If Your Province Had to Choose Another Capital

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by craner

I agree, it's centealized. And frankly, I'm glad Calgary is not the capital, seems to give it a more business friendly vibe.

Yep, having one business/govt city is cool, aka Winnipeg as you have all the business and all the cultural trappings of a capital, but I'd rather have two big cities in AB rather than just one.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

Yep, having one business/govt city is cool, aka Winnipeg as you have all the business and all the cultural trappings of a capital, but I'd rather have two big cities in AB rather than just one.

If, say, Brandon was the capital of Manitoba instead, would there be a lot less Winnipeg dominance in the provincial legislature and governance?

[mousquet]

If France was a province of a super large and powerful federal body, I'd pick Lyon, so-called capital of the Gauls. So the French national administration would move over there. Good riddance.

It's a funny thing to me that NYC, LA, Chicago and maybe most large cities in the US are the capitals of nothing.

[lio45]

Maybe Gatineau, so our public servants and bureaucrats would be closer to their federal counterparts. Also, the equalization Brinks trucks full of cash would have less distance to drive.

[ue]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

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.

I agree, though a name other than Vancouver Island would probably be ideal for a separate province, considering the major city in BC across the strait is also named similarly. Is there perhaps an indigenous name for the island similar to how the Queen Charlotte Islands went to Haida Gwaii? Even as part of BC, I'd support such a renaming for VI. I'd imagine it would me much harder to do so without considerable support from the residents who, correct me if I'm wrong, are largely apathetic to such a thing.

Since we're sort of on this topic, does anyone have any knowledge as to why the boundaries of Nunavut with NWT are so awkward as they are? What was the reasoning behind putting a random line through Victoria Island?

[hipster duck]

Originally Posted by ue

I agree, though a name other than Vancouver Island would probably be ideal for a separate province, considering the major city in BC across the strait is also named similarly. Is there perhaps an indigenous name for the island similar to how the Queen Charlotte Islands went to Haida Gwaii? Even as part of BC, I'd support such a renaming for VI. I'd imagine it would me much harder to do so without considerable support from the residents who, correct me if I'm wrong, are largely apathetic to such a thing.

Since we're sort of on this topic, does anyone have any knowledge as to why the boundaries of Nunavut with NWT are so awkward as they are? What was the reasoning behind putting a random line through Victoria Island?

I don't know if Vancouver Island has a single, agreed-upon indigenous name. The island was big enough that it would have been the home of several different indigenous groups who, at the other end of the island, might have spoken completely different dialects of the same language. It may have been so big that most pre-contact indigenous groups may have been oblivious to the fact that it was an island.

Most people refer to it as "the island" here (e.g. "I'm going to the island" is not met with responses like "which one?").

[ue]

Yes, calling it "the Island" is common in Alberta, too. Sometimes "Van Isle" as well. I figure a more unique name could be made for the island, though. Just seems like a wasted opportunity. I feel similarly about London, Ontario; the Southern Alps; New York City; any place named 'Augusta' or 'Hamilton' or 'Springfield' or 'Victoria'; etc.

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by mousquet

If France was a province of a super large and powerful federal body, I'd pick Lyon, so-called capital of the Gauls. So the French national administration would move over there. Good riddance.

It's a funny thing to me that NYC, LA, Chicago and maybe most large cities in the US are the capitals of nothing.

it's not a coincidence, at all. the us state capitals were often moved to small towns, and geographically centered in states. the states that do happen to have large city capitals are cities that are generally geographically centered, like atlanta, columbus, indianapolis, and st. paul.

l.a., chicago, n.y.c. are all on the edges of their states.

[dmuzika]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

it's not a coincidence, at all. the us state capitals were often moved to small towns, and geographically centered in states. the states that do happen to have large city capitals are cities that are generally geographically centered, like atlanta, columbus, indianapolis, and st. paul.

l.a., chicago, n.y.c. are all on the edges of their states.

Generally that's true, or at least central to the population; however, there are a few odd ones like Juneau, AK and Tallahassee, FL which seem cut off from the rest of the state. Both are on their respective state's panhandle, and Juneau is inaccessible via car even though it's on the mainland. Looking on the map, either Anchorage or Fairbanks would probably be a better location for Alaska, while Orlando seems fairly central to the other major cities in Florida.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

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.

If you have ever seen Rankin or Iqaluit in person before, believe me, you'll choose Iqaluit.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Echoes

There's an interesting history to how Regina became the capital of Saskatchewan upon the province's creation.

From the Wikipedia page of our first Premier, Walter Scott:

Source

The consolation prize to Saskatoon, as the story goes, was being named the location of the University of Saskatchewan.

