Chamberlain in Sarnia No. 221, Saskatchewan — The Prairie Region (North America)

The Surveyor

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2022

1. The Surveyor Marker

Inscription. In 1872 the Canadian Federal Parliament passed the Dominion Lands Act as a precursor to land settlement in the West. Eastern interests viewed settlement of the vast North West as a great economic opportunity. Essentially, the American system of the square mile survey was adopted. As the land survey progressed westward, anxiety and unease quickly spread, particularly so among the French Métis settlements along the south branch of the Saskatchewan River. Many Métis had migrated from the Red River area during the 1860's and 1870's. They held to their established custom of the river lot system, 8 chains wide and 2 miles long, and on this basis developed farms and communities. The perception persisted among many Métis that their river lots would be readjusted to the new system and possession title would be lost to them. The failure of local, federal and territorial authorities to appropriately address these concerns were at least partly responsible for the North West Rebellion of 1885 - The Riel Rebellion.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1872.

Location. 50° 50.99′ N, 105° 33.884′ W. Marker is in Chamberlain, Saskatchewan, in Sarnia No. 221. Marker is at the intersection of Louis Riel Trail (Provincial Highway

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11) and Norfolk Avenue, on the right when traveling north on Louis Riel Trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Chamberlain SK S0G 0R0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Also see . . .
1. Dominion Lands Act.

It allowed for lands in Western Canada to be granted to individuals, colonization companies, the Hudson’s Bay Company, railway construction, municipalities and religious groups. The Act also set aside lands for what would become National Parks (1883). The Dominion Lands Act devised specific homestead policies to encourage settlement in the West. Some 1.25 million homesteads were made available over an expanse of about 80 million hectares — the largest survey grid in the world. The Act was repealed in 1930, when lands and resources were transferred from the federal government to the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. From 1870 to 1930, roughly 625,000 land patents were issued to homesteaders. As a result, hundreds of thousands of settlers poured into the region.

(Submitted on November 30, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. The North-West Resistance (or North-West Rebellion).

A violent, five-month insurgency against the Canadian government, fought mainly by Métis and their First Nations allies in what is now Saskatchewan and Alberta. It was caused by rising fear and insecurity among the Métis and First Nations peoples as well as the white settlers of the rapidly
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2022

2. The Surveyor: Sculpture & Marker
changing West. A series of battles and other outbreaks of violence in 1885 left hundreds of people dead, but the resisters were eventually defeated by federal troops. The result was the permanent enforcement of Canadian law in the West, the subjugation of Plains Indigenous Peoples in Canada, and the conviction and hanging of Louis Riel.

(Submitted on November 30, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

The Surveyor: Marker & Sculptures image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 20, 2022

3. The Surveyor: Marker & Sculptures

(looking northeast from Louis Riel Trail)

Credits. This page was last revised on November 30, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 30, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 63 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 30, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.