If Your Province Had to Choose Another Capital - Page 3

ciudad_del_norte · #41 Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 8:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xelebes

For Alberta, Strathcona. That way, Edmonton gets University of Alberta and the Edmonton-Strathcona CMA can forever be a morass of little fiefdoms. Or at least more than it already is.

At one point I read some of the things that people in Strathcona said about Edmonton and vice versa way way back. Not very different at all from the S-Side N-Side divide these days.

Architype · #42 Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 9:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Harbour Grace, founded in 1517 by Francis I of France, very nearly was the capital of Newfoundland but lost out due to being farther from Europe and more difficult to defend. For long stretches of our history, however, it was nearly as important.

...

People would start out wanting it somewhere central, such as Grand Falls-Windsor, then the conversation would turn to "Well that's the centre of the ISLAND, what about Labrador?". No one in their right mind would put the capital up there, even more isolated, so Corner Brook on the west coast would come up as the least offensive compromise. Only it's 25,000 residents would be happy with the decision, along with everyone involved with the airport in Deer Lake.

For NL, I guess closest to Europe would be Quidi Vidi, or Blackhead? There was a reason why most American states and some Canadian provinces chose small cities, to counteract the domination of the largest cities and be more acceptable to the rural electorate. For "center of gravity" type centrality I was going to suggest Gander, but I've always thought the Terra Nova area or Glovertown might be more interesting locations, because I think it should have good access to the sea, and be interesting geographically.

Denscity · #43 Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 9:05 PM**

For BC strictly for their name here's a few choices:

Spuzzum
Skookumchuk
Yahk
Pouce Coupe

ssiguy · #44 Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 9:08 PM**

For BC I would say NuWest. It was the original capitol and would still be close for Islanders but would avoid the total concentration of Vancouver. Conversely I woud say Montreal for Quebec.

Ontario would probably be the toughest decision. Toronto not only dominates the province but also divides it between East and West to say nothing of the North which is a whole differennt world. I don't think there is one city that anyone could even remotely agree upon. If I had to guess the three best options would include the 2 obvious ones.....London & Kingston and then maybe Barrie as it is central between East and West and Norherly to pacify Northerners.

If the provinces divided I would say London and Kingston would be obvious for SWO and Eastern Ontario and probably SSM for the North as it connects the Eastern and Western portions.

Xelebes · #45 Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 9:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciudad_del_norte

At one point I read some of the things that people in Strathcona said about Edmonton and vice versa way way back. Not very different at all from the S-Side N-Side divide these days.

"Edmonton residents are expressing anger that North Edmonton has gone ahead with a plan for a new arena after the old coliseum has been replaced. The new plan has them pushing out housing for the disadvantaged into Edmonton.

Edmonton is also expressing anger after Calder continues to refuse to provide public transportation in their hamlet, and proving to be a major headache for St. Albert residents commuting to downtown Edmonton.

Duggan councillors are angry at Bruderfeld residents after failed amalgamation plans for the expansion of industrial along Argyll Road has hit another roadblock in hopes of reigniting the faith that they can proceed once more with filing amalgamation proceedings.

Jasper Place now has a population that surpassed Sherwood Park making it the largest community in the Edmonton CMA."

EpicPonyTime · #46 Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 10:38 PM**

Picking a new capital for Saskatchewan would be fun given the several historical capitals we have here. Both Battleford and Prince Albert previously served as capitals for the Northwest Territories and the District of Saskatchewan, respectively, and they have longer and more colourful histories than Saskatoon.

If you wanted to put your capital in a more symbolic place, you could always put it in Batoche given its status as Riel's capital during the Rebellion.

And as a fun aside, you could also put it in the town that was once expected to be the most important city in Saskatchewan: Qu'Appelle. It would have been made the capital of the District of Assinaboia had it not been for the Lieutenant-Governor choosing Regina over it because he had tons of land holdings there. One of my favourite "what ifs" in this province is if Qu'Appelle had become the urban centre people thought it was going to be.

