Idea: Replace Canada with "Canadian Union"?

[CityTech]

We're all angry and divided. And this isn't new; regional strife is the story of our country. Other large countries like the US don't seem to have nearly this level of angst or unwillingness to work together.

So here's a radical idea... what if we just abolish the federal government? Have each province become a sovereign state. And then unite the 10 new countries in a European Union style economic zone with freedom of movement of goods and people.

Where exactly the territories fit in with this equation, I don't know. They obviously can't be countries. Maybe they can each become a territory of a province (ie. they can be like the overseas dependencies many European countries have). Yukon can be a dependency of BC, NWT a dependency of say Alberta and Nunavut one of Ontario or something.

[kwoldtimer]

Better yet, abolish the provinces in favour of a unitary state.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by CityTech

Idea: Replace Canada with "Canadian Union"?

Because it's working so well in Europe?

[MonctonRad]

Silly CityTech.............

[whatnext]

Well the term Confederation indicated a pretty decentralized arrangement already:

Confederations are voluntary associations of independent states that, to secure some common purpose, agree to certain limitations on their freedom of action and establish some joint machinery of consultation or deliberation. The limitations on the freedom of action of the member states may be as trivial as an acknowledgment of their duty to consult with each other before taking some independent action or as significant as the obligation to be bound by majority decisions of the member states. Confederations usually fail to provide for an effective executive authority and lack viable central governments...

https://www.britannica.com/topic/pol...nd-federations

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by CityTech

Where exactly the territories fit in with this equation, I don't know. They obviously can't be countries. Maybe they can each become a territory of a province (ie. they can be like the overseas dependencies many European countries have). Yukon can be a dependency of BC, NWT a dependency of say Alberta and Nunavut one of Ontario or something.

Nunavut rightly belongs to Manitoba since they share a land border. You know this to be true, the Union hasn't even been formed yet and already you're shortchanging the West.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

Nunavut rightly belongs to Manitoba since they share a land border. You know this to be true, the Union hasn't even been formed yet and already you're shortchanging the West.

Thats the way Ontario rolls. Wasn't the Lakehead supposed to be part of Manitoba as well?

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by CityTech

We're all angry and divided. And this isn't new; regional strife is the story of our country. Other large countries like the US don't seem to have nearly this level of angst or unwillingness to work together.

So here's a radical idea... what if we just abolish the federal government? Have each province become a sovereign state. And then unite the 10 new countries in a European Union style economic zone with freedom of movement of goods and people.

Where exactly the territories fit in with this equation, I don't know. They obviously can't be countries. Maybe they can each become a territory of a province (ie. they can be like the overseas dependencies many European countries have). Yukon can be a dependency of BC, NWT a dependency of say Alberta and Nunavut one of Ontario or something.

How about we just implement freedom of trade in the current country? In that respect, the EU is more of a country than Canada is.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

Thats the way Ontario rolls. Wasn't the Lakehead supposed to be part of Manitoba as well?

I don't think so. Wasn't it part of Ontario in 1867, and part of the Province of Canada before that?

[CityTech]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

Thats the way Ontario rolls. Wasn't the Lakehead supposed to be part of Manitoba as well?

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

Nunavut rightly belongs to Manitoba since they share a land border. You know this to be true, the Union hasn't even been formed yet and already you're shortchanging the West.

My thought process was Ontario because Iqaluit's supply lines and trade/service links are through Ottawa. (Ottawa hospitals treat their patients when their needs get complex, they generally come to Ottawa for postsecondary education, etc.) But no reason why those can't be through Manitoba. Not really much of a prize because Nunavut would really be more of a cost than a benefit anyway! (Lots to pay for...).

[SignalHillHiker]

There would still have to be some form of a federal government but I'm down with that.

I'd be satisfied with a passport that read "Newfoundland and Labrador, Canadian Federation", similar to how the EU ones work. For some reason my heart is fixated on that far more than any other trapping of independence. Like a Brexidiot, I suppose, but it's what I'd love to hold before I die. No other relic from our past grips me like our old Newfoundland passports. The other things like currency and whatever are interesting but the passport is different somehow to me personally.

Free trade would be nice but with some restrictions. For example, I'm fine with other provinces being able to export beer here without border issues. But I want us to keep the law that imports must be sold at liquor stores, and only locally-brewed beer can be sold everywhere else (gas stations, stores, etc.)

