Proposals for new Canadian provinces and territories
Encyclopedia
Since Canadian Confederation
in 1867, there have been several proposals for new Canadian provinces and territories. The Constitution of Canada
requires an amendment
for the creation of a new province
but the creation of a new territory requires only an act of Parliament; therefore, it is easier legislatively
to create a territory than a province.
Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden
and his delegation to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919
put pressure on British Prime Minister David Lloyd George
to give most of the above territories to Canada as sub-dominions or League of Nations
mandates
, citing the concessions made to Billy Hughes
' Australia
n delegation with regard to New Guinea
and Nauru
. Lloyd George eventually declined.
, the Rhinoceros Party of Canada, a satirical federal political party, included annexation of the United States as part of its platform. It was proposed that the United States become the third territory of Canada. As well, following the 2004 U.S. presidential election
, some American voters distributed the Jesusland map
, which proposed that the 19 American "blue states" secede from the United States and become Canadian provinces. In both cases, however, Canadian annexation of all or part of the United States was a purely satirical
idea rather than a serious proposal.
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
in 1867, there have been several proposals for new Canadian provinces and territories. The Constitution of Canada
Constitution of Canada
The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions and conventions. It outlines Canada's system of government, as well as the civil rights of all Canadian citizens and those in Canada...
requires an amendment
Amendments to the Constitution of Canada
Amendments to the Constitution of Canada are changes to the Constitution of Canada initiated by the government. Only since 1982 has there been an official protocol to amend the Constitution.- History :...
for the creation of a new province
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
but the creation of a new territory requires only an act of Parliament; therefore, it is easier legislatively
Parliamentary procedure
Parliamentary procedure is the body of rules, ethics, and customs governing meetings and other operations of clubs, organizations, legislative bodies, and other deliberative assemblies...
to create a territory than a province.
Current and defunct movements within Canada
People in many areas across Canada have expressed wishes that their communities receive heightened autonomy via provincehood or territoryhood. These areas include:| Area | Land | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic | Acadia Acadia Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as... |
This was promoted by the Parti Acadien Parti acadien The Parti Acadien was a political party in New Brunswick, Canada, in the 1970s and 1980s. The party was founded in 1972 by Acadians who were upset over poorer living conditions in predominantly francophone areas of the province versus those areas dominated by anglophones... and is similarly represented by the historic "Republic of Madawaska Republic of Madawaska The Republic of Madawaska was a small, unrecognized state in the northwest corner of Madawaska County, New Brunswick and adjacent areas of Aroostook County in the American state of Maine and of Quebec. The word "Madawaska" comes from the Mi'kmaq words madawas and kak... ". Currently, there is limited support for this idea, and drawing the borders of a separate Acadian Acadian The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France... province would be difficult. The Parti Acadien Parti acadien The Parti Acadien was a political party in New Brunswick, Canada, in the 1970s and 1980s. The party was founded in 1972 by Acadians who were upset over poorer living conditions in predominantly francophone areas of the province versus those areas dominated by anglophones... decided once again to support the creation of a separate province, in tandem with most (but not all) SANB members. The party went into the 1978 election New Brunswick general election, 1978 The 29th New Brunswick general election was held on October 23, 1978, to elect 58 members to the 49th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada. Richard Hatfield's Progressive Conservative Party narrowly won its third term.In the lead up to... with a platform of independence. However, Richard Hatfield Richard Hatfield Richard Bennett Hatfield, PC, ONB was a New Brunswick politician and long time Premier of the province .- Early life :... and the governing Progressive Conservatives Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick is a centre-right political party in New Brunswick, Canada. It has its origins in the pre-Canadian confederation Conservative Party that opposed the granting of responsible government to the colony... also promoted a platform that promised to increase the role of the Acadian people and culture within the province. |
| Cape Breton Island Cape Breton Island Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany.... |
An area which was annexed by and is a part of Nova Scotia, but in the past it has been a separate colony. Cape Breton Island is usually considered distinct from mainland Nova Scotia by some people across Canada and mainland Nova Scotia. Provincehood had been advocated by the Cape Breton Labour Party Cape Breton Labour Party The Cape Breton Labour Party was a social democratic provincial political party in Nova Scotia, Canada that advocated separate provincial status for Cape Breton, which is the northern part of the Province of Nova Scotia.-Founding:... . |
|
| Labrador Labrador Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle... |
