Buffalo Flats

Buffalo Flats by Martine Leavitt

Rebecca Leavitt had traveled with her family to join other co-religionists in what is now Alberta. They generally get along with those that are not of their faith, though there are there are plenty of conflicts. Rebecca wants to have land of her own. However, as a woman she cannot claim it like men can. (She finds it ironic that the land officer is a subject of the Queen.) 

The characters experience many of the challenges of life in the northern frontier. There are diseases and medical problems. The weather brings about plenty of challenges of its own, from the cold to the flash foods that can destroy areas. They also experience the life of a religious community, complete with religious experiences as well as struggles to overcome human foibles that contradict their believes.

The religious community is a patriarchal society, but it is Rebecca's mom that wields the most influence. She is a nurse midwife who attends to all the childbirths as well as most ailments. When they discover that a neighbor is beating his wife, she "goes on strike" until the men go to "take care of things". It is an example of the influence that one can have even when ostensibly in a position of weakness.