How about Prince George, Caledonia, Canada?
The area used to be known as Caledonia, why not again? But this time why not in the context of Canada’s 11th province? Let’s make everything north of 100 Mile House Canada’s newest political force. Sound a little extreme? Wacko? Perhaps. But maybe it’s also an idea whose time has come.
The Electoral Boundaries Commission will be in town next week listening to our concerns about its recommendation to reduce our representation in the provincial legislature. We’re going to give them an earful about how we don’t fewer MLAs in the North.
But what happens if our arguments fall on deaf ears and the commission’s recommendations are adopted? What do we do then?
Why not separate from the rest of British Columbia?
It’s not without precedent in this country. We need only look further north for our inspiration. Canada’s third territory of Nunvaut only a few short years ago was just the eastern part of the Northwest Territories. The separation of Nunavut from the Northwest Territories began with a 1992 territorial referendum in which the electorate approved the move as part of the largest native land-claim settlement in Canadian history. The process concluded with the establishment of the new territory on Apr. 1, 1999. Nunavut has an elected 19-member assembly, which will assume all governing powers by 2009.
It can be done.
We can even look further south for inspiration. There have been rumblings in northern Ontario for years about the top half of that province splitting from the rest of Ontario and forming another province. The suggestion was even to join with Manitoba to form ‘Mantario.’ In 1999 the Northern Ontario Coalition political party was formed.
"We're not there anymore with Ontario. It's always a struggle," said Charles Primeau, former mayor of Longlac, Ont. in a 2006 interview. "It's a lack of respect. That's the most frustrating thing. At a certain point if I don't get respect, I'm going to move out."
Sound familiar?
The electoral boundaries commission is just the latest in a long line of ‘beyond Hope-isms.’ If you spend any time in the Interior (I’ve lived my entire life on this side of Hope) you know that the folks in Lotusland just don’t get when it comes to the Interior. However, we probably don’t get it when it comes to the Lower Mainland either. We do realize, however, that the province’s population base does rest on the other side of Hope which means the majority of government’s attention is focused there. That’s not to say someone is doing something wrong, it’s just the way things are. For decades folks in the North have wanted a more representative say in governance.
Demographics have worked against that happening. Once again, that’s no one’s fault. It’s just the way things are. So how do we achieve that? If we are looking for that in a representation-by-population electoral system, the wait will never end.
Oh there will be lots who pooh-pooh the idea saying the North wouldn’t have the economic clout to make it as a province, British Columbia is stronger the way it is, it’s too difficult, etc. etc. etc.
It’s not about economics our clout on the national stage. It’s about controlling our own resources and future -- self-determination.