Regina and Saskatoon
population of (2006 census metropolitan area): Regina (194,971), Saskatoon (234,000)
History
The earliest explorer was Henry Kelsey (1690).
Samuel Hearne built trading posts for the Hudson’s Bay Company.
English and French trappers and fur traders arrived.
Forts were built to maintain law and order.
In 1874 North West Mounted Police arrived to establish law and order.
Settlers were encouraged to come for free land for homesteads.
The railroad was built across the southern part of the province in 1882-83.
Settlers came from eastern Canada, British Isles, the US, and continental Europe.
Immigrants arrived in large groups and settled in different regions.
Settlers included Barr colonists from England, Doukhobors from Russia, Hutterites, Mennonites, Hungarians, Ukrainians, French, Germans and Scandinavians.
Saskatchewan became a province in 1905 with Regina as the capital.
Climate
long, cold winters and hot, dry summers
polar air masses bring winter storms with nasty wind chills and blowing snow
windy both winter and summer
Economy
grow over 54 percent of Canada’s wheat crop
crops include canola, rye, oats, barley, flaxseeds, wheat, lentils
raising hogs, cattle and poultry on farms
forestry in northern Saskatchewan
rich in minerals (potash, uranium, coal, oil and natural gas)
world leader in the production of uranium
leading exporter of potash ( fertilizer )
Canada’s second largest producer of oil (after Alberta)
third largest producer of natural gas in Canada
People and places
W.O. MITCHELL (born in Weyburn) wrote about prairie life in his book “Who Has Seen the Wind”.
JEANNE SAUVE (born in Prud’homme) was the first woman to become Governor General of Canada.
GORDIE HOWE, one of the greatest hockey player of the NHL was born in Floral, Sask.
ALLAN SAPP, a world-renowned Plains-Cree artist was born on the Red Pheasant Reserve.
BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE, a well-known singer/songwriter, was born on the Piapot Reserve in the Qu’Appelle Valley -Tunnels of Moose Jaw : underground passageways used by the Chinese, gangsters and bootleggers.
Big Muddy Badlands : unusual land formations and petroglyphs
Wanuskewin Heritage Park: archaeological digs provide information about the Indians of the Northern Plains
RCMP Heritage Centre and Training Academy in Regina
Grasslands National Park: original shortgrass prairie, herds of pronghorn, rattlesnakes, endangered black-tailed prairie dogs, burrowing owls and peregrine falcon
Prince Albert National Park: only protected white pelican nesting colony in Canada, cabin of Grey Owl, herd of plains bison