The future ain't what it used to be...

Nickel

Canada will join U.S. by 2010, futurists say
(Toronto Star, July 23, 1992)

WASHINGTON (CP) - Quebec will separate from Canada in 1996 and the other provinces will join the United States by the year 2010, predicts the U.S. World Future Society.

"There are no longer any economic reasons to force Quebec to stay in Canada," write group members Marvin Cetron and Owen Davies in a book called Crystal Globe, which makes sweeping predictions about the world's future.

In a chapter titled "55 United States and Quebec," the Washington-based non-profit research group forecasts that after Quebec leaves Canada in 1996, the four Atlantic provinces will join the U.S. as a single state.

Later, the authors say, Ontario will be admitted to the U.S. as a state and the Western provinces, which will have more in common with their southern neighbors, will form two more states.

The book also predicts Cuban leader Fidel Castro will join the Western powers, Israel will give up the occupied territories to make peace in the Middle East and Japanese economic might will decline rapidly.

The concept of a bilingual, bi-cultural Canada will fall apart, the authors predict, because English Canada is not prepared to five Quebec any more powers, he collapse of the Meech Lake constitutional accord in 1990 is cited as a case in point.

Giving Quebec a veto over the rest of Canada is "a privilege that 20 million Canadians are not ready to give."

Redrawing the country into four or five semi-autonomous zones isn't expected either, the group says, because Quebec and Ontario would dominate and that would be opposed by the West and the Atlantic provinces.

An independent Quebec would be as affluent and populous as Switzerland, and three times as large, the book points out. And the new country would have no problem negotiating a free trade deal of its own with the United States.
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hironegro · Heavy Crude Joined: Apr 08, 2008 Posts: 270

I have always wondered why america never anexed canada.

nero

The United States didn't annex Canada because it was under the protection of the world super power in the 19th century (it was a loyal part of the British empire) By the time the US was in a position to potentially make a grab for Canada they were mostly over their expansionist tendencies. It didn't hurt that by then Canada and the US were best bud trading partners. Now adays the United States wouldn't want to annex Canada because it would permanently alter the political balance of the United States by adding about a dozen senators to the left of Massachussetts.
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mos6507

PonyBoy78

Fine by me.. but make them full states. I want to see how the electoral vote balance shifts around. Razz

Kingcoal

From the very beginning, Canada has had an open invitation to join the US. In fact, it predates the formation of the US Constitution. Benedict Arnold invaded Canada as part of the American Revolution. Canadians proved to be too sane to join a campaign of independence from the worlds greatest superpower; Great Britain. Back then, the US didn't annex Canada because they didn't have the military resources, it was that simple.

Today, Canada and the US are each other's biggest trading partners. There was a tradition, which was broken by GWB, of the newly elected president making his first trip to Canada. Perhaps the next US president will restore this tradition. I don't think there is any incentive for Canada to join the US, in fact, I don't think there is any incentive for any country to join the US as a state. They can get the same benifits simply by signing treaties with the US.
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"That's the problem with mercy, kid... It just ain't professional" - Fast Eddie, The Color of Money

hironegro · Heavy Crude Joined: Apr 08, 2008 Posts: 270

mos6507

hironegro · Heavy Crude Joined: Apr 08, 2008 Posts: 270

Nickel

burtonridr · Intermediate Crude Joined: Aug 03, 2007 Posts: 584

mos6507

Nickel

mobil1

Annexing / "Manifest destiny" of Canada by US has been a concern forever, and will always be a concern. If it ever happens politically the concern then shifts to a federal versus state powers concern.

Economically, in many areas, Canada has already been annexed by US and other foreign powers. We sometimes try to maintain foreign ownership limits and have other protectionist measures, but much of our resources have been, or are in the process of being bought.

At least we'll get many of the jobs and each province gets their royalty rates...

And NAFTA gives US some special treatments that limit our ability to withhold exports.

When Canadian dollar was bottoming at 62.5 cents US about 8 years ago when oil and gold and other commods were bottoming, there were greater calls for Dollar Unity with the US.

Since the US and Canuck bucks are now almost at parity, there is no support for economic union with the US.

Quebec has occasionally played with the idea of a seperate currency or even adopting US currency. Lately though Quebec seperatists talk of economic union with Canada and a shared Canadian dollar (with little mention of adopting our current small debt.)

I'm suspecting that the US and Canuck buck are somewhat loosely tied by the Bank of Canada. I think they don't want to see the Canadian dollar go much higher versus the US. That could cause the Canadian $ to tank with the US, if the US $ tanks.

anagami