How does the convergence of ancient geography and early diplomacy—specifically the retreat of glacial Lake Agassiz and Article II of the 1818 Anglo-American Treaty—shape Canada’s strategic trade posture in the 21st century?
The answer lies in a slender corridor, roughly 130 kilometers long, nestled between the southern tips of Lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba—vestiges of that vast glacial sea—and the 49th parallel, the international boundary enshrined by British and American negotiators in 1818. This narrow tract, at the eastern edge of the Canadian Great Plains, is home to Winnipeg: once a fur trade entrepôt, then a railway nexus, and now—once again—a critical national junction. Carved by ice and codified by diplomacy, this land has reemerged as Canada’s strategic vital ground, particularly as economic uncertainty and protectionist rhetoric intensify south of the border.
In military doctrine, vital ground refers to terrain that, if lost, decisively alters the course of a campaign. For Canada, this place—this narrow yet consequential spit of land—holds that same potential. Despite our broad international trading ties, Canada’s commercial lifeblood has long flowed north–south. Yet with rising volatility in U.S. politics, including renewed threats of tariffs and even musings of annexation, Canadian policymakers are wisely shifting their gaze. A more resilient, pan-Canadian strategy—flowing east–west and northward—has become imperative. And it is this reorientation that has returned Manitoba, and particularly Winnipeg, to the status of vital ground.
As Dr. B. Mario Pinto of the University of Manitoba has argued in The Globe and Mail, northern Manitoba—anchored by the Port of Churchill—is an increasingly prudent and plausible trade corridor. But while Churchill draws headlines, it is Winnipeg and its surrounding region that quietly supports it all. No road, no rail, no data, and no energy flows northward or westward without passing through this strategic hinge point. What was once seen as remote now reveals itself as central.
With Bill C-5, the Building Canada Act, the federal government has articulated a renewed vision for nation-building—one that rests on infrastructure investment, interprovincial cooperation, and economic reconciliation. Yet for that vision to succeed, it must be anchored in realism and respect. Pipelines and highways alone will not suffice. Public trust, environmental stewardship, and genuine partnerships with Indigenous nations—especially those who call this land home—are essential.
Here, too, Manitoba is well-positioned. As the homeland of the Red River Métis and a province of deep First Nations and Inuit presence, Manitoba has long demonstrated a capacity for collaborative development across governments, Indigenous communities, academia, and private enterprise. But the way forward must be deliberate—not hesitant, but pragmatic and principled. Projects must not only meet the requirements of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), but also embody its spirit: one of shared leadership, mutual benefit, and enduring respect.
The land shaped by glacial waters, the borders drawn by imperial treaty—these are not simply relics of the past. They are foundational markers of a Canadian future that can be both just and prosperous.
If Manitoba is the heart of the nation and the keystone of the Dominion, then Winnipeg is its central artery. The flow of goods, energy, data, and opportunity across Canada—and outward to global markets—depends on keeping that artery open, resilient, and inclusive. What is key here is opportunity: opportunity not only for Manitobans and Indigenous communities in Manitoba, but for all Canadians. Re-aligning Canada’s trade focus from a predominantly north-south axis to one that is increasingly east-west in its orientation is rife with potential opportunity and increased prosperity.
The eyes of the nation must now turn to our national strategic vital ground of Winnipeg and Manitoba. But not with the gaze of extraction or exploitation. Rather, with the resolve of statesmanship—to build with, not over; to connect, not divide; to harness this vital ground not merely for national survival, but for national renewal.
Winnipeg and Manitoba are vital ground. Let us treat them as such.