
How the Provinces got their Names
Newfoundland
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Was named by King Henry VII, who referred to John Cabot's discovery in 1947 as " New Found Luanda ". |
Nova Scotia
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The Latin form of New Scotland. |
Prince Edward Island
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Was named in 1799 after a son of King George III, Prince Edward who was commander in chief of British North America at the time. |
New Brunswick
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Was named in 1784 in honour of the reigning Monarch, King George III, who was also the Duke of Brunswick. |
Quebec
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Was named in 1763, after the Algonquin word for narrow passage. |
Ontario
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Is of Native origin from the Huron words, "onitari" for lake and "io" for beautiful; and the Iroquoian word "kanadario" for sparkling water. It appeared in 1641 and was applied to the province in 1867. |
Manitoba
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Comes from Manitou bou, which in Cree means, " narrows of the Great Spirit ". |
Saskatchewan
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Was derived from the Cree name for the Saskatchewan River, "Ksiskatchewananisipi" which means "swift flowing river". |
Alberta
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Was named in honour of Queen Victoria's fourth daughter, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, in 1882. |
British Columbia
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Was the name of Queen Victoria chose for the colony in 1858 ( it was originally known as New Caledonia in the North and Columbia in the South). |
Northwest Territories
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Was known as the North-Western Territory 1870. |
Yukon
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Was named after the Loucheaux Native word for great river, "Yuchoo". |
Nunavut
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Was born in 1999, and it means "Our Land" |
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