The Manitoba Legislative Building , constructed mainly of Tyndall stone , opened in 1920 ; its dome supports a bronze statue finished in gold leaf , titled " Eternal Youth and the Spirit of Enterprise " ( commonly known as the " Golden Boy " ) . The stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression resulted in widespread unemployment , worsened by drought and low agricultural prices . The Depression ended after the start of World War II in 1939 . In the Battle of Hong Kong , The Winnipeg Grenadiers were among the first Canadians to engage in combat against Japan . Battalion members who survived combat were taken prisoner and endured brutal treatment in prisoner of war camps . In 1942 , the Victory Loan Campaign staged a mock Nazi invasion of Winnipeg to promote awareness of the stakes of the war in Europe . When the war ended , pent-up demand generated a boom in housing development , although building activity was checked by the 1950 Red River flood . The federal government estimated damage at over $ 26 million , although the province indicated that it was at least double that
1950 Red River flood
1950 Red River flood
Winnipeg