Victoria (1983: Doomsday)

The Commonwealth of Victoria is a Canadian survivor nation centered on Vancouver Island in former British Columbia, and encompassing the BC coastline and the northern coast of Washington State.

History

 * See main article: 

Government and Politics
The government of Victoria is a Constitutional Monarchy and the head of State is the British monarch, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor, whose duties include calling elections and diplomatic relations. The head of Government is the Premier, who is the head of the majority party elected to parliament.

The electoral system of Victoria is a proportional system. Each electoral district is allotted 10 seats in parliament, and each of those 10 seats is determined by a percentage of the popular vote. In the case of an independent getting large amounts of popular vote, that candidate is given parliamentary votes equal to the number of seats that would be allotted to the party were the candidate affiliated with one. Elections are held every 5 years on the second Wednesday of February. Floor crossing is not allowed, a candidate elected as a member of a party must resign when changing party affiliation, or serve out the remainder of the term representing the party they were elected as.

The Washington Legislative Assembly was established by the Protectorate Act of 1990. It is made up of a council of representatives from the major towns of the Washington Protectorate. They determined official policy of the Washington territories and appointed a representative to parliament who had the same powers and responsibilities as a normal MP(Member of Parliament). It was abolished after the 2010 election due to the Washington Protectorate voting to be integrated with Victoria.

Administrative Divisions of Victoria
Victoria is divided into 6 Provinces and one Federal district. Each province has the power to elect its own Governor and Governing Council, draft its own legislation, maintain its own police force if it chooses, etc. However all provinces are still subject to Federal law. These provinces and Federal District are:

North Charlotte
Capital: Prince Rupert

Columbia
Capital: Powell River

Vancouver Island
Capital: Port Alberni

Okanagan
Capital: Kelowna

Olympus
Capital: Olympia

Washington
Capital: Mt Vernon

Victoria City Federal District
Encompasses the Victoria metro area.

Political Parties
There are currently 3 major political parties holding seats in the Republic of Victoria


 * Social Credit Party: A fiscal and socially conservative party, their policies have become for the most part unpopular among the populace. They were the party in power during the 1983 attacks.


 * Social Survival Party: A Social democrat party that was created from an amalgam of the New Democratic Party and several other socialist parties. They have remained in power since the founding of the republic.


 * Liberal Capitalist Party: A libertarian party devoted to privatising nationalised industries and re-establishing contact with the outside world. Currently the official Opposition party.

Other minor parties include:
 * Canadian Reunification Party: A single issue party advocating re-unification with the Canadian Remainder Provinces.


 * Conservative Socialist Coalition: A social conservative, fiscal socialist party. Their opinions are quite militant, and their popularity is growing in the rural areas of the Prince Rupert area.

Foreign Relations
The Commonwealth of Victoria has made contact with several of the emerging governments in the days after Doomsday, but maintains official relations with only a few of them so far. There are currently ambassadors to, the MSP, ANZC, Hawaii, , the Canadian Remainder Provinces, New Britain, Provisional Canada, Provisional US, and the USSR. Relations with all are positive, but the situation regarding the proposed annexation of northern British Columbian towns by Alaska could cause some animosity between these nations. There are negotiations ongoing to establish an embassy in Japan, Mexico, Chumash, and various states of the South American Confederation.

Victoria is a League of Nations-member.

Military
Both CFB Comox and CFB Esquimalt survived the attacks of 1983 leaving Victoria with most of Canada's Pacific fleet and Pacific maritime air patrol squadrons under their command. This leaves Victoria as a major naval power in the region as well as having a major air defence presence. The addition of the northern territories of the Washinton Protectorate gave Victoria control of the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. While many of the pilots and staff had moved on following the attacks, much of the aircraft and facilities remained.



