Where the West begins

[scryer]

Ignore: This thread just needs one troll to show up before all hell breaks loose. And when he does, my popcorn will be ready.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

yes. I've been a prof at Western for 13 years, and I am aware that it truly was (in) Western Ontario when the university was founded as such.

Ontario was much smaller when UWO was founded. And London certain was in the Western part of the province at that time.
It's funny that there really isn't a "Western Ontario" anymore as most people and organizations refer to the region as Southwestern Ontario. But there are historical things including the university that keep the name alive. Another thing I can think of in London is the Western Fair.

I've heard many people in Western Canada and even a few Quebeckers and Atlantic Canadians refer to Kenora or Thunder Bay as being in "Western Ontario" when in Ontario it's known as Northwestern Ontario. Northwestern Ontario is the area that includes the Districts of Thunder Bay, Kenora and Rainy River. (or when heading West begins just after White River and before Marathon on Hwy 17 and roughly an hour before Longlac on Hwy 11. ) The region goes all the way up to Hudson Bay and I think it makes up at least half of Ontario's land mass.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by lio45

Agreed... I've also been pointing out for years on this forum that "Central Canada" made no sense, especially if it included all of Quebec including its easternmost, maritime parts.

Eastern Canada, yes (and it obviously includes Quebec).

What we say sometimes is "The Quebec City - Windsor Corridor" when that's what we want to speak of. But we'd never call that "Central Canada". It's Eastern Canada.

Same thing with the BosWash corridor - it's obviously the core of what's happening in the USA, but no one would call it "Central USA" (to my knowledge, at least) because it's just obviously in the East.

It's pretty funny if somebody considers Blanc-Sablon, QC to be a part of Central Canada!! The town is further East than ALL of the Maritimes further East than almost all of Labrador and further East than about a third of the island of Newfoundland!!!

But as an Ontarian, if I were to move to Blanc-Sablon, according to most Ontarians I'd just be moving to Quebec. But if I were to move to Campbellton, NB which is about 600km to the WEST of Blanc-Sablon I'd be moving DOWN EAST, to the Maritimes, Atlantic Region, etc..

[yaletown_fella]

I Just noticed, as the crow flies, St Johns is closer to Ponte Delgada than it is to Winnipeg!

[zoomer]

This thread is a perfect example of unconscious bias! From my perspective on Vancouver Island the question should read "where does the West end?" Which is of course my own bias. We read from left to right, but in Canada we view the map from right to left, or from the centre outward, perhaps reflecting historical settlement patterns of European settlers or the population centre.

[PEI highway guy]

I live on PEI, I was educated/went to school in Moncton NB. We were taught in grade 5 (1975 or 1976) the west began in Manitoba. I remember my teacher saying Western Canada started after the Canadian shield ended in Manitoba. So my question is, If Manitoba in in the west Why are they in the Central time Zone? This question stumped the grade 5 teacher as well

[ssiguy]

Originally Posted by zoomer

This thread is a perfect example of unconscious bias! From my perspective on Vancouver Island the question should read "where does the West end?" Which is of course my own bias. We read from left to right, but in Canada we view the map from right to left, or from the centre outward, perhaps reflecting historical settlement patterns of European settlers or the population centre.

That's very true. In Canada you go "out west" and "back east".

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

That's very true. In Canada you go "out west" and "back east".

In Ontario, to go to the Maritimes is to go "down east".

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

That's very true. In Canada you go "out west" and "back east".

Here it's all "Up to X", and the X - to my delight - is often just "Canada", but is usually, in order of frequency, "away" (universal), "along" (rural NL only), "the mainland" (universal), or the name of the specific province or city.

And if you have someone visiting from anywhere on the mainland, they're "down from" or "here from" - and, the same order. Most people would say away.

[Docere]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

Vancouver-Victoria = Winnipeg = lefty point of view

Most of the rest of Manitoba = Most of the rest of BC = central/righty point of view.

Those are some rather big "exceptions."

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

That's very true. In Canada you go "out west" and "back east".

On PEI:

If you are going to Alberta, you're going "out west"
If you are going to Alberton, you're going "up west"

Alberton is a village in western PEI. Everything in PEI to the west of Summerside is "up west".

[khabibulin]

Originally Posted by Docere

Gateway to the West.

I say we just let God's Band make the final call!

At the 100th meridian.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?v...map&ajaxhist=0

[itom 987]

I think it is very obvious where western Canada starts.

[kirjtc2]

Out here....under no circumstances is Ontario ever, ever, ever considered "eastern Canada".

Nothing pisses off a Maritimer more than some national media type talking about how things are going "out east" when they mean Toronto, as if we don't even exist out here. I've even heard Toronto called the "east coast", which is just insulting.

Is Quebec the east?....maybe.

[Dalreg]

The West starts west of where the East ends.

[Denscity]

The east starts at the first tree east of Winnipeg.

[itom 987]

Originally Posted by kirjtc2

Out here....under no circumstances is Ontario ever, ever, ever considered "eastern Canada".

Nothing pisses off a Maritimer more than some national media type talking about how things are going "out east" when they mean Toronto, as if we don't even exist out here. I've even heard Toronto called the "east coast", which is just insulting.

Is Quebec the east?....maybe.

I think you are getting 'eastern Canada' mixed up with the 'atlantic provinces'.
The term 'central Canada' has never been commonly used in Canadian lexicon (upper and lower Canada has). The Manitoba/Ontario border define the boundary of Eastern and Western Canada.

[Docere]

The "East" is more defined by what it is not (not the West) than anything else.

Otherwise there's Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Ontario.

Sometimes Central Canada is invoked for Ontario and Quebec, which were the original "Canada", represent the traditional power centers and are still home to the majority of the population.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by itom 987

I think you are getting 'eastern Canada' mixed up with the 'atlantic provinces'.
The term 'central Canada' has never been commonly used in Canadian lexicon (upper and lower Canada has). The Manitoba/Ontario border define the boundary of Eastern and Western Canada.

In Atlantic Canada we talk about central Canada all the time, mostly because it isn't the west, but it is most certainly different than us (i.e. - prosperous and influential).

[Docere]

Western Ontario (i.e. SW Ontario) was "the west" in the way the Midwest was "the West" in the US in the mid-19th century. So that is something the Midwest and SW Ontario have in common I suppose.