In 1870, the postage-stamp province, Manitoba, was created as Canada’s newest province. It was one-18th the size of present-day Manitoba but that was soon to change.
In 1876, the District of Keewatin was created as a central strip in the North-West Territories between Manitoba and Ontario, itself slowly growing in size.
Five years later in 1881, Manitoba expanded into the district, reaching the border of Ontario.
At that point, Ontario only went to just before the western edge of Lake Superior. The Lake of the Woods and Rat Portage, now Kenora, were part of Manitoba under this expansion.
At first, Ontario disputed the change but did not actively challenge Manitoba’s authority in the area. That changed when Manitoba announced that an election would be held for a seat in the disputed area.
Ontario quickly realized that it was losing the district if it did not challenge Manitoba’s claim on it. If an election was held, Manitoba’s claim would be set for the area.
On July 9, 1883, the Government of Ontario announced that it was going to place six Provincial Constables in Rat Portage and appoint a magistrate there. It also began issuing business and liquor licences. Manitoba then appointed its own constables.
Before long, two town councils were operating in the community.
Any business owner in Rat Portage that had a Manitoba business licence was arrested by the Ontario constables for operating without a proper licence. The Manitoba constables in the community followed suit by arresting anyone operating with an Ontario business or liquor licence.
Alexander Begg, in his book, History of the North-West wrote,
One day a Manitoba constable would be arrested for drunkenness by an Ontario constable, the next, Manitoba would reciprocate by arresting an Ontario official.
Things reached their climax at the end of the summer in 1883. When two Ontario policemen were arrested for selling liquor, they were convicted and sentenced to jail in Winnipeg by a Manitoba judge.
Prior to their transport, the stable next to the hotel owned by the Manitoba judge was lit on fire. As the constables went to fight the fire, an Ontario judge ordered the arrest of Manitoba constables and charged with making unlawful arrests.
In response to this, Manitoba constables threw anyone holding an Ontario liquor licence in jail, while a mob freed the Ontario constables from jail.
Premier Norquay of Manitoba then sent Attorney General Millar, Manitoba Provincial Police Chief Constantine and 25 constables on a train to Rat Portage. They arrested three men and shipped them to Winnipeg for trial.
Both Manitoba and Ontario planned to hold elections in Rat Portage for their respective legislatures. During the election campaign, riots occurred in the community and Manitoba sent 60 men from the Winnipeg Field Battery to the area. Ontario was furious over this, and the provincial government stated such an act was comparable to an act of war
In the elections, J.A. Millar was elected to the Manitoba Legislature and R.A. Lyon was elected in the Ontario Legislature.
Now, Rat Portage had two different representatives for two different provincial legislatures.
Arrests continued to go back and forth in the community over licences, with constables on both sides being arrested.
Eventually, Ontario and Manitoba realized they needed to resolve the issue. The governments agreed to mutually approve a Commissioner of Police, and suspend both town councils until the matter was resolved.
The territorial dispute then went to the Privy Council in England, the highest court in the land at the time.
On Aug. 11, 1884, the council gave its decision. The entire parcel of land was to be given to Ontario.
Thus ended, the Manitoba-Ontario Border Dispute.