How would a Mega-Canada have developed as the most populous nation in North America?

In a world where the US still declared its independence but perhaps was not able to expand much more beyond the reach of the original 13 colonies, perhaps with the British securing the Louisiana territory and much of the lands on the Pacific coast.

How would this mega British North America have developed? It would be a nation that was loyal to Britain but would be destined to outpace it in population.
 
This is basically an alt New France. To make a connection between LA and Canada work, you need a route through the great lakes territory. so, either Britain keeps the old northwest territory (Indiana,Michigan, Illinois) during American Revolution or War of 1812. LA is still likely to develop its own identity/gov't, and t hus become a separate country/dominion. But, maybe we can create a feeling of togetherness if they decide they need each other to fend off US.

Without the LA purchase and resultant manifest destiny delusions of grandeur, US doesn't take on this magic aura of being the place to go. Immigrants still need to go somewhere, so off to uber Canada they go. Points of entry are going to be Quebec City (which swells in population before folks move on inland) and New Orleans. There will be a 'port' on the Ohio River to handle westward moving US Americans. It's going to take a little while for Canada to become the primary destination for immigrants, and so the OTL alternate destination spots (Mexico, South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, etc) will get a boost. In this wank, Canada eventually develops the Aura and attracts the immigration.

In the OTL magical mythical image of immigration to US as the hotspot destination, it's always the promise of land which draws the immigrants, but in reality, the promise of employment is just as big, or bigger, a factor. That means industry. Alt Canada has to develop industry. Textiles, mining, and ultimately manufacturing has to take root. Louisiana/Arkansas state region is somewhat shy on mineral attraction, but Missouri/Wisconsin/Illinois/Michigan/upper Ontario region has plenty.

Steamboats made the Mississippi river navigable northward, which really opened up that part of the country. So, let's make Missouri/Illinois/Michigan/Wisconsin/upper Ontario the heart of the country. It takes on the magical Aura that draws immigration. It conveniently ties Louisiana territory region and Canada.

The St Lawrence and Mississippi are the happening routes into the Great Lakes hub of industry.

The US still has plenty of room to grow, but quickly fills up in an agrarian sense. The population has to either immigrate to Canada for land, where they become another ingredient in the world's melting pot, or they urbanize in the US. US cities become larger, earlier than OTL.

The Indians of Tennessee/Alabama/Mississippi are still displaced. The land holds too much attraction and the white man is too powerful for the 5 civilized tribes to hang on to it. The only 'wasteland' the US has to displace the Indians to is Florida. The options for the Indians are: move to Florida, forced assimilation into the white man's world (as second class citizens), or migrate to Canada. Ultimately, the Indians of Canada are probably fooked, too. IMO, it's just a harsh reality that the traditional Indian way of life is not compatible with the European White man way of life. The notions of land ownership are vastly different, and the amount of land necessary for Indian way of life is too great. Given the ability, the Indians would have abused the whites, decimated them, and limited them to reservations. But, they didn't, so the whites get the dubious honor of being judged the oppressors. Bottom line is that ultimately no matter what whites hold hegemony over the land, the Indians are displaced. Indians can assimilate into the white man's world, but at that point, are they Indians, or just another white with a different genealogy? The French model of Indian relations in early New France is not sustainable with a higher population density. Perhaps the displacement/assimilation can be handled in a gentler fashion, though.

This mega Canada/Louisiana will naturally look to secure the largest borders possible. Every country does. Spain/Mexico wanted as much as possible northward of Texas, Colorado, Oregon, Washington. Even though they weren't using it, they still wanted it. C/L is going to push southward to interpret the borders as generous as possible. In this wank, they have the muscle to get their way. Whether this means they eventually steal Texas and the OTL US southwest is up to you. I'll be nice and leave that to Spain/Mexico. Northern half of Texas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada goes to Canada, though. Spain held a claim on Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska based on the old method of sailing forth, setting foot on land, saying hello to the natives, and planting a flag/claiming the land for whomever paid for the expedition. However, Spain didn't do anything with that region. Britain and Russia had already laughed and took Alaska and British Columbia. Britain/Canada is going to do the same for most of the west coast. Britain OTL wanted northern California and all points north. here it gets added to steroid Canada. no one else can do anything with Alaska, including Russia, so eventually Canada will take a chunk, or all, of it. Hawaii is going to be British. Whether it gets added to Canada is optional.
 
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