The Métis Community of Ste. Madeleine
A Park West School Division Community Initiative
Ste. Madeleine was a
Métis community
located
approximately 15
kilometers southeast
of Binscarth,
Manitoba
Métis hunters were
in this area in the
early 1800’s but
Métis families began
settling in the area in
the 1880’s. Many
families came from
the Red River area
near Winnipeg.
Father DeCorby
established a parish in St.
Lazare in 1895 and seven
years later an auxiliary
mission was set up in Ste.
Madeleine.
In 1913 a log chapel
was built by local
Métis families so
that church services
could be held once
or twice a month in
Ste. Madeleine.
In April, 1872 the Dominion
Lands Act provided free
quarter section homestead
grants (160 acres). In Ste.
Madeleine most families
concentrated their homes on
about four sections of land
near the school and church.
In 1922, the one
room Belliveau
School was built for
Grades One through
Eight. Lessons were
sometimes taught in
French and English.
Students surrounding the schoolhouse foundation
From 1915 to 1935 the Métis community grew and thrived, increasing
to approximately 250 people. Times were hard and the land poor for
farming. Many families fell behind in paying their taxes.
In 1935, The Prairie Farm
Rehabilitation Act
designated certain lands for
community pastures to
prevent drought and soil
erosion. This was the time
of the “Dirty Thirties”
when drought conditions
were extreme and soil was
badly eroded and unfit for
farming.
The community of Ste. Madeleine was designated community pasture land.
Families that had their taxes fully paid were compensated for their land but the
majority of community residents were behind in their taxes and received no
compensation.
By 1938 all the homes in Ste. Madeleine were burned to the ground and the
church was dismantled. The town of Ste. Madeleine ceased to exist.
Today all that remains is
the stone foundation of
the Belliveau School
and the cemetery
encircling the mound
of grass where the
church once stood.
The cemetery is still
tended by the family
members and is used
as the final resting
place of Ste.
Madeleine inhabitants
and their families.
CLASS TRIP TO
STE. MADELEINE
May 26, 2012
Binscarth Métis
Community Supporters
Alan Venne and
Rene Fleury
Kate Venne and
Rosalie Boucher Dreilich
Elder Rosalie shared
stories about
growing up in Ste.
Madeleine
Students made a rubbing of the commemorative plaque found in the center
of the cemetery
Students documented
the names of the
community families
Ste. Madeleine
Lefranc
Bellehumeur
Venne
Fleury
Ledoux
Smith
Boucher
Lemay
Larose
Demerais
Vermette
Fisher
Ducharme
Favreau
Boyer
Bitner
May 26, 2012
Pelletier
Flammand
Grade 5/6 students from Inglis School and
Grade 6/7 students from Binscarth School
After our trip to Ste. Madeleine we returned to the Binscarth Métis local for lunch
Board Chair Don Cochrane
Inglis teacher Nadine Hickey
Binscarth teacher Shelley Robidoux
and education assistant Carla Arran
Ste. Madeleine Métis Centre
volunteer staff
Mary Fleury, Alan Venne,
Kate Venne, Mary Orr
Lunch consisted of
soup, bangs, rice
pudding and juice
A big thank you to everyone
who supported the trip to
Ste. Madeleine!
TEACHER SUPPORT PAGES
This resource was developed to support the Grade Six Social Studies curriculum:
6-KI-011 Describe daily life on a prairie homestead between 1890 and 1914.
Examples: survey system, role of women, challenges facing early settlers, education..
6-VH-013 Appreciate the struggles of past generations in achieving the rights that
people in Canada enjoy today.
6-KP-048 Identify First Nations, Inuit, and Métis perspectives regarding selfdetermination. Examples: resource use, land claims, treaties, government...
6-KP-054 Identify factors that contribute to inequities in Canada and propose solutions.
Examples: poverty, racism, sexism…
6-VC-003 Appreciate the struggles and achievements of past generations in shaping
Canada
STE. MADELEINE
TIMELINE
1872-Dominion
LandsActsetsdown
regulationsfor
homesteadgrants
1902-Ste.Madeleine
missionestablished
1922-Belliveau
Schoolhousebuiltfor
Grades1-8
1935–PrairieFarm
RehabilitationAct
passed
1938-Ste.Madeleine’s
communitymembers
areforcedtorelocate.
1880-Father
DeCorbyfoundedthe
Catholicmissionof
St.Lazare
1913–logchapel
built
1935-community
thrivedandgrewto
250people
1935-1938Ste.
Madeleinedesignated
tobecomecommunity
pastureland
Ste. Madeleine:
Community Without a Town
is available through Pemmican
Publications Inc.
ISBN 0-919143-45-8
This project was made possible through the collaboration of:
Park West School Division
Inglis School
Binscarth School
Cort Dogniez: Aboriginal Education Facilitator
Ste. Madeleine Métis Cultural Centre