history capital cities history capital cities begins purchase territories canada hudson bay company includes varied difficult evolution unique provinces territories canada seven capital cities history territory changed seat government numerous reasons including civil conflict development infrastructure history significant revisions territorial boundaries result changes long complex road responsible government effectively providing services representation population particular challenge territories government task complicated region vast changing geographic area small number communities unsuccessfully tried capital years territory seat government outside territorial boundaries twice history political division canada seat government inside boundaries defunct district existed term capital refers cities served home legislative branch government canada customary provincial territorial level government administrative centre civil service city legislative branch separate administrative legislative capitals officially exist province territory canadian history arrangement government canada purchased land hudson bay company terms land act british pounds purchased territories largely consisting wilderness purchase government decided merge properties single jurisdiction appoint single territorial government run purchase territories added sizable portion current canadian ontario member parliament appointed lieutenant governor sent establish formal governance canada party arrived settlement small group led intercepted near ontario border forced turn opposed transfer canadian government inhabitants began delaying formal governance demands provincial status met rebellion resulted creation inclusive delay establishing governance territories formally entered canadian confederation jurisdictions remained partially temporary government act temporary north west council appointed mainly members new lieutenant governor serving leader territorial government mandated govern territories outside served seat government jurisdictions temporary government sat time renewed federal legislation year permanent solution governance decided federal government renewed time chose new location boundaries form new government new seat power new council greatly reduced size appointed new lieutenant governor specifically lead territories governing 1870s consisted distinct settlements site named secondary site named lower fort kilometres downstream territorial government moved continued seat government defunct district territory evolved modern day capital lower fort declared national historical site dissolved appointed permanent government effect october new council governed outpost constructed west border modern day served small frontier outpost capital city location chosen federal government temporary site establish new territorial government route railway determined fort founded newly created predecessor canada national police force swan river inside temporary assembly building legislative council sessions office lieutenant governor bulk police forces moved crack trade year later lieutenant governor moved seat government decision based original plans constructing continued serve small outpost totally destroyed prairie grass fire nearest modern settlement original site kilometres south fort referred fort swan river fort site marked plaque declared provincial heritage site contains resident population government moved order lieutenant governor supposed permanent capital territories town chosen expected linked government significant attaining responsible government time territory elected members join appointed members assembly elections territory reality passage election ordinance election took place electoral districts created royal issued order lieutenant governor hosted official royal visit western canada princess alberta toured territories legislature building residence lieutenant governor named government house completed territorial government government moved building stood historical site destroyed fire consultation officials lieutenant governor decision capital regina present day june decision capital controversial public owned real estate regina accused having conflicted interests private affairs needs government regina ordered government moved south meet railway regina confirmed new territorial capital march construction new legislature began regina government continued grow size settlement increased rapidly legislature sitting members history fifth general election government regina struggled deliver services vast territory influx settlers responsibility constant fighting federal government limited legislative powers minimal revenue collection hampered effectiveness government government period slowly released powers elected members control executive council ceded elected members short lived period party politics evolved challenged consensus model government territorial government leadership premier struck deal federal early bring provincial powers territories led creation provinces alberta southernmost populous areas territory reduced northern lightly populated continued exist 1870s constitutional status control federal government new council convened ottawa ontario deal region declared historical site government restored building remains standing day territorial government permanent legislature design regina continued serve capital province ottawa ontario legislative capital direction seat government moved ottawa ontario capital canada change constitutional status alberta territory september populated regions territory jurisdictions settlements left territory significant population infrastructure non population estimated total counted time status canadian law settled towns villages period sitting council government territories small active small civil service force sent set town new administrative capital budget provide minimal services given federal government commissioner white administered territories day day operations period year lapse legislative government new laws created territories population severely neglected services provided time session new council called order years government dissolved regina new government contained serving member resident territories council period primarily composed high level civil servants lived worked ottawa person sit council actually resided territories appointed ottawa based council eventually grew sensitive needs territory residents democracy returned territories sixth general election election council body alternating ottawa communities council held meetings school community halls board rooms suitable infrastructure council transported ceremonial conduct meetings speakers chair traditional artifacts common westminster style legislative sessions held ottawa conducted office building sparks street government continues hold office ottawa sparks street day federal government commission set determine new home government future territory seat government moved inside territories selected capital administrative capital fort smith official administration transportation hub marked services provided territorial government years services included agent medical doctor station chosen house civil service geographical location state development community service alberta access vast waterways territory community easiest government access developed community closest ottawa housed civil service working territories officially town continued host civil service years picked capital infrastructure place new capital city time examines self government north commonly called chair struck marked significant turning point modern history tasked evaluate recommend changes deal array outstanding issues self government north visible lasting effects choose new capital city territorial government time gave voice residents extensive territorial population prior years decision change seat government consulting residents example decision change capital regina faced controversy owned property regina territorial government moved ottawa government resented far away spent years visiting nearly community territory consulting residents community leaders business people territorial politicians investigated considered communities capital people believed fort smith win housed territories civil service current capital present officially capital september commission chose central location transportation links industrial base residents preferences ready serve home government years took capital infrastructure slowly develop civil service remained years governing council continued practice holding legislative sessions territory number years marked new era legislative council moved newly constructed legislature building november new legislature building built specifically government government sat regina years earlier legislature building constructed feature themes derived culture signaled government sensitive ethnicity resident population modern day territorial government matured effective responsible government largely gained powers par government dissolved creation alberta civil service effectively consolidated city gained control elections education jurisdiction territorial government territory powers afforded rest provinces talk federal government territories gaining provincial status future lessons learned capital vote chronicled seven capitals history chosen form external government decision consult territorial population guide decision selection capital residents eastern arctic continued feel territorial government movements groups formed remedy situation lessons learned historical changes seat power resulting number territorial democratic processes leading creation new territory formed eastern half land claims negotiations population parties discussed division provide separate territory division held majority residents voted favour division land claims agreement completed september ratified majority voters july act passed december capital held voters future territory chose capital city defeating official capital april separated
History of Northwest Territories capital cities