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Saint-Boniface — the Foundation of French in the West

The former city of Saint-Boniface is the capital of French Manitoba – the historical centre of the French-Canadian and Métis communities in Western Canada. Today, it is part of the city of Winnipeg, located on the banks of the Red and Seine rivers.

Saint-Boniface was founded in 1818 as a Roman Catholic mission by a group of French missionaries led by Bishop Joseph Norbert Provencher – it was the first permanent Roman Catholic post west of the Great Lakes. He was given tracts of land and soon constructed the first church in Western Canada, which served as a chapel, residence and school. Prior to this time, it is important to note that indigenous peoples had lived in the area for thousands of years, especially the Ojibwe and Cree. Provencher and his missionaries were not the first European settlers however. Jean-Baptiste Lagimodière, a coureur des bois, and his wife Marie-Anne Gaboury were the first couple of European descent to move to the area, arriving in 1806 and eventually settling on Seine River lots granted to them by Lord Selkirk in 1817. The next year, in 1818, the De Meurons troops also called Saint-Boniface home while they fought the North West Company forces.

Did you know that Lagimodière and Gaboury are the grandparents of Louis Riel?

Provencher’s mission was to convert the indigenous peoples, educate the young, and help in colonization. Within the first 2 weeks of the mission, 72 baptisms were performed, mostly for native women the French-Canadians had taken as wives. Construction started on a second church to replace the previous wooden structure in 1819, but it was only completed in 1825. Other French-Catholic religious orders arrived in the area, including the Grey Nuns of Montreal, and founded several institutions of cultural importance: the Saint-Boniface Hospital and the Collège de Saint-Boniface (now the Université de Saint-Boniface). Initially, the college taught Latin to the young boys of the Red River Colony (including Louis Riel in 1855). A third catholic church was constructed between 1832 and 1839 (it was destroyed by fire in 1860).

Fort Garry

In 1822, the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) established Fort Garry as a trading post at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. It served as the centre of fur trade within the Red River Colony. In 1835, it was renamed Upper Fort Garry to distinguish it from the Lower Fort Garry situated 32 km further north on the western bank of the Red River. Upper Fort Garry was essential to the area’s development and administration. Meetings took place here for the Council of Assiniboia, and the administrative and judicial body of the Red River Colony. The fort was captured by Louis Riel and Métis followers during the Red River Rebellion. The majority of the fort was demolished in between 1881 and 1884.

By 1823, there were about 350 francophones in the vicinity of Saint-Boniface and another 450 mostly Métis in the Pembina area (in present-day North Dakota), who would later move up north effectively doubling the population of the settlement. In 1829, father Provencher’s mission established a school for girls. Two years later, the 1831 census recorded 457 families at the Red River Settlement.

 Louis Riel and the Struggle to Preserve the French Language

As one of the largest francophone communities outside of Québec, Saint-Boniface was often at the centre of a struggle to preserve its language and cultural identity in an ever-increasing English world. In 1869, the HBC sold Rupert’s Land (part of the Red River Colony) to the Government of Canada and appointed a governor, William McDougall, who was opposed by most French speakers and Métis living on the land. Before the land transfer was officially transferred, McDougall attempted to send out surveyors to plot out the territory. Louis Riel and his followers prevented the surveyors from stepping foot on the land. At this point they created a provisional government, with an equal number of anglophone and francophone representatives, and Riel negotiated directly with the Canadian government.    

The Riel government arrested members of a pro-Canadian group who opposed the provisional government, including a man named Thomas Scott. He was tried and convicted for threatening to murder Louis Riel, and later executed. Soon after this incident, Canada and Riel’s provisional government negotiated an agreement. As Manitoba entered the Confederation in 1870, the Métis and Louis Riel fought for favourable terms. Some of their demands were met, such as the provision of separate French schools for Métis children and protection for the practice of Catholicism. Even though Manitoba entered the Dominion of Canada as an officially bilingual and bicultural province, Louis Riel would say, the people had been treated like “poor dumb driven cattle.” Efforts to attract more francophone families form Québec and New England were successful, but only to a certain degree. By 1880, the United States had become a more attractive place to move to, especially for economic reasons. At this time, the francophone population in Manitoba had decreased to about 10%. In 1890, another blow was delivered to the francophone population as French was abolished as an official language in the province.

Riel was tried and convicted of treason in 1885 and executed by hanging. He has become a hero to francophones, Catholic nationalists and native rights activists. To read more about his life and what lead to his arrest, click here.

