Canada and it's Caribbean relations

theconqueror

Time Out
Feb 1, 2010
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Ok. Here we go, something close to current news on Canada annexing the Carribean Islands..



Canada could ditch winter blues by annexing Caribbean paradise

USA Today, published Mar 26, 2004:

MONTREAL (AFP) — Ask anyone their image of Canada — and it's a fair bet that a tropical nirvana shaded by palm trees, with an emerald sea lapping miles of golden sands would be the last thing to come to mind.

That could soon change, if an ambitious project makes the sun-kissed Caribbean islands of Turks and Caicos the eleventh — and warmest — province of ice-bound Canada.

Peter Goldring, a Conservative member of parliament from the frigid plains of Alberta, has launched a bid to annex the small tropical archipelago between Haiti and the Bahamas — which is now a British Crown colony.

His drive is gathering pace, backed up by a petition, a motions in Canada's House of Commons, a proposed parliamentary committee of friendship, an effort to lobby businessmen and a Web site evoking the joys of "a place in the sun."

Canadian prime minister Robert Borden had the same idea.
However, it was affordable jet travel in the 1970s and 1980s that carried heat-seeking Canadians to the Caribbean and the annexation idea really take off.

The Turks and Caicos government requested a link-up with Canada in 1987, but a Canadian Foreign Ministry study turned down the idea.

Today, Goldring told AFP, things are different.

In January he met the archipelago's Chief Minister Michael Misick who, he said, was "very interested in discussing with Canada."

Massimo Pacetti, a Liberal member of parliament for Quebec, has joined Goldring's crusade, and said in an interview with CBC Thursday that he had even kicked the idea around with Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin.

"He told me, 'I am not for it, I am not against it. Give me the facts'."

Goldring says there is a huge upside to his scheme, for both the islands and Canada.

"Canada is a trade country and it came to my mind that there was a market, the islands are a small market but they are the doorway to the Caribbean.

"From there, we could have shipping to Cuba, the Bahamas, even touching the north of South America ... this represents two billion a year in exports for Canada."
And for the islanders, life could be good as Canadians, he said.

"When I was there, I went to a grocery store and I saw rib steak at 16 US dollars a pound ... we have a beef business in difficulty, and our beef is at 14 Canadian a kilo! (10.5 US)," he said.

If the islands did join up with Canada there would be plenty of work to do.
Bridges need to be constructed over shallow straits between islands, as do retirement properties for Canadians desperate to escape their chilly homeland.
Authorities must also build tourist facilities for the nearly half-million Canadian "snow birds" who head south to the Caribbean each year, to escape the winter blues.

Businessmen are also pushing the idea, hoping to make a fast buck as the tourism trade heats up.

But there is still a long way to go.

First Britain needs to give the green light, for one of its final colonies to go its own way.

"It's a little bit like in 1949, when Newfoundland joined Canada," said Goldring.
There will also need to be a referendum in the islands and then negotiations to decide how exactly the tie-up would work.

Goldring wants the islands to elect to become a province of Canada, to avoid any whiff of colonialism.

Then there is the question of racism. How will Canadians feel seeing their tax dollars pumped into the country's new possession?

But Pacetti insisted: "we have 300,000 immigrants a year. It's something we can handle."

USATODAY.com - Canada could ditch winter blues by annexing Caribbean paradise
 

Liberalman

Senate Member
Mar 18, 2007
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This was a Conservative blunder or a missed opportunity.

Brian Mulroney was the Conservative Prime Minister and had a majority government.

Stephen Harper can right the wrong and pick up an island in the Caribbean and finally this country can put bananas and coconuts on the Made In Canada list.

Unfortunately for the Conservatives when they try to do something good another skeleton falls out of their closet.
 

theconqueror

Time Out
Feb 1, 2010
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This was a Conservative blunder or a missed opportunity.

Brian Mulroney was the Conservative Prime Minister and had a majority government.

