Which pair of western provinces joined Confederation in 1905?

• A. Manitoba and Alberta
• B. Ontario and Quebec
• C. Alberta and Saskatchewan
• D. Newfoundland and Labrador

Answer: (C)

Expanding Confederation into the West by creating new provinces shows how the federation grew to match population and economic development. In 1905, the Northwest Territories were reorganized to form two new provinces, Alberta and Saskatchewan. This gave residents in the western plains their own provincial governments with authority over areas like education, land, and local affairs, while they remained part of Canada and gained representation in Parliament. Earlier western growth had already brought Manitoba into Confederation (1870) and British Columbia (1871), so the 1905 pair is the step where Alberta and Saskatchewan joined together as the two western provinces. Newfoundland and Labrador joined much later (1949), and Ontario and Quebec were original provinces established at Confederation.