 right|thumb|extent of the district of keewatin before its reorganization in 1905.  the district of keewatin was a territory of canada and later an administrative district of the northwest territories. it was created in 1876 by the keewatin act, and originally it covered a large area west of the hudson bay. in 1905, it became a part of northwest territories and in 1912, its southern parts were adjoined to provinces of manitoba and ontario, leaving the remainder, now called keewatin region, virtually uninhabited. on april 1, 1999, the keewatin region was formally dissolved, as nunavut was created from eastern parts of the northwest territories, including all of keewatin. the name "keewatin" comes from algonquian rootsâeither kÄ«wÄhtin (á®áá¦áá£) in cree or giiwedin (á®ááá) in ojibweâboth of which mean north wind in their respective languages. in inuktitut, it was called kivalliq (á­ááªáá)âa name which persists as the kivalliq region in nunavut. ==history as a territory 1876â1905== the district of keewatin was created by the passage of the keewatin act on october 7, 1876victoria r, proclamation, 7 october 1876, (1876) c gaz, 458. from a portion of canada's northwest territories. the district ceased being an independent territory in 1905 and was returned to the northwest territories. at the time of its abolition, it covered 228,160 square miles (590,932 kmÂ²)âroughly the size of saskatchewan. at its establishment in 1876, it encompassed the bulk of what is now manitoba and north-western ontario and southern nunavut. its territory had been reduced over the years as areas were added to the two provinces. the federal government created the district of keewatin on the advice of lieutenant governor alexander morris. morris convinced the government that the new territorial government of the northwest territories would be unable to effectively administer land to the north and east of manitoba. morris was advised of the need for a new territory by james mckay. morris approved of the idea and began consulting with mckay to determine a proper ab
District_of_Keewatin Districts_of_the_Northwest_Territories