The Social Survival Party government instituted a military incentive program, providing government housing and supplies for those enlisting in the Victorian military. This took advantage of the many refugees that had found themselves homeless and without work but ensured that Victoria had an ample defence and expeditionary force. The training facilities at Comox and Esquimalt ensured a highly trained naval and air force, but the lack of any army training facilities and the destruction or isolation of the majority of the 39 Brigade leaves the majority of the Victorian Army with little training compared to the other branches of the military so far as well as limited numbers of armored vehicles, but several artillery guns. As such, the army is mainly a light infantry force. By the beginning of 2010, the army had been fully trained by experts from the ANZC and the USSR. On the 10th of January 2010, a complete brigades worth of vehicles from the USSR was delivered to the Army, including T-80 MBTs and BMP-2 IFVs. The army also purchase M109 SPGs from the CANZ, as well as M198 field howitzers, citing their use of old NATO 155mm shells. The army is expected to be fully mechanized by the end of 2010. Construction of Army facilities is finished, the major army installations being Fort Bennet in Mount Vernon, and Fort Grant in Nanaimo. Fort Elizabeth in Prince Rupert was constructed to aid in the defence of Prince Rupert against Prince George raiders, as well as a staging ground for potential military action against the city-state. Fort Andrew is currently beginning construction in Olympia to facilitate operations in southern Washington state. It is expected to be finished by October 2010.

Starting January 1 2010, the various military forces of Victoria were reoganized into the Royal Victorian Defence Force. Independent command centers will be set up in Esquimalt for Naval Command, Comox Valley for Air Command, and Nanaimo for Ground Command. A joint command center will be set up in Victoria to coordinate commands. Combined strength of all 3 forces is currently approx. 23 thousand strong, with approx. 5 thousand reserves.

The Washington Defence Force is a force made up of mostly Washington territories volunteers trained and armed by the Victorian forces. They serve under command of the the RVDF Ground Command, will become part of the RVDF as of the February 2010 election when the Washington Protectorate is officially integrated into Victoria. It maintains a regular strength of approx. 6000 men.

The carrier HMVS Resurrection was refit as a mobile aid station with dormitories and medical facilities to house 1000 refugees, although it does maintain facilities for limited air presence. Currently stationed off shore of Olympia providing medical aid.

Economy
The economy following Doomsday was heavily socialised in order to survive. While trying to maintain an aura of capitalism in a socialist economy, the government ended up fueling inflation which led to much needed economic reforms. All non-essential service industries were privatised, while utilities and resource industries remained under government control. This balance ensured crown coffers remained full from the sales of raw materials to the private sector, allowing for the large amount of public works projects needed in the post-doomsday world. It also ensured a measure of economic growth. Industries are also heavily regulated to ensure the fair treatment of consumers and employees.

Currently, the largest industry in Victoria is construction. With many new companies and industries starting up due to the lack of foreign imported goods, many new factories and offices are being constructed around the country. Immigration is also a factor. Due to the stability of Vancouver Island, and re-establishment of regular transportation to and from Washington and Vancouver Island, many people from the Washington territories sick of the hard life and reconstruction efforts move to Vancouver Island to seek a better life. This has fed an increased demand for housing in many of the urban centers of Vancouver Island. With new mining, logging, agricultural, and manufacturing jobs opening up in the northern regions undamaged by the Doomsday bombs, many sleepy towns are becoming larger urban centers.

With the destruction of most major aluminium production facilities on doomsday, the aluminium smelting facility in Kitimat became even more important. Following contact with the ANZC the plant was reopened and with imports of bauxite from Australia, the plant became a key supplier of aluminium to both Victoria and the ANZC. Alcan, the compay that owned the smelting plant was mostly destroyed in the strike on Montreal, so the local management of the plant restarted the company basing its corporate headquarters in Prince Rupert. With the increased need for aluminium with frames needed for airships and such, Alcan's aluminum had worldwide demand. In 1995 a second smelting facility was opened in Prince Rupert, and in 2008 a 3rd was opened in Port Hardy. Alcan is currently one of the largest producers of finished aluminium in the world.

Aerospace is becoming a major industry in Victoria. In the first years following Doomsday, Viking air, a small aerospace manufacturer based out of Sidney, but nonetheless the largest aerospace manufacturer in post-doomsday BC, was nationalised. With the aging CF101 Voodoo squadrons out of CFB Comox nearing the end of their lifespan, it was deemed necessary to have a viable aerospace company to fill the void left by the destruction of the major aircraft manufacturers. Facilities were expanded and research began into new designs. When Everett was brought into the Washington Protectorate, the abandoned Boeing factory was granted to Viking Air to use as they saw fit. The company was privatised in 2006 as part of the SSP Economic stimulis plan. Viking Air is now one of the top manufacturers of airliners, and the sole supplier of military fixed wing aircraft to the Victorian Forces.