Stephen Harper can right the wrong and pick up an island in the Caribbean and finally this country can put bananas and coconuts on the Made In Canada list.

Unfortunately for the Conservatives when they try to do something good another skeleton falls out of their closet.


I'm sure any blimey idiot in the governement can draft up a bill of sale for Canada? Just treat it like a new car purchase or something.. They just probably have to follow protocol and procedures which are allready drafted and something like this doesn't exist in their file cabinet.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
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Considering Canada has already sunk well over 181 million in development and investment in the region. Making any one or group of them a Province would only add to the pressures placed on equalization payments.

Furthermore, this dates back to 1882. It resurfaced in the 70' and 80' and was again shot down, starting with Trudeau.

Given certain changes in the sociopolitical ideology of the region. Such as Canada a major contributor to the region, being shut out of the recently formed CALC. I think keeping Canada out of the region was a wise move, no matter what political party was in power when it was done.

If one were to educate themselves on the reasoning used to do so. They might find themselves reexamining their supercilious commentary, and uninformed rhetoric.
 

Liberalman

Senate Member
Mar 18, 2007
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I'm sure any blimey idiot in the government can draft up a bill of sale for Canada? Just treat it like a new car purchase or something.. They just probably have to follow protocol and procedures which are allready drafted and something like this doesn't exist in their file cabinet.

You have to remember that the taxpayers run the government which means a five year study on the effects of Canadians living in a warmer climate and we have remember the environmental study on the effects of Canadians on the local wildlife on the island.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
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And very wise reasoning. All echoing form the Halls of Parliament when the idea was dismissed in the past.

You see TC, this is where critical and reasoned thought comes into play. If someone views this with a silly ideology, it becomes fodder for partisan politics. If one looks at this with Canada as being either the beneficiary or victim. It matter not who was at the helm. All that matters is, the right decision was made. From immigration to economics, to the very standing of Canada on the world stage. Rest assured TC, the right decision was made.
 

DurkaDurka

Internet Lawyer
Mar 15, 2006
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Why did Canada forefit land in the Carribean? This does not make sense if Canada had the opportunity of owning a large portion of the Carribean. What happened?

1. Jamaica
2. Barbados
3. British West Indies
4. The Bahamas

All could have been Canada!

Canada?Caribbean relations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Why would we necessarily want a union with them? The living standard in most of those countries is no where near Canada's and we would end up stuck with 4 more welfare provinces.
 

DurkaDurka

Internet Lawyer
Mar 15, 2006
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35,000 people in population? Not an issue...

It's not just supporting the people. There is a whole bunch of reason not to.


  • We would have to provide defense of the islands
  • Infrastructure enhancements to bring it up to par with Canada
  • Cultural differences
  • Criminals moving their operations to Canada
  • Different monetary systems


    etc etc etc
 

theconqueror

Time Out
Feb 1, 2010
784
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San Diego, California
It's not just supporting the people. There is a whole bunch of reason not to.


  • We would have to provide defense of the islands
  • Infrastructure enhancements to bring it up to par with Canada
  • Cultural differences
  • Criminals moving their operations to Canada
  • Different monetary systems


    etc etc etc


Ahh man.... you would have to go through this thread and read the links to getter a better understanding of why that is what we want because we are doing that anyway.
 

DurkaDurka

Internet Lawyer
Mar 15, 2006
10,385
129
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Toronto
Ahh man.... you would have to go through this thread and read the links to getter a better understanding of why that is what we want because we are doing that anyway.

It will never happen, our parliament is fractured enough as it is, getting a majority vote through to adopt some 3'rd world islands is never going to fly.
 

ironsides

Executive Branch Member
Feb 13, 2009
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And where was Canada when they were handing out Caribbean Islands? Some of you have it all wrong, a better question would be. Why would anyone on these islands want to change their island life style to become like you. (us). It is a vacation place, and a pretty good one, we don't have to change everything we touch. Flow with it relax and enjoy it.

 
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