> And they're not suddenly Venetian. IRL Halifax is focused heavily on private industry and commerce, so it's not much of a transition. It would be more accurate to say that they are a Canadian version of Venice (minus canals) than a Venetian version of Canada.

You don't have to literally *be* Venice to be a merchant state. That would be like people addressing themselves by Roman, Latin titles just because they are part of an empire. Adopting Venetian titles and names is not a requisite for every merchant state ever. It's honestly very strange for people in Halifax to suddenly adopt Venetian titles and terms, as if they have anything culturally in-common with Venice or even Italy. 

You can be a merchant state without a Doge, and without calling yourself a 'Serene Republic'. Those are pretty much Venetian terms (and Genoan, I guess) and about as far from Canadian as you can get. It comes off.. weird, I guess. It doesn't fit. Unless you claim that the founders were obsessed with Venice and decided to adopt titles and names. It would give you a reason for why they are used, but it honestly wouldn't make it any less weird, in my opinion.

I get the possibility of a merchant state forming in Halifax. What I don't get is why they are pretending to be Venice, as if it's required. It would make more sense to be a merchant state, but still be.. Canadian.

EDIT: Not to seem imposing or too judgmental, by the way. I'm just outspoken, I guess. It's ultimately your own opinion that matters.