Should a pipeline to the west supply China, I see large Chinese settlements in Alberta to "help" manage the industry, with the approval of Ottawa. Cultural change will be unavoidable. Blessings.
It is much better for Alberta to continue selling primarily to us (and currently, 89% of their total exports, not just energy, come here). It is also better for our allies who are dependent on imports if we supply their energy, or a large part of it, so as to mitigate risks to supply. So we're growing that capacity in every trade deal Trump signs -- Japan, South Korea, the EU, the UK, etc. -- and Alberta would (and will) benefit from that.
What it would not benefit from is becoming one of many small exporters dependent on the CCP's goodwill.
It seems to me that the key question is how does Alberta’s political class feel about it? Brexit won, but then Britain’s political class, left and right, dragged their feet on implementing it, and to my eyes even now Britain’s independence is a sham.
A point I make in another comment below: you're exactly right. However, in Alberta, the leadership first lowered the number of signatures to get this on the ballot, and then clarified that the needed vote is not 60% but 50%+1. That sounds pretty on board to me.
If the U.S. healthcare system is so bad (and mind you, I can go on all day about what's wrong with it), why is my hometown here in Florida absolutely filled to overflowing with Canadians seeing our doctors?
As to Brexit, May, Boris, Rishi, and finally Starmer have done everything in their power to torpedo it. It's hard to meet your potential when your leaders are working against you.
Depends on what you are looking for and willing to pay for healthcare. If I’m price insensitive and looking for maximum intervention I’d choose the US. If I want high quality basic care at a cost which allows room for other things I’d choose Canada. No doubt Florida is well supplied with plastic surgeons 😉
Your Brexit argument reminds me of the leftist argument “socialism would have worked but Stalin, Mao, Chavez, Castro etc. f**d it up”.
As for Alberta’s options I don’t know enough to judge. My point was simply that “the grass is always greener on the other side” and that you need to “look before you leap”. That said I understand the bitterness as a California taxpayer who has been subsidizing the whiners in the “red states” for decades. I accept that it’s the price of being part of the 🇺🇸
Couldn't possibly disagree more on Brexit. Independence didn't fail. Four straight Prime Ministers of both parties did everything in their power to thwart it, and keep Britain under Brussels' thumb long after the people voted. How is that not obviously different?
As to healthcare, go wherever you want. All I know is that Florida is full of Canadians who want ours and hate theirs.
I think your point is sound, but it can’t be denied that there would be a rough period of adjustment. From what I can tell, Canadian taxes are slightly higher than ours, but are they enough higher that they would be happy paying for basic health care? In the US so many of us get health insurance through our employers; are Albertan employers prepared to do that? (And will workers accept a pay cut for it?)
It reminds me quite a lot of the culture clash when East Germany was reunited with West Germany. They managed to get through that (I think? Mostly?), but they shared “mystic chords of memory” that were a lot more recent than ours with Alberta.
I’m still all for it, even though I think Alberta’s “conservatism” is a lot more center-left than Texas’s.
For what they're sending Ottawa in "equalization payments" (which are effectively Ayn Rand's "Colorado Directives" in Atlas Shrugged), they could afford to buy everyone their own personal Mayo Clinic.
Boris Johnson had every reason to negotiate a Brexit that delivered. What happened is simple - he thought the UK had a better hand than it did or that the EU would play its hand poorly in negotiations. In the event he cut the best deal he could given the realities. So incompetence* not malfeasance as you assert.
*in basic assumptions as opposed to negotiations. Not dissimilar to Trump’s assumption that the Iranian regime would simply collapse following decapitation and an air campaign
Excellent article. Was unaware of Alberta’s petition. I imagine that Dems would view Alberta’s potential statehood similar to how Conservatives view the Left’s constant threats of making DC or Puerto Rico states. Would also think that Alberta might be reluctant to become a U.S. state if it looked like Dems were going to regain control of Congress and/or the White House. They might then be trading one brand of virulent anti-American, anti-energy Socialist, in Carney and his eastern Canadian liberals, for another equally Marxist and increasingly radical and violent brand of Socialism, which the Democrat party in America has quickly embraced. Did I read that Carney recently proclaimed that he “hated” America?
No, I don't believe he actually said that. However, your other points are all sound, with the caveat that there are far more constitutional protections in the U.S. for Alberta's (and Albertans') interests, so short of full Marxist takeover here, they would be in a far better position. Independence is a completely viable path, but I think there are significant benefits for a new country where 89% of exports go to the U.S. to actually be part of the U.S. market and the U.S. decision-making process. And their presence would certainly be good for the United States.
As to shifting the balance in the Senate, historically, that's been balanced out by admitting an equal number of states on each side. So maybe we get Quebec (or Puerto Rico) too.
