3426 replies to this topic

[Danma]

Those are all too complicated -- let's make it simple, memorable, unique.

 

How about "Cuba"?

[lanforod]

There already is a Victoria Island in Canada too. I don't ever see a rename happening in my lifetime unless Cascadia were to come to fruition...

 

Salish Island could work if you want an indigenous connection. My preference is for a name that can be used with or without the term 'island'. IE. Britain or British Isles. or Maui or Maui Island...

 

By the way, I like Salish Sea Drive for Dallas/Beach rd. Sounds great, and it overlooks ... the Salish Sea!

[Matmons]

Vancouver Island was originally called Quadra's and Vancouver's Island, so if we were to drop the Vancouver name it would make sense to call it.... oh wait. Taken.

[Nparker]

Those are all too complicated -- let's make it simple, memorable, unique. How about "Cuba"?

In a similar vein, how about something that (sort of) reflects the island's shape: Rectangula

[tedward]

Since the name was Quadra's and Vancouver's Island why not swap with the current Quadra Island?

 

Or maybe:

 

Cascadia Island

Esquimalt Island

San Lorenzo Island (from: Puerto de San Lorenzo de Nuca aka Friendly Cove)

[VicHockeyFan]

I think Esquimalt is difficult to pronounce.  So it's like the tricky to pronounce items on the French restaurant menu, you don't order them.  So if you go to the travel agent and they say, what looks good here?  You won't choose Esquimalt Island for fear of pronouncing it wrong.  Instead you'll choose Cuba.

[Mike K.]

Vancouver Island was originally called Quadra's and Vancouver's Island, so if we were to drop the Vancouver name it would make sense to call it.... oh wait. Taken.

 

Crazy, I never knew it was called Quadra's Island. That's a cool word.

[HB]

Cascadia Island

[VicHockeyFan]

Its got to have a prominent name that alludes to it's size. And it can't be a name that nobody could spell or pronounce like Tsawwassen.

Nanaimo would flip if we named it Victoria Island.

Isle of British Columbia, now that's a prominent name (a la Isle of Man). Kinda weird, but its got some weight behind it.

 

Great West Isle?  Great West for short?  I'm sure British Columbia is confusing for some tourists too.

[HB]

How do you mean are you suggesting that when they book a flight to the west coast of Canada they are confused thinking they are in the UK just because of the name?

[VicHockeyFan]

How do you mean are you suggesting that when they book a flight to the west coast of Canada they are confused thinking they are in the UK just because of the name?

 

Understandably, most US tourists do not know any Canadian provinces by name.  Just like you and I don't know many or any Mexican or Greenland states by name.  Or counties in Oregon.  Even if we've been to Cabo San Lucas or Portland ten times.

 

So you mix British (England?) with Columbia (Colombia, South America?) and it makes no geographic sense.

[HB]

The name British Columbia has nothing to do with the South American Colombia which is spelled different but I suppose it could confuse 1 out every 10000 visitors but I know that if I fly some where I usually know where I am going and some place names. Is not like I go completely ignorant.

[AllseeingEye]

The name British Columbia has nothing to do with the South American Colombia which is spelled different but I suppose it could confuse 1 out every 10000 visitors but I know that if I fly some where I usually know where I am going and some place names. Is not like I go completely ignorant.

You would be surprised; I was in a 3-day conference in Houston (TX) as recently as 2007. During a lunch break one of the other attendees - a CIO from Virginia, well educated and very well travelled - was introduced to our group "our northern friends from British Columbia". His brow furrowed and after trying and clearly failing to recall basic geography he said "So you're from South America??" Happens more often than you might think.....

[Nparker]

...Happens more often than you might think.....

Americans have some of the poorest geographic skills I have ever encountered; well-educated or not.

[AllseeingEye]

Americans have some of the poorest geographic skills I have ever encountered; well-educated or not.

True but lets not be too hard on our southern cousins since being geographically or knowledge-challenged is not something limited to them. Some of the dumbest comments and questions I have heard, bar none, especially when travelling in the Caribbean, have come from my fellow Canuckians. My favorite was the cowpoke from Alberta who wanted to know when the Mayan King would make an appearance at ChichenItza. He seemed not to willing to believe me when I mentioned the last true Mayan king, prior to the Spanish-Colonial period, died about 1000 years ago....

 

And while some people especially in Victoria (still) have a soft spot for "Old Blighty" rest assured, as someone with lots of British lineage and cousins, the vast majority of Britons are just as challenged as any American when it comes to knowledge of or about this country. And in my experience they care even less. I was out recently with an old friend and his British cousin, a "financier" (I mentioned that I understood he was "in banking" at which point he quite pointedly huffed and dropped the "financier if you please!" title. Whatever). He was in his late 40's, had never been to Canada and was shocked to learn that Elizabeth II was the Queen of Canada. To which he sarcastically responded "Go get your own Queen and stop glomming onto ours!!" Again no knowledge or understanding of anything to do with Canada. Ignorant people are wherever you find them....

Edited by AllseeingEye, 28 October 2014 - 06:35 PM.

[Mike K.]

Yeah, most people are geographically challenged regardless of where they're from. We just pick on Americans because it's convenient.

 

Most Europeans have no idea just how vast this country is unless they've traveled here. Heck, once my family received phone calls from European family members who were worried about us because of a massive storm in Toronto. Always good for a laugh, especially when they try to book plane tickets to Toronto and ask how long it would take to bus to Victoria. Ha!

 

Here's a question most Canadians are absolutely stumped by: name the oceans bordering Canada.

[Nparker]

Here's a question most Canadians are absolutely stumped by: name the oceans bordering Canada.

The Pacific, the Atlantic and the Arctic. I have nothing but pity for any Canadian who gets this wrong.

[Mike K.]

The other question which will trump most Canucks is: what is the closest country to Canada?

 

Hint: it's kind of a trick question.

[lanforod]

Who would not say the United States?

[Mike K.]

We have foreign islands within our waters off the coast of Newfoundland. Most people would have no idea, but technically speaking two French islands are "within" Canada as far as our maritime border is concerned