On Sept. 1, 1905, Alberta and Saskatchewan were carved out of the Northwest Territories. But before that happened, there were many possible provincial proposals. One was a very large province called Buffalo. This is the story of the potential provinces! 🧵 1/10
Not Bison? lol.
As plans were put into place to create provinces out of the Canadian West as the population increased due to settlers arriving, several proposals were considered. One was to create a single province out of modern-day southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. 🧵2/10
Another option was to create two provinces, divided west to east, not north to south, at the 52 degrees North. Or create three provinces, one large one stretching from BC to Manitoba in the south, and two in the north, running south from the edge. 🧵3/10
Some wanted four provinces, dividing current Alberta in half west to east & making central and southern Saskatchewan into their own provinces. Others wanted 4 provinces, dividing current Alberta in the middle west to east, & then dividing southern Saskatchewan. 🧵4/10
Then there was the Province of Buffalo. This province encompassed most of present-day Alberta and Saskatchewan, with the border in the northern part of present-day Saskatchewan and running south. Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon and Regina were all in one province. 🧵5/10
Eish, happy that didnt happen!
Another version of the province ran from the Rockies to northern Lake Winnipeg, with the northern border at 57 degrees North. Edmonton and Calgary were not in favour of this idea since Regina would be the capital of the large province. 🧵6/10
NWT Premier Frederick Haultain wanted a large province. But he was a Conservative, and PM Sir Wilfrid Laurier was a Liberal. They did not get along. There was also a concern that a large province in the west would minimize the power of Ontario and Quebec in the east. 🧵7/10
Choosing the arbitrary line that is now the Alberta-Saskatchewan border was also to divide the potential strength of the Conservative Party which was concentrated in the south along the CPR mainline in the two provinces. 🧵8/10
Things could have been different if the Conservatives won the 1904 federal election, and not the Liberals. Had that happened, Manitoba may have seen its border expand westward, not northward, and the remaining area would have become the Province of Buffalo. 🧵9/10
We should have just named them Province One and Province Two.
I hope you enjoyed that look at the Province of Buffalo. If you enjoy my Canadian history content, you can support my work with a donation at 👇 buymeacoffee.com/craigu 🧵10/10
Is that how Buffalo, NY got its name?