Michael Portillo continues west through the Canadian Prairie on his thousand-mile rail journey from Winnipeg, Manitoba, to Jasper, Alberta. Following his 1899 Appleton's guide, Michael explores a glossy, glassy oil-rich Edmonton, second city of Alberta. On the banks of the North Saskatchewan River, he travels three centuries back in time to experience the life of "les voyageurs", who travelled huge distances within Canada by foot and canoe to trade fur with indigenous people for sale in Europe.

Michael admires Edmonton's early 20th-century heritage streetcars, preserved by the Radial Railway Society, and seizes the chance to drive one across a spectacular high-level bridge over the North Saskatchewan River. At the beautiful 1913 Alberta Legislature building, Michael discovers how a crucial ceremonial omission was ingeniously made good - with some curious bric a brac. The city prides itself on its modern light rail system, offering rapid transit to 80 million passengers per year. Michael hears how this growing city plans to keep pace. Show less