The development of Manitoba towns after 1870 is evidenced by the
"major transformation" of the prairie environment into an agricultural
economy.
It is also through the place-names given to towns that the Francophones
appropriate the space and mark the countryside with their linguistic,
religious, and cultural identity. Despite their relatively modest
size, the towns fulfil an essential function for the development
of the rural and agricultural world as trade and distribution
centres for the rural population.
The towns are part of a parochial and diocesan network that encompasses
the Catholic institutions and organizations and, for several decades,
provides a framework for the providential nature of working the
land and the importance of rural traditions for the survival of
French-Canadians. At the same time, the towns also provide a link
between the country and the urban, industrial world, fostering
the development of a modern culture within the rural communities.
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