Battle of Alberta

Lore & Background

Harvey Locke identifies a longstanding cultural divide in Alberta between the centre and north on one hand and the south on the other as a recurring theme in the province's history going back to pre-contact Aboriginal cultures. The peoples of the boreal forest, and to a lesser extent, the aspen parkland, led a subarctic lifestyle which involved trapping fur-bearing animals and travelling by canoe, which made the region a natural fit for the fur trade. By contrast the plains cultures on the prairie to the south relied on the buffalo. The predominant political force on the prairie during the fur trade, the Blackfoot Confederacy, would not allow the Hudson's Bay Company to establish itself within Blackfoot territory, preferring to ride to Edmonton House (established 1795) to trade. Around this time some Cree and allied peoples (the Iron Confederacy) pushed south onto the plains, and became rivals of the Blackfoot. By the 1810s, explorer Peter Fidler identified the Battle River as a disputed frontier between the two groups. Locke asserts that the lack of an HBC presence in the south set the stage for very different patterns of settlement in the different regions. Calgary was founded as a North-West Mounted Police fort and was not much of a settlement at all until the mid-1880s when the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) suddenly shifted its planned route across Western Canada from a northern one (via Edmonton) to a more southerly path (via Calgary). Therefore, the economic and cultural origins of Calgary and its region, were created up by the NWMP and the CPR, not the HBC. Because of the CPR line, Calgary's agricultural hinterland was settled much sooner, mostly by people of British, and particularly Scottish, origins but it also has an American influence because of the ranching culture brought into the region by American cowboys. By contrast, Edmonton's hinterland is marked by a French Canadian and Métis presence, and was predominantly occupied by people of non-British European origins. In particular, the region just to the east of Edmonton, Kalyna Country, is Canada's oldest and largest area of Ukrainian settlement. Following the debate over the CPR, the next important contest between the two cities was to determine which would become Alberta's capital city when the province was created in 1905. By this time, two new transcontinental railways had been built, both

In Their Own Story

The air inside the arena was thick with smoke and anticipation as the crowd roared, a deafening mix of blue and orange chants. Wayne Gretzky skated with his head down, feeling the weight of the province on his shoulders, while the Calgary defensemen lined up like a wall of steel. The referee blew the whistle, and the puck dropped, instantly sparking a collision that sent players sprawling across the ice. It wasn't just a game; it was a war for Alberta's soul.

Reader's Guide

The rivalry also extends outside of team sports to international events. Both cities have hosted numerous national and international championships and other tournaments, often in a spirit of one-upmanship: there is constant need for local politicians to prove that their city is 'world class' or at least better than the other. The constant one-upmanship of the two cities in this field has receded in recent years, and they cooperated in a successful joint bid to host the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (WJIHC). Events hosted in Calgary include the 1988 Winter Olympics, the 1996 International Rotarian Convention, the 1997 World Police and Fire Games, the World Skills competition in 2009, and the 2015 World Handball Championships. Calgary is also an annual stop for many winter sport organizations, including International Skating Union (speed skating), International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, International Luge Federation, and some International Ski Federation events. Calgary is also home to the world-famous Calgary Stampede. Calgary was designated as 'Canada's Cultural Capital' in 2012. Social entrepreneurs and scholars convened in Calgary during October 2013 for the 6th Social Enterprise World Forum. Calgary was named the host of the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games. Events hosted in Edmonton include the 1978 Commonwealth Games, the 1983 World University Games (Universiade), the 2001 World Championships in Athletics, the 2005 World Masters Games, the Edmonton Indy from 2005 to 2012, and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. Edmonton also hosted two papal visits: Peace tours of John Paul II in 1984, and the reconciliation visit of Pope Francis in 2022. Edmonton annually hosts North America's largest fringe festival, the Edmonton International Fringe Festival, every August; the same month also sees the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. Edmonton also hosted the Canadian Finals Rodeo during the second week of November from 1974 to 2017. The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival takes place every June. The city also plays host to K-Days every July. Edmonton is widely known as Canada's Festival City due to the large number of festivals it hosts year-round. In 2007, Edmonton started assessing the viability of hosting Expo 2017. The Edmonton City Council approved the building of a bid on April 15, 2009. Later in April, Calgary announced i

Did You Know?

• The Battle of Alberta rivalry predates organized sports in Alberta.
• Calgary was founded as a North-West Mounted Police fort and was not much of a settlement until the mid-1880s.
• Edmonton's neighbour Strathcona won the right to host the University of Alberta, infuriating the Calgary elite.
• Edmonton is known as Canada's Festival City due to the large number of festivals it hosts year-round.
• Both cities cooperated in a successful joint bid to host the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.