IN 1870, the Dominion of Canada grew dramatically with the addition of the North-Western Territory and Rupert’s Land. The region, originally called the North-West Territories, included area that became the Yukon as well of parts of Nunavut and several provinces. In 1970, the Yellowknife Board of Trade produced a brass $1 coin, spendable at cooperating businesses during the year, to celebrate the centennial.
LOCAL PRIDE
The front of the coin shows Yellowknife's coat of arms—featuring a maple leaf, northern lights and shovel—and motto Multum in parvo, Latin for "many things in a small place."
WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?
The NWT government also produced bronze and silver medallions and handed them out to school children. Others could purchase the souvenirs for $2 and $15, respectively. But Dene resident Georgina Blondin questioned the anniversary: “Why is 1970 significant? One hundred years isn’t much when we’ve been here for thousands of years.”
NORTHERN TRIO
On the back, three people in parkas represented the NWT’s three population groups—Inuit (35 per cent in 1970), First Nations (30 per cent) and “others” (35 per cent)—and the territory’s three main regions at the time: Franklin, Keewatin and Mackenzie.