The mainland portion of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400... . The Labrador Party Labrador Party The Labrador Party was a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The party was founded in 1969, and it won its first seat in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in 1971. The newly elected Labrador Party Member of the House of Assembly soon defected, and... has campaigned on the platform of a separate province. |
|
| Nunatsiavut Nunatsiavut Nunatsiavut is an autonomous area claimed by the Inuit in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The settlement area includes territory in Labrador extending to the Quebec border. In 2002, the Labrador Inuit Association submitted a proposal for limited autonomy to the government of Newfoundland and... |
An area in northern Labrador, it is inhabited mainly by Inuit, many of whom wish to leave Newfoundland and Labrador and form a territory similar to Nunavut Nunavut Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993... . It has recently been granted certain self-government powers, while remaining within the province. Similar Inuit and First Nation territories, such as Nunavik Nunavik Nunavik comprises the northern third of the province of Quebec, Canada. Covering a land area of 443,684.71 km² north of the 55th parallel, it is the homeland of the Inuit of Quebec... and parts of British Columbia, are seeking the same status as Nunatsiavut. |
|
| Quebec | English Quebec | Around the time of the 1995 Quebec referendum 1995 Quebec referendum The 1995 Quebec referendum was the second referendum to ask voters in the Canadian province of Quebec whether Quebec should secede from Canada and become an independent state, through the question:... on sovereignty Sovereignty Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided... , a self-named 'partition Partition of Quebec Partition in Quebec politics refers to the secession of regions of the province of Quebec, rather than to partitions in a strict political sense. It is usually discussed as a possibility in the event of Quebec secession from Canada... ' movement flourished, advocating the separation of certain areas of Quebec, particularly the English-speaking areas such as Montreal's West Island West Island The West Island is the unofficial name given to the western cities and boroughs of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada... , in the event of Quebec separation, with such areas remaining part of Canada. This movement is no longer active. See also Proposal for the Province of Montreal Proposal for the Province of Montreal The Province of Montreal is a proposal to separate the city of Montreal, its metropolitan region or its English and non-Francophone regions into a separate province from Quebec, becoming the 11th province of Canada... . |
| Kanienkehaka | During the runup to the 1995 Quebec referendum, Mohawk Mohawk nation Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint... leaders asserted a sovereign right to secede from Quebec if Quebec were to secede from Canada. It is not clear whether most Mohawks would actually like to secede from Canada or to form a territory within Canada, in the event of Quebec secession. In the CBC Television CBC Television CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are... documentary Breaking Point Breaking Point (documentary film) Breaking Point is a Canadian documentary film, released in 2005. Aired on CBC Television in English and on Télévision de Radio-Canada in French and released to mark the tenth anniversary of the 1995 Quebec sovereignty referendum, the film explored the dynamics of the referendum campaign through... , the Quebec Premier at the time, Jacques Parizeau Jacques Parizeau Jacques Parizeau, is an economist and noted Quebec sovereignist who was the 26th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec from September 26, 1994 to January 29, 1996.-Early life and career:... , said that had the referendum succeeded, he would have allowed the Mohawk communities to secede from Quebec, on the grounds that they had never given up their sovereign rights. |
|
| Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean is a region in Quebec, Canada. It contains the Saguenay Fjord, the estuary of the Saguenay River, stretching through much of the region... |
André Harvey André Harvey André Harvey, PC is a consultant, politician and former teacher in Quebec, Canada.Harvey was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1984 general election that brought Brian Mulroney to power... , the former federal MP for Chicoutimi—Le-Fjord, was attributed with the idea of creating a new province encompassing the highly separatist area of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean in Quebec, on the premise that it has a culture distinct from the rest of Quebec and already has its own flag. |
|
| Ontario | National Capital Region National Capital Region (Canada) The National Capital Region, also referred to as Canada's Capital Region, is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, the neighbouring city of Gatineau, Quebec, and surrounding urban and rural communities.... |
At various times, provincial, territorial or special federal status has been proposed for the metropolitan area Metropolitan area The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,... consisting of Ottawa Ottawa Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario... , Ontario Ontario Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa.... and Gatineau Gatineau Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census... , Quebec Quebec Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level.... , so that the national capital would not be part of any province. |
| Northern Ontario Northern Ontario Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population... |
