Readers Editorial - Merger of the United States and Canada

 

Merger of the United States and Canada
By: James  Konning

No two nations in the world are as integrated, economically and socially, as are the United States and Canada. We share geography, values and the largest unprotected border in the world. Regardless of this close friendship, our two countries are on a slow-motion collision course—with each other and with the rest of the world.

While we wrestle with internal political gridlock and fiscal challenges and clash over border problems, the economies of the larger world change and flourish.

Emerging economies sailed through the financial meltdown of 2008. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that by 2018, China’s economy will be bigger than that of the United States; when combined with India, Japan and the four Asian Tigers—South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong—China’s economy will be bigger than that of the G8 (minus Japan). Rather than continuing on this road to mutual decline, our two nations should chart a new course.

Bestselling author Diane Francis proposes a simple and obvious solution: What if the United States and Canada merged into one country? The most audacious initiative since the Louisiana Purchase would solve the biggest problems each country expects to face: the U.S.’s national security threats and declining living standards; and Canada’s difficulty controlling and developing its huge landmass, stemming from a lack of capital, workers, technology and military might. Merger of the Century builds both a strong political argument and a compelling business case, treating our two countries not only as sovereign entities but as merging companies. We stand on the cusp of a new world order. Together, by marshaling resources and combining efforts, Canada and America have a greater chance of succeeding. As separate nations, the future is in much greater doubt indeed.

The above can be found as the intro of sorts on Amazon for Diane Francis’s book:

‘The Merger of the Century’

I can understand the concern of this Canadian authors for her country. The entire population of Canada is only 10% of that of the United States. Compared to us Canada is nothing more than a state attached to our border. The lack of population leaves the large landmass a danger to the United States as Canada does not have the sources to protect itself much less the open borders it has which leaves easy access to both Canada and the United States.

Canada is easy pickings for any outside source who may want to intrude upon it for its natural resources and open land. Knowing this leaves Canada a point of concern for the United States and a stepchild that we know we will always have to protect as it is helpless alone against any major aggression that may come to its borders.

Canada does not have the man power or financial ability to develop its large landmass which of course America could help in doing.

I suppose that merging Canada in to the United States does make sense for America since we would be the ones to do all the heavy lifting to defend or grow that part of the world. It is however in all those areas a burden as well.

I am sure Canada may want to stay as they are however that ideology would quickly resolve once they were under attack, or invaded or collapse along with the rest of the world economically which is of course part of the world’s course if things continue as they seem to be going.

Many see this book and its ideas as the logical and only road to take. Others fear it as another step towards a One World Government and one global economy. I see it as a road our futures may soon need to deal with and cross. I wonder what my fellow Americans think as well as our lightly populated Canadian neighbors.

Will American stay closed to Canada or will we soon become one untied nation?

James  Konning

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