[the OlLine Rebel]

Nice, but again, it’s far removed from anywhere else in Canada. The vast majority of population in Canada is on the east side.

Sorry, it’s just not a prime target.

[stormer]

You must not have been "way out west", have you? No doubt that most Canadians live in Ontario and Quebec (62% of population). While British Columbia and Alberta account for about 25% of the nation's population, they also account for 30% of the national GDP. The more densely populated Ontario and Quebec account for 58% of GDP. From this standpoint, I'd say that makes the region relatively more economically important, and therefore more vulnerable.

[Don W]

The population of the City of Vancouver proper is only 700k or so, but if you factor in the metropolitan area, the population soars to over 2 million. It’s also a major port. It’s in direct competition with Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and L.A.

Off the top of my head, I can think of 4 more cities within 700 miles all with populations over 1 million, 2 of them in Canada. If we go to cities of 250k or more, you can add another 5, 3 in Canada.

BTW, the “alternate Capital” (should DC disappear or become unusable) of the USA is a sleepy little town of 20k population that is 40 miles from where I sit.

You might want to read a slightly newer than 1850’s population distribution chart. Yes, there are long stretches of unpopulated land, but have you ever driven the Nevada desert?

Your statement would have been far more accurate had you said the about 75% of the Canadian population lives within 200 miles of the US border.

[stormer]

Here are the settlements of Calgary and Edmonton. Nothing here of any interest.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> Nice, but again, it’s far removed from anywhere else in Canada. The vast majority of population in Canada is on the east side.

I take it you know little about Vancouver, true?

The population of Greater Vancouver is about 2,000,000 which would make it the second-or-third largest metropolis in Canada, after Toronto and perhaps Montreal. It is rapidly growing with know signs of slowing down.

It is about 100 miles North of Seattle, and trade and travel tends to go north-south rather than east-west. Alot of interaction with Washington State and Oregon and California.

It is about a day’s drive from Calgary and Edmonton, two large cities in Alberta.

A very sophisticated and extensive transit system, a very large and important port, and a large and important International Airport complex: airplanes that were in the air during 9/11 were diverted from some American cities to Vancouver, escorted by American fighter planes.

It’s a major city by anybody’s fair standard.