The Northern Ontario Heritage Party Northern Ontario Heritage Party The Northern Ontario Heritage Party is a provincial political party in Ontario, Canada that was formed in 1977 to campaign for provincial status for Northern Ontario. No member was ever elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario... advocated for the creation of a separate province by dividing from Southern Ontario Southern Ontario Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of... in the 1970s, although the party did not attract widespread electoral support. A newer group, the Northern Ontario Secession Movement, has begun a similar campaign, but has not to date attracted the same degree of attention. On a more modest scale, Sudbury's Northern Life community newspaper has also published a number of editorials in recent years calling on the province to create a new level of supraregional government that would give the Northern Ontario region significantly more autonomy over its own affairs within the province. The Northern Ontario Heritage Party was subsequently reregistered in 2010, although in its current incarnation it advocates increased regional autonomy and has stopped short of calling for a new province. |
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| Province of Toronto | The largest city in Canada. Some have argued that the rest of Ontario benefits from Toronto more than the reverse. Support for its separation from Ontario is low. Some activists have lobbied for a separate Province of Toronto; former Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman, while in office, floated the idea because of what he perceived as the province's excessive draining of tax resources from Toronto without providing sufficient support for public services within the city. | |
| British Columbia | Vancouver Island Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794... |
Vancouver Island was a British colony Colony of Vancouver Island The Colony of Vancouver Island , was a crown colony of British North America from 1849 to 1866, after which it was united with British Columbia. The united colony joined the Dominion of Canada through Confederation in 1871... before the mainland of what is now British Columbia was settled. Some island residents believe that the island would be better off as its own province. Support for the movement is low. |
Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut
- Each of the three current Canadian territories — YukonYukonYukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
, the Northwest TerritoriesNorthwest TerritoriesThe Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
and NunavutNunavutNunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
— is home to a movement lobbying for the territories' political status to be upgraded to full provincehood. - The different territories in the Northwest Territories were proposed as independent in different times:
- InuvialuitInuvialuitThe Inuvialuit or Western Canadian Inuit are Inuit people who live in the western Canadian Arctic region. They, like all other Inuit, are descendants of the Thule who migrated eastward from Alaska...
(Inuvik Region - InuvikInuvik, Northwest TerritoriesInuvik is a town in the Northwest Territories of Canada and is the administrative centre for the Inuvik Region.The population as of the 2006 Census was 3,484, but the two previous census counts show wide fluctuations due to economic conditions: 2,894 in 2001 and 3,296 in 1996...
) - SahtuSahtu Dene CouncilThe Sahtu Dene Council is a council that represents the Sahtu people of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The council is in negotiations with the Government of Canada for a land claims settlement, the Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, for the four Dene communities in the...
(Sahtu RegionSahtu RegionThe Sahtu Region is one of five administrative regions in the Northwest Territories in Canada. The region consists of five communities with the regional office situated in Norman Wells. With the exception of Norman Wells the communities are predominately First Nations.-Communities:The Sahtu Region...
- Norman WellsNorman Wells, Northwest TerritoriesNorman Wells is the regional centre for the Sahtu Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada...
) - DehchoDehcho First NationsThe Dehcho First Nations is an organization representing the Dene and Métis people of the Northwest Territories, Canada.-Members:*Acho Dene Koe Band - Fort Liard*Fort Liard Métis Local 67 - Fort Liard Métis*Deh Gah Gotie Dene Council - Fort Providence...
(Dehcho RegionDehcho RegionThe Dehcho Region is one of five administrative regions in the Northwest Territories. The region consists of six communities with the regional office situated in Fort Simpson. All communities in the Dehcho are predominately First Nations.-Communities:...
- Fort SimpsonFort Simpson, Northwest TerritoriesFort Simpson is a village in the Dehcho Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. The community is located on an island at the confluence of the Mackenzie and Liard Rivers...
) - TåîchôTaichōwas a shugendō monk in Nara period Japan. He was raised in Echizen Province, which was in the southern portion of present day Fukui Prefecture. He was the second son of Mikami Yasuzumi...
(North Slave RegionNorth Slave RegionThe North Slave Region is one of five administrative regions in the Northwest Territories. The region consists of eight communities with the regional offices situated in Behchoko and Yellowknife. With the exception of Yellowknife the communities are predominately First Nations.-Communities:The...
- BehchokoBehchoko, Northwest TerritoriesBehchokǫ̀ , officially the Tłı̨chǫ Community Government of Behchokǫ̀ is a community in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Behchokǫ̀ is located on the Yellowknife Highway , on the northwest tip of Great Slave Lake, approximately northwest of Yellowknife...
and YellowknifeYellowknife, Northwest TerritoriesYellowknife is the capital and largest city of the Northwest Territories , Canada. It is located on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, approximately south of the Arctic Circle, on the west side of Yellowknife Bay near the outlet of the Yellowknife River...
