The Pas, Manitoba

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Town of The Pas, Manitoba
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motto = Adventure Territory


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Canada
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Manitoba
subdivision_type2 = Census division
subdivision_name2 = 21
subdivision_type3 = Region
subdivision_name3 = Northern Region
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government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Herb Jaques
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established_title2 = Incorporated (town)
established_date2 = 1912
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area_land_km2 = 47.83
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population_as_of = 2006
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population_urban = 5589
population_density_urban_km2 = 116.9
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timezone = CST
utc_offset = −5
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = −6
latd= 53|latm= 49|lats= 30|latNS=N
longd= 101|longm= 15|longs= 14|longEW=W
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elevation_ft = 889
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The Pas (pronEng|ðəˈpɑː) 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

The area's original inhabitants were the Cree, who are thought to have migrated from the southeastern prairies over 9000 years agoFact|date=January 2008. "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) by New Democratic MLA Oscar Lathlin and in the Canadian House of Commons (as part of the Churchill riding) by Liberal MP Tina Keeper.

ports

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 school (Scott Bateman Middle School) and one high school (Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute)

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

Local media

Radio

* AM 1240: CJAR (Favourites of yesterday and hits of today. They play everything from Avril Lavigne to music from the 1950s.)

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. [cite news | title = Microwave Hook-Up Gives North Live TV | publisher = Winnipeg Free Press | page = 28| date = April 29, 1969]

* CBWFT-1 Channel 6 (Radio-Canada)
* CBWIT Channel 7 (CBC)
* CKYP-TV Channel 12 (CTV)

Newspapers

* Opasquia Times

ee also

*Hudson Bay Railway

References

External links

* [http://www.thepasarea.com/ Town of The Pas website]
* [http://www.thepaschamber.com/ The Pas & District Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.trappersfestival.com/ Northern Manitoba Trappers Festival]