Of course, you could also say Edmonton because we all moved there anyway.

eternallyme · #47 Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 11:01 PM**

If I had to pick:

* Alberta: Red Deer (compromise between two largest cities)
* British Columbia: Kamloops (more central location on main highway)
* Manitoba: Brandon (2nd largest city)
* New Brunswick: Moncton (although Fredericton is definitely ideal there)
* Newfoundland and Labrador: Gander (more central location)
* Nova Scotia: Truro (more central location)
* Ontario: Sudbury (away from big city pressures, more central location land-wise)
* Prince Edward Island: Summerside (2nd largest city, although there is no way that Charlottetown loses it)
* Quebec: Trois-Rivieres (compromise between the two largest urban areas; considered Saguenay as well)
* Saskatchewan: Prince Albert (central location in the province)

1overcosc · #48 Posted **Sep 29, 2016, 11:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

History should be corrected and Montréal should retrieve its title as the National Capital. Ottawa be damned.

If we're going to pick through history to find a new national capital, Kingston is the better choice. From day 1 in the 1780s, Kingston was built with the intention of being the capital of a future unified government in British North America, and so was naturally picked for the role when it first appeared in 1841. When the British transplanted aristocracy decided Kingston wouldn't work Montreal was the default choice simply because they didn't want to pick either Toronto or Quebec for fears of favoritism towards the former Upper Canada or the former Lower Canada. There never really was a point where Montreal was "intended" to be capital... it was just a brief convenience choice.

Not that I think the national capital should actually move, though. Too much effort to do for no point, and Ottawa is already a very good microcosm of Canada as a whole which makes it well suited to the capital role.

ue · #49 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 12:55 AM**

British Columbia: Kamloops
Alberta: Red Deer, Peace River, Lacombe
Saskatchewan: Moose Jaw
Manitoba: Portage la Prairie, Thompson
Ontario: Sudbury
Quebec: Trois-Rivieres, Shawinigan, Sherbrooke
New Brunswick: Saint John, Caraquet
Prince Edward Island: Summerside
Nova Scotia: Truro, Annapolis Royal
Newfoundland & Labrador: Gander
Yukon: Dawson City
Northwest Territories: Fort Simpson
Nunavut: Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay

For the record, the only capitals I think would make sense to move are Ontario and maybe BC or Manitoba. The rest make sense. Especially cities like Fredericton, Charlottetown, Quebec City, Edmonton, and Victoria.

Drybrain · #50 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 1:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

A better question would be whether there are any situations where it wouldn't automatically default to the largest/next largest city?

Capitals in the U.S. are often or usually in relatively tiny places. Montpelier Vermont has fewer than 8,000 people; Augusta, Maine has 20,000; Olympia, Washington has 46,000; Lansing, Michigan, has 115,000; Springfield, Illinois has 115,000. And so on.

So it would make sense for Canadian capitals to be located in places like New West, or Kingston, or Truro.

Razor · #51 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 2:28 AM**

For Ontario, I think North Bay would make a great choice..It's a good central location being 3 hours +/- to the GTA, and just under 4.0 hours to Ottawa and general access to Eastern Ontario.. Being the Gateway to the North, it's also at both of Central and Northern Ontario's respective doorstep.

I always though that North Bay would be a good fit and do well as a larger more important center.

jlousa · #52 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 2:55 AM**

I'd throw Prince George in the hat for BC. Think we'd have a lot more mega projects approved if the politicians were forced to be up north with more blue collared folks instead of retired island hippies.

mistercorporate · #53 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 3:04 AM**

For Ontario: Jane and Finch Provincial Capital Region. Temporary Provincial legislature to be housed at Cactus Exotic Foods building. Premier's residence shall be the Beer Store.

Laceoflight · #54 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 3:15 AM**

Another interesting thread.

I'd personally say that in QC and PEI, the capitals are located where they should be... However...

BC : New Westminster is central, population-wise + it has the bones. Kamloops territorially-wise.
AB : Red Deer, right in-between the big2.
SK : ?? Maybe they could share between Saskatoon and Regina... Like La Paz and Sucre...
MB : Territorially speaking, Portage-la-Prairie seems to be in the middle of the œcoumène. But Winnipeg is SOOO dominant.
ON : Strange province... Toronto seems to work. Sudbury is more central, with regards to the territory. Orillia is more central, population-wise.
QC : Québec is perfect, as it is the bottleneck - the point of junction between southern Québec, the Bas-Saint-Laurent / Gaspé, the Saguenay / Côte-Nord... quite central as it is. Plus it has the bones of a capital city. Otherwise, I think that Les Boules, Manche-d'Épée, La Misère or Le Brise-Culotte would be great candidates.
NB : I'd say Moncton reflects more what the province is (Anglo canadians / Acadians) than Fredericton.
NS : Halifax seems like a judicious choice. Alpha city + quite in the centre. Truro or New Glasgow would be well located too.
NL : no f**king idea.
PEI : Charlottetown should remain. Though I don't think the province itself should even be a province...

