Explore Manitoba
Thursday, 5th November 2009
Book delves into everything form the crocus province.
Manitoba Book of Everything You Wanted to Know about Manitoba and Were Going to Ask Anyway dares to delve into all things Manitoban. Even the trio of sage and savvy Manitoba writers who tackled the research for chapters devoted to topics such as place names, the economy, politics, weather, and culture were delightfully surprised by the tidbits of information that floated up to the surface during their investigations.
‘1 was surprised to hear that the excavations for the Winnipeg floodway were greater than those for the Suez or Panama canals. Other surprises included the fact that there were two Manitoba premiers named Roblin, Ed Schreyer was only 33 when he became premier, and Tommy Douglas was actually raised in Manitoba, not Saskatchewan,” says co-author Christine Hanlon.
“One of my favourite discoveries during my research was the story of the Golden Boy statue that now sits on top of the legislative building. Turns out our five-ton friend spent the First World War being shuttled back and forth across the Atlantic in the cargo hold of a boat used for transporting troops.”
Barbara Edie, who crafted the chapters on Manitoba slang, natural history, and place names, came out richer for the experience, by digging up the dirt on Manitoba’s status as a vast tract of prairie.
“People think that Manitoba is very flat. It’s actually not. Only the southern third of it is classified as prairie, and even then, a certain portion of it is flat while the rest of it is quite elevated. And when you get north, it’s actually pre-Cambrian rock,” Edie says.
Doreen Pendgracs, a veteran travel and lifestyle writer, penned the chapters on Manitoba culture and the province’s First Nations.
“Writing the chapter on culture was fun to write, and reinforced my opinion that Manitoba is a terrific place to live and that we have so much to be proud of,” she says.
“Writing the First People chapter was a much greater challenge for me, as I admittedly did not know much about our First Nations. But fortunately, I found wonderful resources among government officials, First Nations leaders, and popular figures such as Ray St. Germain.”
All three writers particularly enjoyed the “Take 5” sections sprinkled liberally throughout the book – snippets of memorable moments and fun facts, often from familiar Manitoba public figures like Ed Schreyer, former Manitoba Premier and Governor General of Canada; Sami Jo Small, goalie for the gold-winning Canadian Olympics hockey team; Sylvia Kuzyk, C1Y weather specialist; and Peter Warren, former radio talk-show host.
Manitoba Book of Everything has something for everyone. Tourists will find a quick and informative immersion into all things Manitoban. Anyone who lives — or has lived — in Manitoba will find the entire book amazingly interesting.
As Pendgracs says, “I already knew Manitoba was very underrated by its residents – and globally – but doing the research for the book just reconfirmed for me how much we have to proud of in this province.
“I hope this book will help spread the word to my fellow Manitobans
Manitoba Book of Everything You Wanted to Know about Manitoba and Were Going to Ask Anyway dares to delve into all things Manitoban. Even the trio of sage and savvy Manitoba writers who tackled the research for chapters devoted to topics such as place names, the economy, politics, weather, and culture were delightfully surprised by the tidbits of information that floated up to the surface during their investigations.
‘I was surprised to hear that the excavations for the Winnipeg floodway were greater than those for the Suez or Panama canals. Other surprises included the fact that there were two Manitoba premiers named Roblin, Ed Schreyer was only 33 when he became premier, and Tommy Douglas was actually raised in Manitoba, not Saskatchewan,” says co-author Christine Hanlon.
“One of my favourite discoveries during my research was the story of the Golden Boy statue that now sits on top of the legislative building. Turns out our five-ton friend spent the First World War being shuttled back and forth across the Atlantic in the cargo hold of a boat used for transporting troops.”
Barbara Edie, who crafted the chapters on Manitoba slang, natural history, and place names, came out richer for the experience, by digging up the dirt on Manitoba’s status as a vast tract of prairie.
“People think that Manitoba is very flat. It’s actually not. Only the southern third of it is classified as prairie, and even then, a certain portion of it is flat while the rest of it is quite elevated. And when you get north, it’s actually pre-Cambrian rock,” Edie says.
Doreen Pendgracs, a veteran travel and lifestyle writer, penned the chapters on Manitoba culture and the province’s First Nations.
“Writing the chapter on culture was fun to write, and reinforced my opinion that Manitoba is a terrific place to live and that we have so much to be proud of,” she says.
“Writing the First People chapter was a much greater challenge for me, as I admittedly did not know much about our First Nations. But fortunately, I found wonderful resources among government officials, First Nations leaders, and popular figures such as Ray St. Germain.”
All three writers particularly enjoyed the “Take 5” sections sprinkled liberally throughout the book – snippets of memorable moments and fun facts, often from familiar Manitoba public figures like Ed Schreyer, former Manitoba Premier and Governor General of Canada; Sami Jo Small, goalie for the gold-winning Canadian Olympics hockey team; Sylvia Kuzyk, C1Y weather specialist; and Peter Warren, former radio talk-show host.
Manitoba Book of Everything has something for everyone. Tourists will find a quick and informative immersion into all things Manitoban. Anyone who lives — or has lived — in Manitoba will find the entire book amazingly interesting.
As Pendgracs says, “I already knew Manitoba was very underrated by its residents – and globally – but doing the research for the book just reconfirmed for me how much we have to proud of in this province.
“I hope this book will help spread the word to my fellow Manitobans
Hotel Near University of Manitoba
Furnasman One Hour Air Filters Winnipeg
Winnipeg St Vital Long Stay Hotel
www.famouspeopleofmanitoba.ca
Tags: Cambrian Rock, Co Author, Crocus, Ed Schreyer, Excavations, First Nations, First World War, Hanlon, Legislative Building, Manitoba Book, Manitoba Culture, Manitoba Writers, Panama Canals, Place Names, Pre Cambrian, Suez, Terrific Place, Tommy Douglas, Veteran Travel, Winnipeg Floodway
