The Hudson’s Bay Company stores always provided an enjoyable shopping experience for me in Yorkton or whenever I visited other cities over many years. The old Regina store, where one drove into the parkade entrance from Victoria Avenue was my favorite. I would go to their lower level restaurant as I liked their food, in particular their salmon pie. Most of the literature I had read about the Hudson’s Bay Company, from the time of the fur trading posts since 1670 had been quite positive – such as the following excerpt from the Bay Archives of Winnipeg: The Hudson’s Bay Company is the oldest commercial corporation in North America. It was once the de facto government in parts of North America before European-based colonies and nation states existed. It was at one time the largest landowner in the world, with Rupert’s Land being a large part of North America. From its headquarters at York Factory on Hudson Bay, it controlled the fur trade throughout much of British-controlled North America for centuries. Its traders and trappers forged early relationships with many groups of First Nations at trading posts. In the late 19th century, its vast territory became the largest component in the newly formed Dominion of Canada, in which the company was the largest private landowner. However, over the many years of research I did in the 1980s to write a history of my home village of Dollard and the southwest Saskatchewan region, I encountered evidence that there were those in England who opposed this Company’s hold on the vast territory and its wealth. France also opposed the Charter of the Hudson’s Bay Company. There were complaints by various traders of the company’s injustices in dealing with them, often with their own employees at their forts, and in particular with First Nations traders and Métis. A very revealing book published in 1914 with the title A History of Canadian Wealth by Gustavus Myers tells us many details of these injustices over the two centuries of history of the Company. This book is endorsed by noted Canadian historians Pierre Berton and W.L. Morton. Here are excerpts: King Charles the Second found in North America an easy way to reward his favorite people, men of nobility such Prince Rupert, the Earl of Craven, Lord Arlington, Duke of Albermarle, Lord Ashley and many others to whom he granted — in perpetuity, a Charter: “to the Governor and the Company of Adventurers Trading into Hudson’s Bay.” — Not only were there rights to trade and commerce, but also rights to lands, mines, minerals, timber, fisheries, etc. A recommended reading for those interested in the history of the Hudson’s Bay Company, 1670-1870.
Contact Terri Lefebvre Prince,
Heritage Researcher,
City of Yorkton Archives,
Box 400, 37 Third Avenue North
Yorkton, Sask. S3N 2W3
306-786-1722
[email protected]
