Great Canadian Railway Journeys

Original version

BBC Two Scotland

Documentaries

Factual: Travel

Michael Portillo explores Canada, armed with his Appleton's Guidebook.

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Two England

England

Michael Portillo

Alison Kreps

Tom Richardson

FremantleMedia

Great Canadian Railway Journeys: Series 1: Episode 7: Vancouver Island to San Juan Island

Vancouver Island to San Juan Island

Episode 7

Episode 7: Vancouver Island to San Juan Island

Series 1

BBC Two - Great Canadian Railway Journeys, Series 1, Vancouver Island to San Juan Island

Michael discovers how two superpowers nearly came to war over a pig.

Michael Portillo explores British Columbia. He discovers how two superpowers nearly came to war over a pig.

Michael Portillo explores British Columbia, steered by his Appleton's Guide to Canada, published in 1899. He discovers how two superpowers nearly came to war over a pig and joins the Royal Canadian Navy to firefight on board the frigate HMCS Regina. Starting on Vancouver Island, the largest island on the Pacific coast of North America, Michael explores the rich British heritage and colonial past of the provincial capital of British Columbia, Victoria. He discovers the origins of the immensely powerful and profitable Hudson's Bay Company, a private fur-trading enterprise used as a surrogate for the extension of the British Empire in North America.

In the affluent James Bay area of Victoria, Michael discovers the former home of a Canadian national icon, an early 20th-century artist who documented the art and culture of the indigenous people of the western coast, Emily Carr. At Saanichton, Michael visits the studio of a present-day First Nations artist and helps to carve a 36- foot totem pole.

Great Canadian Railway Journeys: Series 1

BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Great Canadian Railway Journeys

Series 1

Episode 7: Vancouver Island to San Juan Island

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC Two Scotland

About BBC Two