Manitoba began automobile registration in 1908 and province-issued plates in 1911.  1912-19 plates featured the provincial coat-of-arms, and a bison was depicted on plates from 1958 through 1975.  In a case of major one-upmanship, Manitoba proclaimed its "100,000 LAKES" in 1971-75, not to be outdone by Minnesota's "10,000 LAKES"!  The current issue of plates started in 1997.