A most fascinating article and a masterful analysis, Dr. Martin! Alberta has had enough of being exploited, taxed to death, having their wealth redistributed to Quebec, being treated with condescension, and ignored by the snooty eastern establishment in Canada who has never valued them since they were formed in 1905. I 100% support them becoming the 51st state in the union! It’s a win-win for both of us! Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia are more than welcome to join us as well!
I visited the UK a month or so before the Brexit vote and did a fair amount of chatting with a whole range of people from retirees to professors to farmers and IT people. I barely heard any of them say they wanted to remain and the same was vividly illustrated in the leave signage being everywhere and remain stuff being next to non-existent. I really should have followed my instinct and put some money down on Leave at the bookies
I think we have seen across the world that every country is always one election away from stupidity. Canada certainly proves the rule.
But yes, Alberta would probably avoid that risk for a while, much as would an independent Texas or Florida. On the other hand, when the United States is stupid it affects the whole world, and Alberta having Senate seats and electoral votes could help prevent that.
Square off Washington D C to its original grant and admit it as a State at the same time as Alberta to solve the political problem. We have always admitted two states at a time to address the politics of the situation.
God no. Two Senators representing the interests of the Federal bureaucracy? No way. I am in favor of voting House of Representatives members from DC, but not Senators. DC must never become a state.
Interesting and hopeful.
Should a pipeline to the west supply China, I see large Chinese settlements in Alberta to "help" manage the industry, with the approval of Ottawa. Cultural change will be unavoidable. Blessings.
It is much better for Alberta to continue selling primarily to us (and currently, 89% of their total exports, not just energy, come here). It is also better for our allies who are dependent on imports if we supply their energy, or a large part of it, so as to mitigate risks to supply. So we're growing that capacity in every trade deal Trump signs -- Japan, South Korea, the EU, the UK, etc. -- and Alberta would (and will) benefit from that.
What it would not benefit from is becoming one of many small exporters dependent on the CCP's goodwill.
It seems to me that the key question is how does Alberta’s political class feel about it? Brexit won, but then Britain’s political class, left and right, dragged their feet on implementing it, and to my eyes even now Britain’s independence is a sham.
A point I make in another comment below: you're exactly right. However, in Alberta, the leadership first lowered the number of signatures to get this on the ballot, and then clarified that the needed vote is not 60% but 50%+1. That sounds pretty on board to me.
Brexit worked out so well. And joining the US means adopting our healthcare system. Be careful what you wish for.
If the U.S. healthcare system is so bad (and mind you, I can go on all day about what's wrong with it), why is my hometown here in Florida absolutely filled to overflowing with Canadians seeing our doctors?
As to Brexit, May, Boris, Rishi, and finally Starmer have done everything in their power to torpedo it. It's hard to meet your potential when your leaders are working against you.
Depends on what you are looking for and willing to pay for healthcare. If I’m price insensitive and looking for maximum intervention I’d choose the US. If I want high quality basic care at a cost which allows room for other things I’d choose Canada. No doubt Florida is well supplied with plastic surgeons 😉
Your Brexit argument reminds me of the leftist argument “socialism would have worked but Stalin, Mao, Chavez, Castro etc. f**d it up”.
As for Alberta’s options I don’t know enough to judge. My point was simply that “the grass is always greener on the other side” and that you need to “look before you leap”. That said I understand the bitterness as a California taxpayer who has been subsidizing the whiners in the “red states” for decades. I accept that it’s the price of being part of the 🇺🇸
Couldn't possibly disagree more on Brexit. Independence didn't fail. Four straight Prime Ministers of both parties did everything in their power to thwart it, and keep Britain under Brussels' thumb long after the people voted. How is that not obviously different?
As to healthcare, go wherever you want. All I know is that Florida is full of Canadians who want ours and hate theirs.
I think your point is sound, but it can’t be denied that there would be a rough period of adjustment. From what I can tell, Canadian taxes are slightly higher than ours, but are they enough higher that they would be happy paying for basic health care? In the US so many of us get health insurance through our employers; are Albertan employers prepared to do that? (And will workers accept a pay cut for it?)
It reminds me quite a lot of the culture clash when East Germany was reunited with West Germany. They managed to get through that (I think? Mostly?), but they shared “mystic chords of memory” that were a lot more recent than ours with Alberta.
I’m still all for it, even though I think Alberta’s “conservatism” is a lot more center-left than Texas’s.
For what they're sending Ottawa in "equalization payments" (which are effectively Ayn Rand's "Colorado Directives" in Atlas Shrugged), they could afford to buy everyone their own personal Mayo Clinic.
Boris Johnson had every reason to negotiate a Brexit that delivered. What happened is simple - he thought the UK had a better hand than it did or that the EU would play its hand poorly in negotiations. In the event he cut the best deal he could given the realities. So incompetence* not malfeasance as you assert.
