Prairie Provinces

Thousands have already evacuated western Canada, particularly the central prairie provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as firefighters face growing flames and hot, dry weather predictions in the coming days.

The new cabinet includes representation from Canada's prairie provinces - a minister and secretary of state - where there are growing musings about separation amid a broader sense of western alienation from the power centre in Ottawa.

For decades, many in the oil and gas-rich prairie provinces of Alberta and Saskachtewan have bemoaned how they are underrepresented, despite the region's economic significance for the country as a whole.

The fires in Alberta are sending plumes of smoke eastward over prairie provinces Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

In Canada, the rise in babies born with syphilis is concentrated in the three prairie provinces: Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.