) - AkaitchoAkaitcho Territory GovernmentThe Akaitcho Territory Government is a First Nations organization representing the Dene people of the Northwest Territories, Canada.-Members:*Deninu Kue First Nation - Fort Resolution*Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation - Lutselk'e...
(South Slave RegionSouth Slave RegionThe South Slave Region is one of five administrative regions in the Northwest Territories. The region consists of seven communities with the regional offices situated in Fort Smith and Hay River. With the exception of Enterprise and Hay River the communities are predominately First...
- Fort SmithFort Smith, Northwest TerritoriesFort Smith is a town in the South Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is located in the southeastern portion of the Northwest Territories, on the Slave River and adjacent to the NWT/Alberta border.-History:Fort Smith's history began because of the Slave River and the vital link...
and Hay RiverHay River, Northwest TerritoriesHay River , known as "the Hub of the North," is a town in the Northwest Territories, Canada, located on the south shore of Great Slave Lake, at the mouth of the Hay River. The town is separated into two sections, a new town and an old town with the Hay River Airport between them...
)
- Inuvialuit
Current or former British territories
| Polity | Description |
|---|---|
| Turks and Caicos Islands Turks and Caicos Islands The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union consisting of two groups of tropical islands in the Caribbean, the larger Caicos Islands and the smaller Turks Islands, known for tourism and as an offshore financial centre.The Turks and... |
A British overseas territory in the Caribbean. There is some support for it to join Canada, and in 2004 Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the... voted to invite Turks and Caicos to join that province, in the event of the islands becoming Canadian. However, the islands' small economy and Canada's involvement in Haiti Haiti Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island... has made this controversial. On March 2, 2009, the Ottawa Citizen ran an article on its online site reporting the interest of the Canadian government to open a deep-water port in the Caribbean that would "opened up a new market for Canadian goods". The article proposed that "the port, unaffordable for Caribbean countries [would] boost the standard of living and bolstered hemispheric security. ... as a Canadian military operations base for countries wanting help to patrol their waters and to interdict the Caribbean's robust trade in smuggled arms, drugs and people". In the 1990s support for integration into Canada as an "11th province" was at 90%, while in 2003, support for integration stood at around 60% in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Peter Goldring Peter Goldring Peter Goldring is a Canadian federal politician.Goldring is currently a member of the Conservative Party of Canada in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Edmonton East since 2004, Edmonton Centre-East since 2000, and Edmonton East from 1997 to 2000... , a Conservative MP from Edmonton, has championed the cause of integrating the Turks and Caicos Islands as a Canadian territory for security benefits as well as increasing Canada's influence in Central and Southern America in regards to anti-terrorism and trade. |
| Barbados Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint... |
In 1884, the Barbados Agricultural Society sent a letter to Sir Francis Hincks Francis Hincks Sir Francis Hincks, KCMG, PC was a Canadian politician.Born in Cork, Ireland, he was the son of Thomas Dix Hincks an orientalist, naturalist and Presbyterian minister and the brother of Edward Hincks orientalist, naturalist and clergyman.He moved to York in 1832 and set up an importing business... requesting his private and public views on whether the Dominion of Canada would favourably entertain having the then colony of Barbados admitted as a member of the Canadian Confederation. Asked of Canada were the terms of the Canadian side to initiate discussions, and whether or not the island of Barbados could depend on the full influence of Canada in getting the change agreed to by Britain United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... . Then in 1952 the Barbados Advocate newspaper polled several prominent Bajan politicians, lawyers, businessmen, the Speaker of the Barbados House of Assembly Barbados House of Assembly The House of Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Barbados. It has 30 Members of Parliament , MPs are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority system for a term of five years.... and later as first President of the Senate Senate of Barbados The Senate is the name given to the Upper House of the bicameral legislature the Parliament of Barbados. The Senate is accorded legitimacy by Chapter V of the Constitution of Barbados. It is the smaller of both chambers and also includes HM Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Barbados... , Sir Theodore Branker, Q.C. and found them to be in favour of immediate federation of Barbados along with the rest of the British Caribbean Anglophone Caribbean The term Commonwealth Caribbean is used to refer to the independent English-speaking countries of the Caribbean region. Upon a country's full independence from the United Kingdom, Anglophone Caribbean or Commonwealth Caribbean traditionally becomes the preferred sub-regional term as a replacement... with complete Dominion Status within five years from the date of inauguration of the West Indies Federation West Indies Federation The West Indies Federation, also known as the Federation of the West Indies, was a short-lived Caribbean federation that existed from January 3, 1958, to May 31, 1962. It consisted of several Caribbean colonies of the United Kingdom... with Canada. In 2008, the former President of the Barbados International Business Association (BIBA) reflected on the close historical relations between both nations and questioned whether a political union was possible within the next 100 years. |
| Bermuda Bermuda Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida... |