I'd say that if Saskatoon was chosen as the capital of Saskatchewan, then Regina would have the U of S. Lol!

[PoscStudent]

Corner Brook is a more logical choice for Newfoundland and Labrador's capital as a province of Canada. While a small city now it could have been much bigger had it been the capital. There is a big harbour that comes into Corner Brook, plus there are two other harbours close by. Not only could Marine Atlantic sail right into Corner Brook but if there was more of a population base on the west coast a fixed link between the island and Labrador would be more feasible. Labrador probably wouldn't feel so isolated if they were closer to the capital city. The weather in Corner Brook is also nicer.

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

it's not a coincidence, at all. the us state capitals were often moved to small towns, and geographically centered in states. the states that do happen to have large city capitals are cities that are generally geographically centered, like atlanta, columbus, indianapolis, and st. paul.

l.a., chicago, n.y.c. are all on the edges of their states.

The Western Provinces & maybe Atlantic Canada are the only ones where having capital in geographical center of Province would be feasible (ie Edmonton).

90% of the Prairie Provinces population is more than 100 km from southern border to the USA, where as MORE than 90% of population of Provinces like Quebec & Ontario is WITHIN 100km of USA border. Thats why having a capital in a geographical center of Ontario or Quebec like Timmins or Chibougamau would be far too harsh climatically.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

I'd say that if Saskatoon was chosen as the capital of Saskatchewan, then Regina would have the U of S. Lol!

I always learnt in elementary school that the locations of the capital, university and penitentiary were being planned around the same time and that's how they decided on Saskatoon and PA as the respective homes of the latter two. Guess they didn't want too much in one city!

[lio45]

Originally Posted by dmuzika

Generally that's true, or at least central to the population; however, there are a few odd ones like Juneau, AK and Tallahassee, FL which seem cut off from the rest of the state. Both are on their respective state's panhandle, and Juneau is inaccessible via car even though it's on the mainland. Looking on the map, either Anchorage or Fairbanks would probably be a better location for Alaska, while Orlando seems fairly central to the other major cities in Florida.

Tallahassee was chosen precisely because it was totally central (halfway between the two main cities of the state, Pensacola and St. Augustine) back when anything but northernmost Florida was barren, mosquito-infested swampland.

In modern times though, there had been a serious movement in the '60s to relocate the capital to Orlando (very central for FL's population distribution nowadays). Didn't work. (On that topic -- I don't think there's been changes of state capitals in any of our lifetimes...)

For AK, I have no idea, but I would guess that in the early days, the AK panhandle (closest, least remote part) was where everything was happening.

For a weirdly non-central capital, how about Wyoming?

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

l.a., chicago, n.y.c. are all on the edges of their states.

Most old big cities are on major rivers, and major rivers tend to be borders, so that's normal. St. Louis is a perfect example of both.

[Acajack]

In Alaska there was a vote in the 70s that passed that would have seen the capital move to Willow, a town of 2000 people not too far from Anchorage. So closer to the state's centre of population. They never acted on this and the decision was abandoned a few years later.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by lio45

Tallahassee was chosen precisely because it was totally central (halfway between the two main cities of the state, Pensacola and St. Augustine) back when anything but northernmost Florida was barren, mosquito-infested swampland.

In modern times though, there had been a serious movement in the '60s to relocate the capital to Orlando (very central for FL's population distribution nowadays). Didn't work. (On that topic -- I don't think there's been changes of state capitals in any of our lifetimes...)

For AK, I have no idea, but I would guess that in the early days, the AK panhandle (closest, least remote part) was where everything was happening.

For a weirdly non-central capital, how about Wyoming?

Carson City, Nevada is another example of a capital that was in the thick of things when it was chosen but is now in a rather remote margin of its state after the previously barely habitable southern sections became habitable (thanks to air conditioning and a lot of marketing).

[ssiguy]

I certainly believe that if Toronto were to abdicate then the province as a whole would split up to SWO, EO, NO but.......if I HAD to pick a city that at least no one in different regions could bitch about I would say Barrie.

It's still detached from Toronto, it's not SWO, not EO, and not NO..........no one could bitch. It's sort of in between all three. It helps that it's kind of a pretty little city with a nice location on Lake Simcoe.

[SkydivePilot]

A similar premise for having a centrally-located capital - in this case, of a country, is Brasilia, Brazil. Brasilia was created in recent times to shift the capital city to roughly the centre of Brazil and away from the coast. (Rio.)

Brasilia is a brand-new city only "completed" in about 1960. In fact, it is so new, that much of it is in the shape of an airplane! (As viewed from above. (Embraer.))