1overcosc · #55 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 6:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Capitals in the U.S. are often or usually in relatively tiny places. Montpelier Vermont has fewer than 8,000 people; Augusta, Maine has 20,000; Olympia, Washington has 46,000; Lansing, Michigan, has 115,000; Springfield, Illinois has 115,000. And so on.

So it would make sense for Canadian capitals to be located in places like New West, or Kingston, or Truro.

I've always thought the American tendency to put state capitals in tiny communities located centrally within the state is interesting. Following that logic, I'd agree that Truro would be Nova Scotia's capital, but BC and Ontario would probably be Kamloops and Sudbury.

There are some states that put their largest cities as their state capitals, though, such as Georgia and Massachusetts (Atlanta & Boston).

1overcosc · #56 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 6:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ue

British Columbia: Kamloops
Alberta: Red Deer, Peace River, Lacombe
Saskatchewan: Moose Jaw
Manitoba: Portage la Prairie, Thompson
Ontario: Sudbury
Quebec: Trois-Rivieres, Shawinigan, Sherbrooke
New Brunswick: Saint John, Caraquet
Prince Edward Island: Summerside
Nova Scotia: Truro, Annapolis Royal
Newfoundland & Labrador: Gander
Yukon: Dawson City
Northwest Territories: Fort Simpson
Nunavut: Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay

For the record, the only capitals I think would make sense to move are Ontario and maybe BC or Manitoba. The rest make sense. Especially cities like Fredericton, Charlottetown, Quebec City, Edmonton, and Victoria.

IMO, Rankin Inlet is a better choice than Iqaluit. It's more centrally located within Nunavut and it would be much easier to build a road link there than it would be to get one to Iqaluit.

red-paladin · #57 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 8:39 AM**

I think that ideally, Vancouver Island and BC should have remained separate colonies -> provinces. That way Victoria would be the capital of VI and either New West (Or better yet Kamloops or Kelowna) would be the capital of BC.

p_xavier · #58 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 12:25 PM**

To the lawyers here, is there something in the Constitution about changing one province's capital, or the country's?

Taeolas · #59 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 12:53 PM**

I'll toss in a dark horse candidate and throw in Woodstock as the New Brunswick capital.

It's further upriver than Fredericton, but it is closer to the States. But back when Capitals were being sorted out, it might have given us a better claim on Aroostock county, which would mean better potential road links with Quebec. (As seen/discussed in a recent thread in the Atlantic section). And looking at the pop stats for a century later, Woodstock was a sizable community compared to the rest of the province; being a Capital would have encouraged it to grow further.

Of course with all the butterflies we're unleashing into the timeline to make this happen, we'll probably have New Brunswick be basically the Saint John Valley + Aroostook, and a new province, Acadia, taking up the Northumberland coast and maybe the Gaspe.

Echoes · #60 Posted **Sep 30, 2016, 2:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by eternallyme

If I had to pick:

* Alberta: Red Deer (compromise between two largest cities)
* British Columbia: Kamloops (more central location on main highway)
* Manitoba: Brandon (2nd largest city)
* New Brunswick: Moncton (although Fredericton is definitely ideal there)
* Newfoundland and Labrador: Gander (more central location)
* Nova Scotia: Truro (more central location)
* Ontario: Sudbury (away from big city pressures, more central location land-wise)
* Prince Edward Island: Summerside (2nd largest city, although there is no way that Charlottetown loses it)
* Quebec: Trois-Rivieres (compromise between the two largest urban areas; considered Saguenay as well)
* Saskatchewan: Prince Albert (central location in the province)

Geographically central, yes. But PA is near the northern limit of the populated area of the province.