Alternate Names for the Canadian Prairie Provinces

EnglishCanuck · Apr 18, 2016

So we had the names Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta historically, but what could some interesting alternate names for the prairie provinces in Canada be?

Bonus points if you can make more than three provinces

The Gunslinger · Apr 19, 2016

EnglishCanuck said:
So we had the names Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta historically, but what could some interesting alternate names for the prairie provinces in Canada be?

Bonus points if you can make more than three provinces

Well, Athabasca and Assiniboia are obvious choices. You could see a potential Rupertsland, The NWT could get named Mackenzie. Manitoba could get named Winnipeg/Winnipegosis and Fort Garry gets renamed something else. Perhaps one of Victoria's other children gets something named after them?

Umbric Man · Apr 19, 2016

Really, the NWT districts (Athabaska, Assiniboia, etc.) are the best bets, as well as the proposed Alberta+Saskatchewan 'Buffalo' mega-province.

Perhaps Ontario above the Great Lakes watershed and within the Hudson Bay watershed can use the name 'Keewatin' before it disappeared for Nunavut, if they don't want a hugely-sized Manitoba and Ontario but still make that area a province (if a sparsely-populated one) on its own.

King Nazar · Apr 19, 2016

Maybe name one after the Queen? Province of Victoria.

Or you could cheat and make names like "North Alberta" and "South Alberta."

galanx · Apr 19, 2016

Hey, anyplace that can turn a great name like "Pile-of-Bones" into "Regina"....

I can tell the difference between magarine and butter,
I can say "Saskatchewan" without starting to stutter

Stolengood · Apr 19, 2016

How about one named MacDonald? As a bonus, it's decidedly sure to have more than one farm...

EnglishCanuck · Apr 21, 2016

The Gunslinger said:
Well, Athabasca and Assiniboia are obvious choices. You could see a potential Rupertsland, The NWT could get named Mackenzie. Manitoba could get named Winnipeg/Winnipegosis and Fort Garry gets renamed something else. Perhaps one of Victoria's other children gets something named after them?

Those are the easiest, though I have to wonder what you would rename Winnipeg? Rupertolpolis?

Umbric Man said:
Really, the NWT districts (Athabaska, Assiniboia, etc.) are the best bets, as well as the proposed Alberta+Saskatchewan 'Buffalo' mega-province.

Perhaps Ontario above the Great Lakes watershed and within the Hudson Bay watershed can use the name 'Keewatin' before it disappeared for Nunavut, if they don't want a hugely-sized Manitoba and Ontario but still make that area a province (if a sparsely-populated one) on its own.

Keewatin is one I always wished we'd kept

it just rolls off the tongue so nicely!

IIRC wasn't there resistance in Ottawa to the proposed mega-province since it might grow more politically powerful than Ontario, which the elites of the east sincerely wanted to avoid?

King Nazar said:
Maybe name one after the Queen? Province of Victoria.

Or you could cheat and make names like "North Alberta" and "South Alberta."

Hmm, there's plenty of children to choose from, experimenting with the names could be fun

Stolengood said:
How about one named MacDonald? As a bonus, it's decidedly sure to have more than one farm...

Hmm could we call the denizens of such a province Booziers, perhaps in honor of their namesake

Beedok · Apr 21, 2016

EnglishCanuck said:
Those are the easiest, though I have to wonder what you would rename Winnipeg? Rupertolpolis?

Winnipeg City. Like Québec.

EnglishCanuck said:
IIRC wasn't there resistance in Ottawa to the proposed mega-province since it might grow more politically powerful than Ontario, which the elites of the east sincerely wanted to avoid?

And Alberta as it was folks in Saskatchewan plotting it and wanting control.

Maine · Apr 21, 2016

WHat about Boreal Prairies?

EnglishCanuck · Apr 21, 2016

Beedok said:
Winnipeg City. Like Québec.

And Alberta as it was folks in Saskatchewan plotting it and wanting control.

Maybe Red River City?

And I'm a little fuzzy on much of the history of the prairies post 1886

Maine said:
WHat about Boreal Prairies?

Interesting idea! Though to my mind that may seem more appropriate to the NWT.

The Gunslinger · Apr 21, 2016

EnglishCanuck said:
Maybe Red River City?

And I'm a little fuzzy on much of the history of the prairies post 1886

There's always the potential that the names Manitoba and Winnipeg simply get flipped. Or, maybe Fort Gibraltar becomes the dominant Fort in the area (but this requires a fairly early POD). Maybe Winnipeg gets named after Wolseley after a 'great victory'?

EnglishCanuck · Apr 21, 2016

The Gunslinger said:
There's always the potential that the names Manitoba and Winnipeg simply get flipped. Or, maybe Fort Gibraltar becomes the dominant Fort in the area (but this requires a fairly early POD). Maybe Winnipeg gets named after Wolseley after a 'great victory'?

Actually, those are some great ideas! Never thought about naming it after Wolseley, mind you, I don't know whether he would appreciate that

The Gunslinger · Apr 21, 2016

EnglishCanuck said:
Actually, those are some great ideas! Never thought about naming it after Wolseley, mind you, I don't know whether he would appreciate that

I think he'd SAY he didn't appreciate it... but he always struck me as kind of a glory hound so he'd probably be super stoked about his legacy.

The Gunslinger · Apr 21, 2016

While we're on the topic of cities, Edmonton might get swallowed up by Strathcona instead of vice versa.

EnglishCanuck · Apr 21, 2016

The Gunslinger said:
I think he'd SAY he didn't appreciate it... but he always struck me as kind of a glory hound so he'd probably be super stoked about his legacy.

Probably. I've always wondered about the possibility of O'Donoghue inviting O'Neill and some of his Fenians along. That might have made things interesting...

The Gunslinger said:
While we're on the topic of cities, Edmonton might get swallowed up by Strathcona instead of vice versa.

Now there's an idea. Strathcona would make for an interesting alternate development.

Sevarics · Apr 21, 2016

North North Dakota

What if Alberta is named after the other names of Louisa Caroline Alberta... so Canadian Louisiana or Canadian Carolina!

vega · Aug 17, 2016

Bumping this back up for discussion.

Selkirk for Manitoba could be a possibility. Or, it could be the name for Saskatchewan, and would keep the abbreviation the same.

Mac Gregor · Aug 17, 2016

Here is what Canada looks like in my TL, The Union Forever.

EnglishCanuck · Aug 18, 2016

vega said:
Bumping this back up for discussion.

Selkirk for Manitoba could be a possibility. Or, it could be the name for Saskatchewan, and would keep the abbreviation the same.

Selkirk makes more sense in the Manitoba region though. I suppose that if you avoided the 1870 troubles it would make a good name.

Mac Gregor said:
Here is what Canada looks like in my TL, The Union Forever.
View attachment 283977

Ah these looked good. I always liked Vesperia, where did you come up with that?

telynk · Aug 18, 2016

How about dividing the parties into four provinces with a line going east-west just north of Saskatoon and south of Edmonton and a north-South line running through the middle of saskatchewan

Southeast could be Winnipeg, Northeast could be Nelson (after the river). Northwest could be Athabasca (after the lake or river) Southwest maybe Piedmont or something indicating the presence of the mountains. The Southwest (including otl calgary, lethbridge, medicine hat, swift current, sask.) Is the one i'my least sure of. Bow, Oldman, and Red Deer (afterrivers) seem too strange. Maybe Blackfoot?