19 February 2005

A winter capital for Canada?

Ordinarily we think of a country having a single capital city containing all the institutions of government all the time, including the chief executive office, the administrative departments and agencies, parliamentary bodies and the courts. But some countries have more than one capital, with the various political institutions distributed between them. Others, such as the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, have a winter capital (Jammu) and a summer capital (Srinagar). Furthermore, at least one country's capital was located outside its own territory. Prior to attaining its independence in 1966, Botswana was known as the British Bechuanaland Protectorate. The administrative capital of Bechuanaland was the city of Mafeking, which was, somewhat anomalously, located within the territory of South Africa's Cape Province. (Historians will recall that Mafeking was the site of a famous siege during the Anglo-Boer War.)

This causes me to wonder whether Canada too ought to have winter and summer capital cities. Having just come from Ottawa last weekend, I can think of no better place for a summer capital. But as a winter capital Ottawa is, well, pretty damned cold. So here's my proposal. Move the federal government, from November through May, to the Turks and Caicos Islands. To be sure, this British dependency is outside our borders. At least for now. However, there has long been talk of the islands joining Canada outright, and last year the government of Nova Scotia offered to allow the islands to join that province. Why not move our capital there during the winter months? All in favour. . . .


Ocean Beach Hotel

Canada's winter capital?

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