The U.S. take over Canada? Not much in it for us, Canada says | Opinion
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently wrote on X, regarding the “unjust” tariffs that Trump initiated:” We’re ready to engage with the U.S. on a comprehensive negotiation — when Canada is shown respect as a sovereign nation.”
Earlier Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau humiliated Trump after Canada defeated the U.S. (3 to 2) in the Four Nations Face-Off men’s hockey championship game. In response to Trump’s proposal that the U.S. annex Canada as its 51st state Trudeau said on X(Twitter): “You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game”.
I lived in Vancouver, in the province of British Columbia, Canada, for a number of years so I have several Canadian friends. A couple of them are enthusiastic about Trump’s idea (slightly modified) of combining the two great nations of the North American Hemisphere.
But they think that it is too big a deal to join the areas of 40 million Canadians and 330 million USA residents all at once. For one thing what would such an entity be called? Would Trump go for Camerica? Who would be the leaders? The King of Canada (and England) along with the President of the United States? And how would the political landscape be reconfigured? A more deliberate, phased approach seems appropriate.
Since Canada consists of several southern provinces (Ontario, Quebec, etc.) plus the Northwest Territories, these Canadians suggest that Canada add Southern Territories. This could consist of the northern tier of USA’s present states, which would then become the Canadian Provinces of Washington, Montana, Dakota, and so on through the Canadian Province of Maine.
Such a reconfiguration would have great benefit to many citizens of the United States, particularly in the area of health care, which is good here if you are financially well off and terrible otherwise. Examples are deaths per 1000 live births: 5.4 in the USA compared with 4.2 in Canada, due partially to its universal health care system. Also there would be gains in life expectancy (82 in Canada compared with 77 in the USA). Reconfiguring some of our states to become part of Canada would work towards bringing the USA out of the category of a third-world country (33rd to 40th among developed nations) closer to where Canada is (in the 20s). Also the USA could save a lot of money. On health care the USA spends about $12,500 per capita per year while Canada spends about $5,000.
But my other Canadian friends are more than alarmed by the idea of letting Canadian culture be contaminated by that of the USA. The USA will be led by a vicious bully who lies incessantly, abuses women, makes fun of the disabled, and childishly calls other people names, as would a badly-brought-up 13-year-old. As importantly, he is out to make the rich richer and cut social programs, if not the whole safety net.
Even aside from the devastating effects Trump is likely to afflict on the USA in the future, Canada is already a superior country. The income inequality is much lower, higher education is more affordable, paid parental leave is provided, there is a better work-life balance, considerably less crime, minimum wage rates are double the USA of $7.25 per hour, guaranteed sick leave payments, and so on.
And currently, Canadians have to view half the USA electorate as suffering from deplorable attitudes: not caring about democracy (ignoring Trump’s attempt to steal the 2020 election and disregarding many warnings about his intentions by a plethora of judges, cabinet officials who worked for him, historians, and military leaders), uncaring of other people (it’s not my one-year-old kids being kidnapped from nursing mothers), misogyny (What? A woman president?), racism (a black one at that!), and greed (decidedly if rich and, amazingly, many from the poor and middle class).
There are also the foreign issues: Trump threatens to pull out of NATO. He defers to Putin. Says Russia ought to be able to “do whatever the hell it wants to” in the invasion of Ukraine. Threatens Panama and Greenland. Trump incorporates drunks and otherwise unqualified people for his cabinet. He risks national security by threatening the FBI and CIA intelligence apparatus. He is appointing those who support dictators abroad. He will enhance the risk from Iran, as he did in the first term, by tearing up an agreement that was keeping Iran from building a nuclear weapon.
No, half the USA electorate prefers, as president, a convicted felon and truly evil, un-Christian man. That Canada should be integrated with such a country? Most Canadians react with horror at even the idea.
Michael Kennedy is a retired University of Kentucky professor.