The Pas

Town of The Pas, Manitoba
Welcome sign
Motto: Adventure Territory
Town of The Pas, Manitoba
Coordinates: 53°49′30″N 101°15′11″W / 53.825°N 101.25306°W / 53.825; -101.25306
Country	Canada
Province	Manitoba
Census division	21
Region	Northern Region
Incorporated (town)	1912
Government
- Mayor	Herb Jaques
Area
- Land	47.83 km2 (18.5 sq mi)
Elevation	271 m (889 ft)
Population (2006)
- Urban	55 890
- Urban Density	186.9/km2 (484.1/sq mi)
Time zone	CST (UTC−5)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC−6)

The Pas (pronounced /ðəˈpɑː/) (French: Le Pas) is a town in Manitoba, Canada, located in Division No. 21, Manitoba in the Northern Region, some 630 kilometres northwest of the provincial capital, Winnipeg, near the border of Saskatchewan. It is sometimes called Paskoyac by locals; in fact, that was the official name of the town until it was incorporated in 1912 and its name was changed. The word Paskoyac comes from the name of the O'Paskoyac Cree Nation (now spelled Opaskwayak).

Known as "The Gateway to the North", The Pas is a multi-industry northern Manitoba town serving a district population of over 15,000 (including the Opaskwayak Cree Nation). The main components of the region's economy are agriculture, forestry, commercial fishing, tourism, transportation, and services (especially health and education). The main employer is a paper and lumber mill operated by Tolko Industries. The Pas contains one of the two main campuses of the University College of the North.

History

Manitoba Highway 10 crosses the Saskatchewan River at The Pas, part of the Northern Woods and Water Route.

The Sam Waller Museum, downtown The Pas.

The area's original inhabitants were the Cree, who are thought to have migrated from the southeastern prairies over 9000 years ago^{[citation needed]}. "The Pas" is a derivative of the Cree word "pasquia" meaning "wooded narrows". It may also originate from the French words le pas, meaning "the step".

The first European was Henry Kelsey, an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company who travelled through the area on his way to the Canadian prairies sometime between 1690 and 1692.

The Town of The Pas was incorporated in 1912. The area today is composed of three distinct communities: The Town of The Pas, the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, and the Rural Municipality of Kelsey.

The history of the city and the region may be seen at the Sam Waller Museum, located in the old courthouse in downtown The Pas.

Government and politics

The Pas is governed by a mayor and six councillors, who are elected by residents. The mayor is Herb Jaques.

The region is represented in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as part of The Pas riding. The riding was held by New Democratic MLA Oscar Lathlin until his death in November 2008.

In the Canadian House of Commons, The Pas is part of the Churchill riding, held by NDP MP Niki Ashton.

Sports

The Pas and the Opaskwayak Cree Nation share an ice hockey team called the OCN Blizzard, who compete in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Pas is also home to the Huskies minor hockey league, and the MBCI Spartans who compete in Zone 11 of the MHSAA.

Education

The Pas's public school system is the Kelsey School Division, which consists of two elementary schools (Kelsey Elementary and Opasquia School), One middle schools (Scott Bateman Middle School), One Adult learning centre (Mary Duncan) and one high school (Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute)

There is also a K-12 school located on the Opaskwayak Cree Nation.

The town hosts one of the two main campuses of the University College of the North.

Local media

Radio

• AM 1240: CJAR, adult contemporary
• FM 92.7: CITP-FM, First Nations community radio
• FM 93.7: CKSB-3-FM, Première Chaîne
• FM 94.5: CBWJ-FM, CBC Radio One

Television

CBWIT first went on the air in June, 1962 as CBWBT-1. The station broadcast kine recordings sent to the transmitter from CBWT. On March 1, 1969, the province-wide microwave system replaced the kine recordings and The Pas has enjoyed live television since then.^[1]

• CBWFT-1 Channel 6 (SRC)
• CBWIT Channel 7 (CBC)
• CKYP-TV Channel 12 (CTV)

Newspapers

• Opasquia Times

See also

• The Pas railway station
• Hudson Bay Railway

References

1. ^ "Microwave Hook-Up Gives North Live TV". Winnipeg Free Press. April 29, 1969. p. 28. 

External links

• Town of The Pas website
• The Pas & District Chamber of Commerce
• Northern Manitoba Trappers Festival

		Flin Flon Cranberry Portage
	Nipawin		The Pas/Grace Lake Airport
		The Pas
		Swan River

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