Insights Into Métis History

Insights Into Métis History

This video was made to provide insights into the Métis people and their contributions to British Columbia. Western and Northern Canada had a unique political environment for 200 years. The Hudson's Bay Company was the legal government according to King Charles II Charter. Parliament tried several times to overturn the Charter and open the vast territory to settlement but it failed. It was only in 1858 when the West Coast statutory grant expired and finally in 1870 with the purchase by Canada that settlement could proceed.
The Borders of British Columbia

The Borders of British Columbia

If British Columbia were a country it would rank 31st in size. BC is bigger than France and Germany combined. Four times the size of Britain. Almost three times that of Japan.
Political Factions in Early British Columbia

Political Factions in Early British Columbia

In British Columbia, formal political parties didn't emerge until the 1900s. But before that, loosely affiliated political factions provided some coherence to political decisions.

James Douglas was part black, married to an aboriginal woman and headed the honourable Hudson Bay Company which was the legal government in British Columbia. He was opposed by Amor De Cosmos who introduced the Chinese Head Tax to Parliament and was linked to labour organizations.

Political factions developed, called the Douglas Conservatives and the De Cosmos Reformers.

Vancouver’s Three Cities

Vancouver’s Three Cities

Living in Vancouver you might not know it is actually an amalgamation of three cities. Their distinctive cultures survive today.

This video has some highlights of this history. In deciding on future development and density, perhaps we should respect this past.