Quick links

la-la land

DCHP-2 (May 2016)

Spelling variants:
La La Land, Lala land

Non-Canadianism

This is a word that our editors have determined is not a Canadianism.

1n. — informal

a nickname for British Columbia, especially Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

La-la land originated as a nickname for Los Angeles, derived from the initials L.A. (see OED-3, s.v. "la-la land" [1]). Like much else that is Californian, it migrated north and is used to refer to British Columbia. However, even in BC newspapers, the term usually refers to Los Angeles or to other locations or signifies an irrational state of mind rather than a place, as in "the councillors are in la-la land".
See also COD-2, s.v. "la-la land" (3), which is marked "Cdn", and defined as "British Columbia" in general.

See: lotus land

Quotations

1992

Q: What are they saying in la-la-land, in B.C.? A: Some don't like the new setup in the Commons. They think their premier, Mike Harcourt, got taken to the cleaners. Right now with 32 MPs, B.C.'s got 10.8 per cent of the seats in the Commons - but it's got 12 per cent of the country's population. Even with four more seats in the enlarged Commons, its share drops to 10.7 per cent.

2000

And if you are concerned about our particularly dull politicians, come to British Columbia on the left coast. This is the Lala land of Canada where, as you mentioned, we were forced to suffer the indignities of a feisty Flying Phil Galardi. This is also where in recent years we've had to fire a succession of premiers for various nefarious crimes against the people.

2002

That has been the theme of the last two weeks' columns, and since we live in B.C. which some people call Lotus land or La-la land, perhaps it is even more important for us to have a firm grip on the difference between these perceptions and reality.

2007

"While it's nice to live here in La La Land in the Lower Mainland, if the north of the province suffers economically, we're all going to feel it," Scott said, noting economic development was "going to come to a screeching halt in eight to 10 years" if nothing is done.

References