Economy

In its early days, the economy of Saint-Boniface and its surrounding areas centred around agriculture. Over time, it developed into an important transportation and industrial hub for Western Canada. As of 1878, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) has facilities in the area. Then, two other important railway companies established a presence in Saint-Boniface: Canadian Northern and the Grand Trunk Pacific-Transcontinental Railway. The rail lines brought iron, steel, lumber and brick industries to the city, as well as flour mills, grain elevators and factories. In 1900, 1,500 people lived in Saint-Boniface. By 1909, there were 7,000 residents. Then came the Union Stockyards in 1912-13, which became the largest livestock exchange in Canada, developing the meat-packing and meat-processing industry (it closed in the 1980s).

Saint-Boniface also developed a new commercial and civic centre along Provencher Boulevard. An important thoroughfare, it had housed a train station and college. In 1882, it was connected to Broadway Street in Winnipeg via a bridge over the Red River for horses and pedestrians. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by ice flow that winter and was rebuilt the following year. By 1918, it was upgraded to a moveable bridge.

Other important dates:

• 1882: Winnipeg Street Railway Company gets permission to operate horse-drawn streetcars in Winnipeg, Saint-Boniface and other neighbouring parishes.

• 1904-1906: substantial extensions are made to the Saint-Boniface Hospital and College

• 1906: Saint-Boniface City Hall is completed

• 1919: the Winnipeg General Strike is called

• 1950: Red River Valley Flood with damage running into millions of dollars (the flood held waters above flood stage for 51 days)

• 1956: Winnipeg and Saint-Boniface are connected to the Trans Canada Telephone System

• 1968: Saint-Boniface Basilica is destroyed by fire

• 1971: Saint-Boniface is amalgamated into the City of Winnipeg 

Today, Saint-Boniface still celebrates its French-Canadian heritage. It is home to the annual Festival du Voyageur, the Cercle Molière Theatre and the Centre culturel franco-manitobain (CCFM), which houses theatres, an art gallery and a community radio station. Also in Saint-Boniface is the excellent Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum, located in the former Grey Nuns’ convent, one of Winnipeg’s oldest buildings. The community is served by 3 francophone radio stations and one francophone newspaper, La Liberté.

Statistics Based on the Last Census (2016)

• Land area: 63.43 sq. km

• Population: 89,818

• 52% female, 48% male

• Median age of population: 40.6

• Average household size: 2.3

• English as a mother tongue: 70.3%

• Other language as a mother tongue: 17.8%

• French as a mother tongue: 11.9%

Image Gallery

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Bibliography and further reading:

• Statistics Canada, Saint Boniface--Saint Vital [Federal electoral district], Manitoba and Manitoba [Province] (table). Census Profile, 2016 Census (published 29 Nov 2017), Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001, Ottawa (https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E : accessed 1 Mar 2019).

• Lyon, D.M., "St Boniface", The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, article published 11 Sep 2012; last modified February 02, 2017 (https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/st-boniface accessed 1 Mar 2019).

• The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Saint Boniface”, published 26 Nov 2016, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (https://www.britannica.com/place/Saint-Boniface-Winnipeg-Manitoba-Canada : accessed 1 Mar 2019).

• “Bref historique”, Université de Saint-Boniface (https://ustboniface.ca/bref-historique : accessed 1 Mar 2019).

• “Manitoba Heritage Council Commemorative Plaques: St. Boniface”, Historic Resources Branch, Government of Manitoba (https://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/hrb/plaques/plaq1128.html : accessed 1 Mar 2019).

• Cornelius J. Jaenen, “The French Presence in the West, 1734-1874”, appearing in Manitoba History Number 24, Autumn 1992, Manitoba Historical Society (http://mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/24/frenchpresence.shtml : accessed 1 Mar 2019).

• “Catholic Mission Of Saint-Boniface”, Cathédrale Saint-Boniface Cathedral (https://www.cathedralestboniface.ca/main.php?p=65 accessed 4 Mar 2019).

Photo Credits: 

1. “Meeting of Marie-Anne and Jean-Baptiste Lagimodière with First Nations people, c. 1807”, digital image of an engraving (unknown artist), Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org : accessed 1 Mar 2019), originally appearing in La Premiere Canadienne du Nord-Ouest by L'Abbe G. Dugast (1883).

