The 51st and 52nd states

National Post ^ | June 7, 2003 | Lawrence Solomon

[The Red Zone]

Any artists conceptions been done of what a flag for the next few possibilities of added states would look like? 51, 52, 53, 54 stars? Does the US government itself keep such designs waiting in the wings?

[Quix]

I'd cheer, I think.

[HassanBenSobar]

I suppose that, even if Alberta and BC were to become US states by their own choice--the US would still be branded as imperialist, merely for allowing it. And that we did so only for oil. And that we are now oppressing all the Vancouver potheads, acting like hegemons, blah blah blah jingoistic blah blah blah military-industrial complex yadda yadda long live Chairman Mao blah blah...arright, I guess I'm getting carried away now.

[GraniteStateConservative]

It's funny that some of the former Soviet republics are more "American" than Democrats in this country. Let's just move Democrats to Poland and move the Poles here.

[rederic]

The guy that wrote this article for the National Post might want to look here: http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=6493 and consider it an introduction to the real world.
Rederic

[curmudgeonII]

The U.S. can minimize foreign oil imports any time it wants.
All that is necessary to do is to stop making those damn SUVs.

[BlueNgold]

Not so fast, Vancouver and Victoria have some of the best 'Gentleman's Clubs' known to man....

[BlueNgold]

The U.S. can minimize foreign oil imports any time it wants.
All that is necessary to do is to stop making those damn SUVs.

Please please please tell me you are joking ....

[Knightsofswing]

I always thought that confusion & denial were the 51st&52nd states!

LOL :)

[sweetliberty]

"Actually there would still only be 50 states as we lose Kalifornia and Arizona back to Mexico."

Seems like a good trade to me, although I don't think the liberals would stand for it....far too many white people in Canada to suit their taste.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The first paragraph is rather silly. Alberta's oil already goes into the US via the Interprovicial/Lakehead pipeline.

[djf]

The Treaty of Peace between the United States and Great Britain, 1783, which ended the Revolutionary war hostilities is still recognized by International Law as valid. It says in it that Canada may, at it's own dicretion, at an time, with or without Congrssional approval, as a whole, join the United States. It doesn't say whether that means an isolated Province or not.

[JimRed]

With Alberta as America's 51st state, the U.S. would secure 300 billion barrels of recoverable oil reserves, more than exist in Saudi Arabia.

If this is true, why do we even bother with the middle east for our oil supplies? It's right next door, in a country that we now tolerate but usually like. Smaller shipping costs as well.

Something's fishy about this one.

[liberalnot]

wouldn't it be cheaper just to buy it, and not have to pay those high welfare and health costs of canada?

[sweetliberty]

Thought you might have an opinion about this.

[curmudgeonII]

Please please please tell me you are joking ....

Nope.

[x]

Forget it -- the author is confusing the conservative spirit of Alberta with a pro-American one.

That could very well be. It's hard to think why they'd want to change the external tax collector if they could survive without one. Those provinces that can stand on their own probably will. Those that feel they need a sponsor or protector or benefactor, like the Maritimes or the other prarie provinces, will seek one. It's possible that "Canada" will survive its dissolution as a much looser federation, minus Quebec and the subsidies of the less prosperous provinces -- a "commonwealth of independent states" tied into NAFTA.

If the trend is towards smaller countries tied together in pacts, alliances and common markets it's hard to see why Albertans would make an exception just for us. If it were just a question of the US versus Canada, there might be some support for joining us, but the independence option is likely to be stronger, all other things (defense, trade, freedom of movement) being equal.

If anything, Alberta is probably more strongly opposed to joining the U.S. than any other Canadian province is.

Could be. Oil does tend to produce a desire for independence, as it did in Scotland and, in a different way, Norway. And you can't expect those whose sentiments make them critical of government intervention to fall in behind one of the world's largest and most powerful governments. You'd know more about it than I would, but they do seem much better disposed to American values than other provinces, so the temptation is to presume that they would like being in our club more than the others.

[djf]

And now after re-reading it I can't find it...

[headsonpikes]

"When asked to choose between Ottawa and Washington, most Albertans would select Calgary."

And the rest, Edmonton. ;^)

Alberta and B.C. together would make a very fine country, indeed. We'll put the capital in Pouce Coupe. ;^)

[The Iguana]

Throw in Saskatchewan and it's a deal.