14epusteateoa Seceaut DEPT. OF INDUSTRY & COMMERCE Province of Ma nit*Ovember 18, 1960. ROOM 348 - PHONE WH 6-7439 LEGISLATIVE BUILDING Date 1, ANOT BA

TO ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

The provincial government's new ten-storey administration buildingia to be named after 's first native-born premier, Hon. John Norquay. Premier Duff Roblin said the historic name was selected to honor the Maritoba-born premier, who made great strides in developing the basis for Manitoba's later growth. It was under his personal leadership that the boundaries of the "postage-stamp" provinoe were first enlarged. He was instrumental in the building of the Red River Valley railway, which provided a second rail link with St. Paul, Minnesota, in a move to break the CPR monopoly in the province. Premier Norquay also arranged the "better terms" of 1886, under which Manitoba was given an additional federal subsidy of $500,000 annually and other fisoal benefits, which provided some of the financial basis for further develop- ment as a province. The "better termsu had been provided to compensate Manitoba for the "disallowance" by the federal government of provincial acts related to breaking the rail monopoly, and for retention of control by Ottawa of public lands in the province. Premier Roblin said it was planned to have the official opening of the Norquay building December 15. Members of the Norquay family still living in Manitoba are being invited to the ceremony. At that time, a plaque will be unveiled in the building rotunda, bearing the inscription: This Building is Named for THE HONOURABLE JOHN NORQUAY 1841 - 1889 1878 - 1887 A son of the Member of the Legislative Assembly 1870 - 1889 Member of the Executive Council 1871 - 1887 Winner of the "better terms" of 1886 The first native born Premier The colorful six-foot-three, 500-pound premier was born at St. Andrews in -more- -2- NORWAY BUILDING the Red River colony on May 8, 1841, and received his education from Bishop David Anderson at the Red River Academy (later becoming St. Johns college). At 17 he was teaching school, later turning to farming and part-time fur trading. When 29, he was elected to Manitoba's first legislature in December, 1870, as member for High Bluff, and the next spring was appointed to the execu- tive council. He became premier in 1878, and resigned from that office in 1887 over a dispute with the federal government on railway policy. Premier Norquay was noted as an orator. He spoke equally well in English and French, and could converse in several Indian dialects. He died in 1889, at the age of 48, of peritonitis due to a ruptured appendix. Moving of government departments into the building started November 18, and will be completed by March 1.

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