By Dan Marshall

BC played important role in early days of Canada

Jun 30, 2016 | 11:30 AM

Canada celebrates it’s 149th birthday Friday.

BC’s history in the country goes back to 1871, and VIU history professor Tim Lewis says our history would be alot different if the government at that time had decided joining the United States was a better option.

“British Columbia leading up to 1871, their strongest communication and transportation links were not to the British but to the Americans in Washington state and down the coast and in Alaska,” said Lewis. “Things could have been different had the political leadership in British Columbia at the time been sympathetic to the Americans, BC might well have found it’s way into the American union.”

The vision of a nation from coast to coast was eventually realized.

“It was really essential to the Canadian vision, building that nation from sea to sea.  In terms of a transportation route for the British empire that would allow goods in the Asian portion of the empire to sail across the Pacific and land in some sort of port city which would eventually become Vancouver.  Once the railway was in place you could transport all those goods across Canada.”

armed robbery

Knife-wielding man robs south Nanaimo liquor store

1h ago

Shorthanded

Clippers fall short hosting Bulldogs

7h ago

off the schedule

BC Ferries preemptively cancels early Saturday sailings

14h ago

Canada day festivities in Nanaimo will be at Maffeo Sutton Park from 11am to 3:30pm.

More information is available at nanaimo.ca.