2. “Map illustrating Lord Selkirk’s 116,000 Square Miles land grant, area which was known as Assiniboia”, digital image of an 1817 map by George Bryce, The Royal Society of Canada, Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org : accessed 1 Mar 2019).

3. “Winter Fishing on the Ice of the Assynoibain and Red River, watercolour, 1821”, digital image of an 1821 watercolour painting by Peter Rindisbacher, Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

4. “View of the Red River Colony Catholic Church, 1823”, digital image of an 1823 watercolour painting by William Kempt, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 2895473 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

5. “Cathedral of St. Boniface and Nunnery on the banks of the Red River", digital image of an 1857 photo (photographer unknown), Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3607508 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

6. “Red River Colony in St. Boniface”, digital image of an 1858 watercolour painting by William Henry Edward Napier, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 2895401 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

7. “Provisional Metis Government”, digital image of an 1870 photo (unknown photographer), Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org : accessed 1 Mar 2019).

8. “Shooting of Thomas Scott”, digital image of an 1870 drawing (unknown artist), Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org : accessed 1 Mar 2019).

9. “Panoramic view of Fort Garry, Winnipeg and St. Boniface, Manitoba”, digital image of an 1870 print (artist unknown), Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 2837566 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

10. “Joseph Riel and his wife Amanda Perreault”, digital image of a circa 1871 photo by Moore of Winnipeg, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3200087 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019). Additional information: Joseph Riel (1857-1921) était le frère de Louis Riel, le porte-parole des Métis, fondateur du Manitoba, professeur et chef de la Résistance du Nord-Ouest. Joseph Riel a été marié deux fois. Il a épousé Amanda Perreault (1874-1927) le 4 avril 1894 à Saint-Boniface (Man.).

11. “Rue Principale de Winnipeg; St. Boniface à gauche, Fort Garry à droite”, digital image of an 1874 illustration by W. Scheuer, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, BAnQ numérique (http://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/2247466 : accessed 27 Feb 2019), originally appearing in L'Opinion publique, Vol. 5, no 49 (3 Dec 1874), p. 593.

12. “The “Countess of Dufferin” arriving at St. Boniface – October 9, 1877”, digital image of an 1877 drawing by Fred Finley appearing on page 84 the book Saint Boniface Manitoba, Canada, University of Manitoba Librairies, (https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

13. “Winnipeg from St. Boniface”, digital image of an 1881 watercolour painting by Frederick B. Schell, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 283095 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

14. “Portrait de Louis Riel 1883”, digital image of an 1883 photo (unknown photographer), Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

15. “Marie-Louise Aurélie Girard”, digital image of an 1884 oil painting by Alfred Boisseau, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3993116 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019). Additional details: The LaMothe family's presence in Québec dates to the late 17th century. Marie-Louise Aurélie was a widow of Alfred Versailles when she married Marc-Amable Girard (1822-1892) in 1878. Her second husband represented St. Boniface in the Legislative Assembly of the province from 1870 to 1878, and from 1879 to 1883. From 1872 he was provincial treasurer of Manitoba and its Premier in 1878. These were turbulent times for Manitoba and Mme Girard would have heard discussions about Louis Riel and the development of the Manitoba School question. Girard was sympathetic to Louis Riel's claims and invited him to be a candidate in the 1873 by-election in Provencher. He was, however, not in support of maintaining the French language in Manitoba.

16. “Riel Family Residence, St. Vital”, digital image of an 1885 photo (photographer unknown), Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3200083 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019). Additional details: La maison est demeurée dans la famille Riel (Métis) jusqu'en 1968 et est acquise par Parcs Canada en 1969. Louis Riel lui-même n'a jamais habité la maison. Il n'y fait qu'une brève visite à l'été 1883, mais c'est là que son corps est exposé durant deux jours en décembre 1885, après son exécution pour sa participation à l'insurrection du Nord-Ouest. La Maison-Riel fût le premier bureau de poste à Saint-Vital.

