Republic of Canida
The Republic of Canida consists of several Provinces - Skandario, Manitou, Yukon, Keiskatchewan, Assiniboia, Chilcotin, and Nunavut. Skandario, Manitou, Assiniboia, and Chilcotin have most of the population, though the majority of it is within 100 kilometers of the Equestrian border. The other provinces are sparsely populated.
The populace of these Provinces are not ponies.. but canines. All descended from the original mortal forms of the "Timber Wolf." Current "Timber Wolves" are creatures that have, over the millenia, become different creatures due to their interaction with the magic of Gaea. Current Canidans are quadrupeds with much in common with various breeds of canines from Earth.
In ancient times, this land was quite different. In the distant past, Skandario and the Prench possession of Quirtbeck were homes to ancient Pony cultures. It's been found that some of the unsettled territory between Skandario and Quirtbeck contains the remains of the original Coltonville civilization.
Geographically, Canida is very similar to Canada, save that the land that would make up the "Maritime Provinces" is shifted to a point between Quirtbeck and Skandario, creating a large amount of unsettled, unowned, unexplored land. This includes identifying with the maple tree and leaf being their symbol (along with a dog bone).
Canida itself is a Representative Parliamentary Republic. Each Province has its own Parliament, and the nation itself has its own Parliament. Each Provincial Legislature is unicameral, with a Provincial Minister in charge of each that must sign off on legislative bills proposed within the legislature.
The national Parliament of Canida is bicameral, with a House of Common Pleas (or "lower house") and a House of Councillors (or "upper house"). Members of Parliament of the lower house are called "Pleadogs" or "Common Members." Those of the upper house are "Collared" or "Members of Council." Each Province elects one member of the House of Common Pleas from each District, and three members of the House of Councillors for the entire Province.
At the head of the Parliament is the Prime Minister and their second is the First Minister of Parliament. The Prime Minister is appointed by the political party in control of the House of Councilors, and the First Minister of Parliament is appointed by the political party in control of the House of Common Pleas. These might not always be from the same political party.
Culturally, Canida has as much invested in the Canine motif as Equestria does with horses. In antiquity, the Canidans were greatly feared by most equine species and nations, as they are predators. Most especially, the Roositeans (who share a land border with them) feared the Canidans even before the development of firearms, as Canidans had a reputation (well earned) for eating their opponents in battle.
After the creation of N.E.I.G.H.T.O., Canida was at first reluctant to reach out to the Equine-dominated alliance, but were informed by a canine named Havoc that they would be welcomed with open hooves. As Havoc was an Ancient One, they sent representatives to Equestria, and later received Princess Celestia and Luna, before formally joining the alliance around the same time as a Roostian/Herdiet Union incursion into their territory.
