A FAILED OTTAWA: The Forgotten Origins

A Failed Ottawa is a multi-part series looking at how the municipal government has failed this city. Parts 1 and 2 look at the foundation of this community.

Queen Victoria would not have known a lumber town if a two-by-four whacked her on the head.

But her choice of Ottawa in 1857 as the capital of the province of Canada, with no doubt substantial advice from her ministers, was for good reason. Perhaps had she seen this pathetic little muddy forestry mound, she might have reconsidered her choice.

Nevertheless, Ottawa was a solid decision.

It straddled the border between protestant and English Canada West and French Catholic Canada East. So it brought the two political and cultural parts of the Province of Canada together in one community that straddled the Ottawa River.

Ottawa’s inception was rooted in politics, culture, language, religion and geography.

Let’s talk geography.

Ottawa was a long distance from the U.S. border (by 19th-century Canadian travel standards) so it would be difficult to capture in the event of war. And war was a worry with an expansionist U.S. to the south and the Fenians breaching the border occasionally with raids. When the Civil War ended, the North had a huge army but with no conflict to use it … a worry for Canada to be sure.

However if a war came and the St. Lawrence River was captured by the Americans, the Rideau Canal and the Ottawa River would still provide a link between the two Canadas. Furthermore, the south end of the canal would be difficult to capture because Fort Henry had been constructed in Kingston. So unlike Toronto, Kingston or London, Ont., as potential capitals, Ottawa could not be raided easily as had happened at York in the War of 1812 or London, captured by the Americans after the Battle of Moraviantown where Tecumseh was killed.

Night-Life Plan Stumbles From The Start

All this is to say that there was very little economic reason for Ottawa to become the capital of Canada. Victoria’s choice was cultural, linguistic, religious, geographical and political. Toronto, Kingston and London were economic centres (small as they were) in Canada West. Ottawa was not.

That is important to note.

Had Victoria not made her decision in Ottawa’s favour, this city would be another Pembroke, Arnprior, Richmond, Carleton Place, Perth or Hawkesbury.

Ottawa has no compelling economic argument for being here. It’s not even a lumber or paper town anymore.

Ottawa was a political manifestation rather than a product of favourable factors of production.

That will come into play as this series continues and we explore its ramifications on the municipal government.

Ken Gray

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