DCHP-1 Online
territory 
n. (usually plural) one of the vast, sparsely populated regions which are part of Canada but lack the status of provinces, being administered by the federal government through a council, a term used in the last century of the extensive lands between Ontario and British Columbia, but especially of the prairies during the settlement period, and nowadays of the Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories (def. 2b).
See also: Northwest Territories (def. 2b) Yukon Territory
- 1881 In other parts of the Territories in winter every wind is cold but the coldest of all is that from the west, which brings the blizzards--the terror of the plains.
- 1890 Two official languages [would be] "as useless as two tongues on a North-West cart." And yet the vehicle in question requires two tongues just as much as the Governmental Machine of the Territories does.
- 1957 As the white men advanced they brought their law with them and imposed it on thenatives of the Territories.
- 1966 [She] will establish the first residence . . . operated for girls in the territories.
- 1881 In other parts of the Territories in winter every wind is cold but the coldest of all is that from the west, which brings the blizzards--the terror of the plains.