Culture
Victoria as a city is likely the most "British" of Canadian cities. Its architecture is purposefully classic, its public transit uses double decker buses, and many UK English terms and slang are used. Becoming the dominant urban center of the Commonwealth of Victoria has caused this British culture to spread amongst the surviving populace of the Commonwealth.

After the adoption of the constitution, the old CBC stations were nationalised by the Victorian government, the company was rebranded the Victorian Territorial Broadcasting Company and reorganized into a more BBC-like system. Advertising space was cut and a license fee was added to all television subscribers to fund original programming and news. All other private broadcasters were left private in order to promote accountability. The VTBC would be ineffective as a propaganda delivery system if private broadcasters are able to counter the claims of the VTBC.

Sports
Hockey is still a major part of the culture of the Victorian people, and Doomsday wiped out or cut off most of the leagues or teams. In 1994 Lieutenant-Governor Stephen Cromwell announced plans to establish a Victorian Hockey League, rebuilt from the old British Columbia Hockey League. With a grant from the Ministry of Social Projects, he had arenas built in Comox Valley, Port Angeles, Prince Rupert, and Campbell River. Teams would play for a cup commissioned by the LG in the spirit of Lord Stanley himself. While officially the prize is referred to as the VHL Championship, it is more commonly known as the Cromwell Cup. It was established in 1996 with 9 teams in Prince Rupert, Campbell River, Powell River, Comox Valley, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Duncan, Victoria, and Port Angeles. In 1998 teams were added to Bellingham and Mt Vernon. In 2004 a team was added to Everett and the league was organized into two Conferences, Island, and Mainland. An organized sports league was viewed as a way for people to get their minds off the struggles of post-doomsday life as well as building town pride. With new regions and cities joining Victoria, expansion and reorganization is imminent.

Island Conference
 * Comox Valley Chiefs
 * Alberni Bulldogs
 * Cowichan Capitals
 * Nanaimo Clippers
 * Campbell River Eagles
 * Victoria Grizzlies

Mainland Conference
 * Prince Rupert Sea Wolves
 * Powell River Kings
 * Everett Silvertips
 * Port Angeles Ravens
 * Mt. Vernon Giants
 * Bellingham Ice Hawks (current Cromwell Cup champions)

Media
Radio: The Victorian Territorial Broadcasting Company operates a national radio station that is broadcast in all populated areas of the Commonwealth through a series of local affiliates. It provides news, talk radio, and classical music, on a common schedule for all affiliates. There are also many smaller local stations broadcasting a variety of programming. Victorian copyright law deems any music produced prior to doomsday in the public domain and may be broadcast without need of royalties or fees of any kind. This has made classic rock stations quite common and popular.

Television: The Victorian Territorial Broadcasting Company was the first station to return to the air following Doomsday, and is available over the air to all with a television. It provides national news, sports, and original programming produced using taxes and fees from entertainment products and cable television services. The two major competing private national networks are CHEK TV, and VTV. Smaller regional channels have emerged such as the Washington Television Network(WTN) serving the Bellingham/Mt Vernon/Everett area, and North Coast Television serving the Prince Rupert/Terrace/Queen Charlottes area.

Newspapers: The Victoria Herald is the only national newspaper in circulation though some local papers such as the Victoria Post have become available outside their local markets.

Movies: A small movie industry has sprouted in Nanaimo with studios such as Harbour Pictures and Island Films. Average output is 2-3 films per year from each studio leading to little competition though some international studios in the ANZC, Mexico, and the SAC are beginning to bring their films to Victorian theatres.

Education
Victoria is one of the most well developed nations in the world for education, as public education was mostly uninterrupted in the Canadian territories, and it had two major universities survive Doomsday as well as many smaller colleges. The University of Victoria was one of the more prestigious universities in Canada before doomsday and today is in the top 5 best schools in the world. It offers degrees in a multitude of fields, as well as serving as the top research university in North America.

Royal Roads Military College was a major Naval Officer training facility offering full academic degrees. After Doomsday, facilities were expanded for Army and Air Force officer training and is now one of the most prestigious military universities in the world as well as being the center of military research in Victoria.

Victoria's position as a world leader in post secondary education made it the obvious choice for the headquarters of the WCRB Council for the Advancement of Higher Education, which promotes the establishment of colleges and universities in emerging economies, as well as educational exchange between nations.

Religion
Breakdown of religious association as of the 2005 Census (does not include Washington Territories):