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A Look at the Provinces, Part I: British Columbia

© David Newman

This is the first article in a series of twelve articles on each of the ten provinces and three territories (Northwest Territories and Nunavut will be put together because of April 1st Article on Nunavut). British Columbia is the most western province, situated on the Pacific Ocean. It ranks third in both area and population with an area of 947,800 square kilometres and a population of v3 700 000 people (according to the 1996 census). The Capital is Victoria, named after the Queen and is situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It joined Canada, in 1871, less than a decade after Confederation.

The Climate in BC is warmer near the Pacific Coast, which has an oceanic climate, while the rest of the Province is a Mountain climate. Between Alberta and BC there is a large mountain range called the Rocky Mountains or Rockies. British Columbia's Natural Area is called the Western Cordillera.

Before the arrival of Europeans there were American Indians in North America. In the territory now known as British Columbia there is the most different tribes of Indians than any other Province. The first nations to claim territory were Spain and Russia. Spain who owned Most of North America except for eastern North America and Brazil and small British, Portuguese and French Colonies in the Gulf of Mexico. The Spanish Territory expanded all the way north up to Vancouver Island in the 18th century. The Russians, who owned the coasts of Modern day Alaska, claimed the land all the way to San Francisco, hence creating an overlap of claimed territory. In 1778, the well-known explorer James Cook visited British Columbia and chartered part of the coastline. Later, another explorer, George Vancouver, led expeditions to BC and chartered more of the Land and gave his name to Vancouver Island. Afterwards the territory became property of the Hudson's Bay Company who nammed the Southern part of modern British Columbia and Northwest United States, the Columbia District because of the Columbia River and the Central part, New Caledonia, which was named by Simon Fraser (who's name was used for a University). Since there was doubt about who owned the some of the Territory (UK or US), The Oregon Treaty of 1846 gave Britain Vancouver Island and all the territory north of the 49th Parallel, Everything south went to the United States. The British wanted to protect Victoria so Vancouver became a Colony with Victoria as its Capital. Because the Gold was found in the Fraser Valley, to avoid chaos and to maintain the law, the Territory became a separate Colony under the name British Columbia in 1858. In 1866, Vancouver and British Columbia merged together with New Westminster as the Capital (Victoria became the Capital in 1868). After agreeing to the Pacific Western Railroad Idea, British Columbia joined the Canadian Confederation in 1871 (For the first time Canada extended from Sea to Sea with a large gap in the middle).

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