17. “Mgr. Alexandre Taché”, digital image of an undated print created by Alfred Léon Lemercier prior to 1894 in Paris, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 2909678 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

18. “Mgr. Alexandre A. Taché, évêque de St. Boniface”, digital image of a photo taken prior to 1894 by Desmarais et Cie., Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3221529 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

19. “Plan showing location of proposed grounds for the St. Boniface Industrial School”, digital image of an 1890 map (unknown artist), Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3849188 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

20. "St. Boniface Hospital", digital image of a circa 1900-1925 photo by Albertype Company, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3334727 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

21. "St. Boniface Cathedral", digital image of a circa 1900-1925 photo by Albertype Company, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3334726 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

22. "Red River & St. Boniface ", digital image of a circa 1900-1925 photo by Albertype Company, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3334685 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

23. “La tombe de Louis Riel à St-Boniface”, digital image of a 190? postcard (photographer unknown), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, BAnQ numérique (http://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/2247466 : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

24. “Alexandre Riel [Louis’ brother] and his wife”, digital image of a 1904 photo (photographer unknown), Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 32000088 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019). Additional detail: Alexandre Riel (1863-1938) était le plus jeune frère de Louis Riel, le porte-parole des Métis, fondateur du Manitoba, professeur et chef de la Résistance du Nord-Ouest. Alexandre Riel a été marié deux fois, d'abord à Elisa Poitras (d. 1903) à Saint-Boniface (Man.) le 14 juin 1881 et plus tard pour Bibiane Poitras le 2 août 1906, également à Saint-Boniface (Man.)

25. “Bishop Joseph-Norbert Provencher”, digital image of a circa 1906 drawing by J. L. Pinsonneault, Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

26. "Insurance plan of Winnipeg, Manitoba, including St. Boniface, Dec. 1906. Vol. 3, reprinted November 1915", digital image of a 1915 insurance plan by Chas. E. Goad, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3776286 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

27. “St. Boniface Cathedral, Souvenir, October 4, 1908”, digital image of a 1908 photo by Edward C. Chaussé, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3258887 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

28. “Club de raquettes”, digital image of a 1913 photo (unknown photographer), La Société historique de Saint-Boniface, reference MSB 1413 (https://archivesshsb.mb.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

29. "St. Boniface from the roof of Fort Garry Hotel", digital image of a circa 1920 photo by the Canadian Department of the Interior, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3231716 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

30. "Winnipeg Stock Yards", digital image of an undated photo (unknown photographer), Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3349707 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 4 Mar 2019).

31. “Two nurses assisting a doctor. St. Boniface Hospital school of nursing. Winnipeg.", digital image of a circa 1930-1960 photo by the Canadian Department of Manpower and Immigration, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 4365861 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

32. “St. Boniface Seals, Memorial Cup Champions 1937-38”, digital image of a circa 1937 photo (unknown photographer), Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3657061 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

33. “St. Boniface Cathedral”, digital image of an undated photo (unknown photographer), Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3349706 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

34. “Gabrielle Roy, 1945”, digital image of a 1945 photo (unknown photographer), Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

35. "St. Boniface residents abandon homes. Mass evacuation of St. Boniface was ordered when bridges threatened.", digital image of a 1950 photo by Harold White Studies, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3607497 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

36. “The construction of an emergency ramp re-opened Provencher Bridge to traffic from St. Boniface ", digital image of a 1950 photo by Manitoba Water Resources Branch, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3607498 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

37. “St. Boniface Cathedral Fire”, digital image of a 1968 photo (unknown photographer) appearing in the Winnipeg Tribune, 22 Jul 1968, University of Manitoba Librairies, (https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

38. “St. Boniface Cathedral Fire”, digital image of a 1968 photo (unknown photographer) appearing in the Winnipeg Tribune, 22 Jul 1968, University of Manitoba Librairies, (https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

39. “St. Boniface Cathedral Fire”, digital image of a 1968 photo (unknown photographer) appearing in the Winnipeg Tribune, 22 Jul 1968, University of Manitoba Librairies, (https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

40. “St. Boniface Cathedral Fire”, digital image of a 1968 photo (unknown photographer) appearing in the Winnipeg Tribune, 1 Jul 1968, University of Manitoba Librairies, (https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

41. “St. Boniface Cathedral Fire”, digital image of a 1968 photo (unknown photographer) appearing in the Winnipeg Tribune, 22 Jul 1968, University of Manitoba Librairies, (https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

42. [Robert Painchaud depicted?] "Scènes de St-Boniface", digital image of a 1977 photo by Arnaud Maggs, Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 4801106 (http://collectionscanada.gc.ca : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

43. “Saint Boniface Cathedral, Winnipeg, Canada”, digital image of a 2017 photo by Wikipedia Commons author Jessica Losorata, Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org : accessed 27 Feb 2019).

44. “A Photo of St Boniface City Hall in August 2018”, digital image of a 2018 photo by Wikipedia Commons author Krazytea, Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org : accessed 27 Feb 2019).