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I heard that in 1995 Quebec was considering separating from Canada. If they had separated, I heard that several Canadian Provicences would consider joining the US.
Would this ever happen? Grant it the US is in a recession at the moment, but if the economy picks back up would these provences ever consider joining the US. I think this would be a logical move as 90% of Canadians live near the US border.
The only reason to leave one country and join another is because you will get a better deal out of the exchange. Why would Canadian provinces get offered a better deal as a US state? There is no reason for the US to give them some additional benefits in the way of more money put in than they send back in taxes so it just has no chance of happening.
What do Americans think? Would they change their laws to accommodate 20 million plus socialist Canadians bringing their universal heath care, more restrictive gun laws, social justice attitudes, abortion laws etc...?
If they had separated, I heard that several Canadian Provicences would consider joining the US. Would this ever happen? Grant it the US is in a recession at the moment, but if the economy picks back up would these provences ever consider joining the US.
As an American, I think it is one of these things that are easier to speculate about, but in reality are very unlikely. For one things, the separatist movement in Quebec is at a low compared to the mid 1990's. Also the provinces that identify the most with American states are the central ones like Alberta. They also don't identify with USA as a whole, but only with the nearby states like Montana. The Canadian culture is more developed near both oceans.
Canadian provinces have more power than American states. It is much more likely that a Canadian province will try to increase local power than jump ship entirely.
There is always a fear about attaching to a greater power that you will be overlooked. For instance, Canada is making great strides at switching most transactions to electronic currency. Should they switch completely so that they only have coins in circulation, they might benefit hugely by switching to the American dollar. International finance is always cheaper in the American dollar. But there would be a great fear of what might happen to the American dollar.
Well those are just a few of the prurient reasons with our natural resources being higher on the list than anything tax based. Water, oil, potash, natural gas, lumber, and minerals of all make and description are all things that the U.S. is going to crave in the near future.
Currently; markets for all of those are being courted overseas and investment is also flooding in from overseas.
Canadians are becoming quite aware of our global importance for these and other reasons such as a northern passage and our vast northern exposure being viewd by a multitude of countries.
I'm fairly certain that all of these taken in concert with our national identity being of great importance to us will forestall any attempts or even thoughts of joining the U.S. of A..
One of the original ideas of "free trade" when discussed/being sold/argued in Canada was the free movement of good, services, AND PEOPLE. That part I haven't forgotten, being raised in both countries. I see it as pretty much inevitable, but not in my lifetime.
The more interesting question is whether Canada would adopt parts of the US into Confederation. I'm sure there's some folks in Vermont that wouldn't mind being a part of a monarchy again.
I heard that in 1995 Quebec was considering separating from Canada. If they had separated, I heard that several Canadian Provicences would consider joining the US.
?
Quebec did hold a referendum on independence from 1995 but there was no talk - even semi-serious - of any other provinces joining the States had Quebec gone its own way.
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