*in basic assumptions as opposed to negotiations. Not dissimilar to Trump’s assumption that the Iranian regime would simply collapse following decapitation and an air campaign
Nothing prevents Alberta from retaining their healthcare system, other than a few tweaks of the U.S. tax code.
Excellent article. Was unaware of Alberta’s petition. I imagine that Dems would view Alberta’s potential statehood similar to how Conservatives view the Left’s constant threats of making DC or Puerto Rico states. Would also think that Alberta might be reluctant to become a U.S. state if it looked like Dems were going to regain control of Congress and/or the White House. They might then be trading one brand of virulent anti-American, anti-energy Socialist, in Carney and his eastern Canadian liberals, for another equally Marxist and increasingly radical and violent brand of Socialism, which the Democrat party in America has quickly embraced. Did I read that Carney recently proclaimed that he “hated” America?
No, I don't believe he actually said that. However, your other points are all sound, with the caveat that there are far more constitutional protections in the U.S. for Alberta's (and Albertans') interests, so short of full Marxist takeover here, they would be in a far better position. Independence is a completely viable path, but I think there are significant benefits for a new country where 89% of exports go to the U.S. to actually be part of the U.S. market and the U.S. decision-making process. And their presence would certainly be good for the United States.
As to shifting the balance in the Senate, historically, that's been balanced out by admitting an equal number of states on each side. So maybe we get Quebec (or Puerto Rico) too.
A most fascinating article and a masterful analysis, Dr. Martin! Alberta has had enough of being exploited, taxed to death, having their wealth redistributed to Quebec, being treated with condescension, and ignored by the snooty eastern establishment in Canada who has never valued them since they were formed in 1905. I 100% support them becoming the 51st state in the union! It’s a win-win for both of us! Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia are more than welcome to join us as well!
Want to learn more about Canadian history? Check these titles out:
• Dominion: The Railway and the Rise of Canada by Stephen R. Bown
• The Company: The Rise and Fall of the Hudson's Bay Empire by Stephen R. Bown
• A History of Canada in Ten Maps: Epic Stories of Charting a Mysterious Land by Adam Shoalts
• The Penguin History of Canada by Robert Bothwell
• Indigenous Peoples within Canada: A Concise History by Olive Patricia Dickason and William Newbigging
• The Ku Klux Klan in Canada: A Century of Promoting Racism and Hate in the Peaceable Kingdom by Allan Bartley
• From Underground Railroad to Rebel Refuge: Canada and the Civil War by Brian Martin
• Blood and Daring: How Canada Fought the American Civil War and Forged a Nation by John Boyko
• Viola Desmond’s Canada: A History of Blacks and Racial Segregation in the Promised Land by Graham Reynolds
• La Nouvelle France: The Making of French Canada--A Cultural History by Peter N. Moogk
• Canada and Quebec: One Country, Two Histories by Robert Bothwell
I visited the UK a month or so before the Brexit vote and did a fair amount of chatting with a whole range of people from retirees to professors to farmers and IT people. I barely heard any of them say they wanted to remain and the same was vividly illustrated in the leave signage being everywhere and remain stuff being next to non-existent. I really should have followed my instinct and put some money down on Leave at the bookies
As obviously rigged as the prediction markets were to attempt to skew the outcome, you could have made an absolute fortune. I have the same regret.
We love you America but we will be much better off as an independent Nation of Alberta Saskatchewan. And we know it. Thank you.
We're happy for you either way.
I think the minimum American interest would be:
Alberta remains in NORAD (and NATO if the U.S. does - I assume we will but will drawdown)
Alberta adopts the U.S. dollar.
I would assume an independent Alberta would stay in the British Commonwealth. As to embassy representation, consider doubling up with Ireland.
And if independence is a temporary failure there is always U.S. commonwealth status, with which independence could be recovered in a better future.
The USA is allways one election away from stupidity. An independent Alberta Saskatchewan would not have that problem. Thanks though.
I think we have seen across the world that every country is always one election away from stupidity. Canada certainly proves the rule.
But yes, Alberta would probably avoid that risk for a while, much as would an independent Texas or Florida. On the other hand, when the United States is stupid it affects the whole world, and Alberta having Senate seats and electoral votes could help prevent that.
Yep. Alberta would decrease U.S. stupidity if they joined. In effect we need them more than they need us.
Square off Washington D C to its original grant and admit it as a State at the same time as Alberta to solve the political problem. We have always admitted two states at a time to address the politics of the situation.
A perfectly reasonable solution.
God no. Two Senators representing the interests of the Federal bureaucracy? No way. I am in favor of voting House of Representatives members from DC, but not Senators. DC must never become a state.