In 1949 Henry Vassey, then Chairman of the Bermuda Trade Development Board, urged the House of Assembly of Bermuda House of Assembly of Bermuda The House of Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Bermuda. The house has 36 members, each elected for a five year term in a single seat constituencies.... to pursue a political union with Canada. Four Methodist church congregations in Bermuda are part of The United Church of Canada, forming Bermuda Presbytery of the United Church's Maritime Conference headquartered in Sackville, New Brunswick. |
| Jamaica Jamaica Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic... |
In the late 19th century, there was some discussion of some form of political union between Canada and Jamaica. |
| The West Indies Federation West Indies Federation The West Indies Federation, also known as the Federation of the West Indies, was a short-lived Caribbean federation that existed from January 3, 1958, to May 31, 1962. It consisted of several Caribbean colonies of the United Kingdom... |
In a 1952 letter by T.G. Major, a Canadian Trade Commissioner in Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles... , it was stated to the Under Secretary of State for External Affairs that the respective leaders of the British Caribbean could not reach a clear consensus for the exact style of a federal union with Canada. During a parliamentary conference held in Ottawa Ottawa Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario... , it was also noted though that the colony of British Honduras British Honduras British Honduras was a British colony that is now the independent nation of Belize.First colonised by Spaniards in the 17th century, the territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, became a British crown colony from 1862 until 1964, when it became self-governing. Belize became... (present day Belize Belize Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official... ) showed the most interest in a union with Canada exceeding that of the other British Caribbean colonies. |
Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden
Robert Borden
Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC, GCMG, KC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920, and was the third Nova Scotian to hold this office...
and his delegation to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
put pressure on British Prime Minister David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
to give most of the above territories to Canada as sub-dominions or League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
mandates
League of Nations mandate
A League of Nations mandate was a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the internationally agreed-upon terms for administering the territory on behalf of the League...
, citing the concessions made to Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
' Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n delegation with regard to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
and Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
. Lloyd George eventually declined.
United States
In the 1979 Canadian federal electionCanadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
, the Rhinoceros Party of Canada, a satirical federal political party, included annexation of the United States as part of its platform. It was proposed that the United States become the third territory of Canada. As well, following the 2004 U.S. presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, some American voters distributed the Jesusland map
Jesusland map
The Jesusland map is an Internet meme, created shortly after the 2004 United States Presidential election, which satirizes the red/blue states scheme by dividing the United States and Canada into "The United States of Canada" and "Jesusland".-Origin:...
, which proposed that the 19 American "blue states" secede from the United States and become Canadian provinces. In both cases, however, Canadian annexation of all or part of the United States was a purely satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
idea rather than a serious proposal.
| Land | Description |
|---|---|
| Alaska Alaska Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait... |
Some Canadians and Alaskans have discussed the possibility of the state of Alaska seceding from the United States and joining Canada under an autonomy Autonomy Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision... plan allowing for a U.S. sphere of influence Sphere of influence In the field of international relations, a sphere of influence is a spatial region or conceptual division over which a state or organization has significant cultural, economic, military or political influence.... . This is comparable to what some Quebec separatists have advocated for in the past (sovereignty-association, Quebec Autonomism Quebec Autonomism Quebec autonomism is a political belief that Quebec should seek to gain more autonomy as a province, while remaining a part of the Canadian Confederation... ). The issue has been discussed on various fora, such as that for the Alaska Independence Party forum, which claims Alaska as the "lost province". However, no formal movement in favour of this proposal exists, nor does any political party advocate it. |
| Vermont Vermont Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England... |
Some supporters of the Vermont independence movement propose that Vermont join Canada as a province. |
| Maine Maine Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost... |
Some propose that Maine secede from the U.S. and join Canada as a province, though this movement is much smaller than the "Vermont annexation movement". |
Current French territories
| Land | Description |
|---|---|
| St. Pierre and Miquelon | A small French France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... dependency just off the Burin Peninsula Burin Peninsula The Burin Peninsula is a Canadian peninsula located on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.... of Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400... . At various times, residents and politicians in Saint Pierre and Miquelon have proposed that the islands pursue secession from France to become part of Canada, so that the islands — whose economy is highly dependent on the Atlantic fishery Fishery Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,... — could participate in Canada's much larger maritime fishing zone rather than France's limited "keyhole" zone. such proposals have never come to a vote or referendum. |
