the administration of the Territories. By the North-West
Territories Act of that year, a lieutenant-governor for
the Territories alone was provided for. At the same time
provision was made for a Council to assist the lieutenant
-gov ernor in his duties. The Hon. David Laird, who had 
been a member of the Dominion government, was appointed 
lieutenant-governor. 


Image:
DAVID LAIRD


 The Act of 1875 also made provision for the introduction 
of representative government Whenever a district of a 
thousand square miles in area should have a population
of one thousand inhabitants of' adult age, it was to elect
a representative to the Council. The first election was 
held in March, 1881, in the District of Lorne in the 
Prince Albert settlement.  Lawrence Clarke, chief factor 
of the Hudson's Bay Company at Canton, enjoyed the honour
of being the first elected member of the North-West Council.
By 1887 the Council consisted of twenty members, six 
appointed, and fourteen elected by the' people of the 
Territories. The first legislative session of the Council 
was held at Livingston, Swan River, on March 8th, 1877. 
In the following year, the government was established at
Battleford and remained there until 1881, when Regina 
was selected as the capital, on account of location on the
main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway In 1882 the 
southern portion of the Territo'ries was divided into 
four provisional districts, Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, 
Alberta, and Athabaska. These districts, however, 
were created principally for the convenience of the 
post-office department. 
 Lying east and north of the province of Manitoba was a
large territory, for which, as yet, no government had 
been provided.  It was not clear that it was included 
in the North-West Territories. To remove all doubt the. 
Dominion government, in 1876, created this into a 
separate district, to be called Keewatin, and placed it
under the authority of the lieutenant-governor of 
Manitoba. The judges of the Manitoba court were given 
jurisdiction in criminal cases throughout Keewatin. The 
Manitoba government had the right to appoint justices of
the peace and other legal officers. 


Image:
A MISSIONARY VISITING THE
NORTHERN INDIANS


 In 1873, in order to provide for the maintenance of law
and order in the Territories, the Dominion government 
established a special force of mounted men, known later 
as the Royal North-West Mounted Police. That the Territories
were free from lawlessness during the early days of 

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Canada history, Ca, Can, Canada, Canada by A.G. Bradley, 
A.G. Bradley, Canadian History, The Story of the Canadian 
People, Duncan, The Western Canada Series, David Duncan

Canada history, Ca, Can, Canada, Canada by A.G. Bradley, 
A.G. Bradley, Canadian History, The Story of the Canadian 
People, Duncan, The Western Canada Series, David Duncan

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The West 1763-1812, The West 1812-1841, Western Canada,
1870-1920, The Prairie Provinces and The Rise of the
North West, North West, Prairies, prairie provinces,
 Western provinces, Sask Gen Web, Saskatchewan Gen Web