[CityTech]

Originally Posted by Architype

Because it's working so well in Europe?

It's working better than the headlines would indicate. In any case, they are all completely different nations with different histories and languages. In our case, we're limited to 2 languages and already have some semblance of a shared culture and history.

[mintzilla]

saying we are all angry and divided is BS

the media is just pushing that garbage to get clicks and views. the average Canadian is just trying to live their lives. just because some edgelords on twitter and reddit post some garbage doesnt mean they speak for the average person.

[itom 987]

If Canada ceases to be Canada, would the treaties with the natives become null and void?

[Chadillaccc]

https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Cardassian_Union

[vid]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

Thats the way Ontario rolls. Wasn't the Lakehead supposed to be part of Manitoba as well?

No, but Kenora was. The boundary wasn't too well defined but it was somewhere around Vermillion Bay I think. The Lakehead was part of Upper Canada since 1791. We were previously the western edge of the Province of Quebec (pre-Canada), and before that, part of New France.

Settlement here goes back to the 1690s, but permanent settlement didn't start until 1803.

[Nouvellecosse]

How would national defense work? Would each country have its own military? I believe EU members all have their own don't they?

[ericmacm]

Originally Posted by CityTech

We're all angry and divided. And this isn't new; regional strife is the story of our country. Other large countries like the US don't seem to have nearly this level of angst or unwillingness to work together.

Do you have any idea what is going on in the US right now? This fake "Canadian divisiveness" that is being generated by the media isn't even remotely close to the levels of craziness going on in the United States. Half of their country praises a lunatic president like he's the second coming of Jesus and would willingly go to war against their own neighbours for him. Canada isn't even close to that level of mind-bending stupidity.

I think you would be extremely hard pressed to find enough people out west in real life that actually want to separate from the east. It's being drummed up by politicians for desparate political gains, and the media is eating it up, blowing to way out of proportion. We're a very sparsely populated country that is only strong and successful because we are one singular, united country. Many provinces will be completely cut off if separation ever occurred. Western alienation is a very real problem that needs to be fixed, and will eventually be fixed as the western cities grow faster, but Balkanization would never be the answer. It would just make everyone much, much poorer and would make government even less efficient, even if all the countries were to reunite under a "Canadian Union".

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by ericmacm

Do you have any idea what is going on in the US right now? This fake "Canadian divisiveness" that is being generated by the media isn't even remotely close to the levels of craziness going on in the United States. Half of their country praises a lunatic president like he's the second coming of Jesus and would willingly go to war against their own neighbours for him. Canada isn't even close to that level of mind-bending stupidity.

I think you would be extremely hard pressed to find enough people out west in real life that actually want to separate from the east. It's being drummed up by politicians for desparate political gains, and the media is eating it up, blowing to way out of proportion. We're a very sparsely populated country that is only strong and successful because we are one singular, united country. Many provinces will be completely cut off if separation ever occurred. Western alienation is a very real problem that needs to be fixed, and will eventually be fixed as the western cities grow faster, but Balkanization would never be the answer. It would just make everyone much, much poorer and would make government even less efficient, even if all the countries were to reunite under a "Canadian Union".

Separation no, but there is no mistaking the sentiment. Imagine you're taking a drive to the west out of Winnipeg. You won't hit another non-conservative riding until Vancouver. The situation doesn't seem meaningful to people from Ontario and eastwards from there because it seems so remote. You know that there are ridings out in Alberta where the Cons attained Putin-like support levels into the 80-90 percent range.

And it looks like people out east still don't get it. There seems to be a palpable disdain for western provinces (well at least the land-locked ones).

I'm not saying balkanization is the solution either, but this laisser faire approach certainly won't help either. These people need to have their concerns not only heard but addressed, something the current administration doesn't seem to be really interested in (I know JT mentioned something about paying more attention to Alberta yadda yadda, but I'll believe it when I see it).

Anyways, this all doesn't really affect me in any real way but I sense that a lot of people out east really don't have their finger on the pulse in this case.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by itom 987

If Canada ceases to be Canada, would the treaties with the natives become null and void?

More likely, the successor states/former provinces would take on the obligations, with negotiations to address the necessary adjustments.

Each former province would also need to decide if it were to be a successor state to Canada's international treaty obligations, and then enter into negotiations to make any necessary adjustments in the case of bilateral treaties. It would likely take many years.