Miscellaneous boundary changes
There have also been some proposals that would result in a change of the boundary status between existing provinces, or even between Canada and the United States.| Land | Description |
|---|---|
| Northwestern Ontario Northwestern Ontario Northwestern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and west of Lake Superior, and west of Hudson Bay and James Bay. It includes most of subarctic Ontario. Its western boundary is the Canadian province of Manitoba, which disputed Ontario's claim to the... |
Recently, some residents of Northwestern Ontario have proposed that the region secede from Ontario Ontario Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa.... to join Manitoba Manitoba Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other... , due to the perception that the government of Ontario does not pay sufficient attention to the region's issues. One paper in Canadian Public Policy suggested the region merge with Manitoba to form a new province called "Mantario." |
| Maritime Provinces | At various times, some politicians in Canada's Maritime provinces of New Brunswick New Brunswick New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area... , Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the... and Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population... have proposed that the three provinces unite into a single new province, which would be larger and have more political and economic clout than any of the three provinces does individually. Although this Maritime Union Maritime Union Maritime Union is a proposed political union of the three Maritime provinces of Canada to form a single new province which would be the fifth-largest in Canada by population... proposal often attracts media attention, there has been little substantive discussion. |
| Southeastern British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... |
In the 1990s, there was discussion amongst some municipal councillors in Elkford Elkford, British Columbia Elkford is a small community in southeast British Columbia. It is nestled within the majestic Rocky Mountain range. Elkford is located 32 km North of the junction at Sparwood, on provincial Highway 43.... , which lies within the Rocky Mountains, about joining Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... , whose conservative politics were more in line with their own than were the left-wing politics of much of the rest of BC. This discussion did not result in any formal movement. |
| Northwest Angle Northwest Angle The Northwest Angle, known simply as the Angle by locals, and coextensive with Angle Township, is a part of northern Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, and is the only place in the United States outside Alaska that is north of the 49th parallel... |
Due to laws restricting fishing rights in Lake of the Woods Lake of the Woods Lake of the Woods is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States. The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can only be reached from the rest of... , some residents of this part of Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state... — which is accessible via road to the rest of the United States only by way of Manitoba Manitoba Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other... — suggested leaving the United States and joining Canada in 1997. The following year, Representative Collin Peterson Collin Peterson Collin Clark Peterson , is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991, and the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee. He is a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and is the dean of the Minnesota congressional delegation.The district, Minnesota's largest and most rural... proposed a constitutional amendment that would allow the residents of the Northwest Angle, which is part of his district, to vote on seceding from the United States and joining Canada, angering the leaders of Red Lake Indian Reservation Red Lake Indian Reservation The Red Lake Indian Reservation covers 1,258.62 sq mi in parts of nine counties in northern Minnesota, United States. It is divided into many pieces, although the largest piece is centered about Red Lake, in north-central Minnesota, the largest lake entirely within that state. This section lies... , which holds most of the Northwest Angle's land. |
See also
- 51st state51st stateThe 51st state, in United States political discourse, is a phrase that refers to areas either seriously or derisively considered candidates for addition to the 50 states already part of the United States. Before 1959, when Alaska and Hawaii joined the U.S., the term "the 49th state" was used...
- Annexation movements of Canada
- Proposals for new Australian statesProposals for new Australian StatesA number of proposals for the creation of additional states in Australia have been made in the past century. However, to date, none have been added to the Commonwealth since Federation in 1901...
- Secessionist movements of CanadaSecessionist movements of CanadaThroughout the history of Canada, there have been movements seeking secession from Canada.-Newfoundland:There is a secessionist movement in Newfoundland based on its unique culture and its history, prior to 1949, of being a self-governing Dominion...
- Territorial evolution of CanadaTerritorial evolution of CanadaThe federation of Canada was created in 1867 when three colonies of British North America were united. One of these colonies split into two new provinces, three other colonies joined later...
- Former colonies and territories in CanadaFormer colonies and territories in CanadaFormer colonies, territories, boundaries, and claims in Canada prior to the current classification of provinces and territories. In North America, ethnographers commonly classify Aboriginals into ten geographical regions with shared cultural traits and by related linguistic dialects...