Live data from Hacker News

It’s time for Scotland to find a new home in Canada

beta.theglobeandmail.com

31–40 of 116 posts

Re: It’s time for Scotland to find a new home in Canada

#31
post #7

With the prospect of Calexit, I would definitely consider having California join Canada. Preexisting trade deals, membership in NATO and NAFTA, and a country used to bilingual culture would all be a great fit for us.

I thought that California and Oregon were supposed to join China, like a large, distant Hong Kong.

Re: It’s time for Scotland to find a new home in Canada

#32
post #10
post #7

With the prospect of Calexit, I would definitely consider having California join Canada. Preexisting trade deals, membership in NATO and NAFTA, and a country used to bilingual culture would all be a great fit for us.

Calexit scares me because it's effectively abandoning the country; California can survive much more than the rest of the country can. It might be unfair to place that burden on California, sure, but it seem indisputable that leaving would destabilize the remaining United States in many ways - which won't be good for either Californians or anyone else. What's to stop New York, for instance, from also leaving once it r…

The USA without California is screwed. The USA with California screws California while insulting us.

Do you think that the problem is California or the rest of the USA?

Re: It’s time for Scotland to find a new home in Canada

#33
Just to play the devil's advocate here... Such a move would pose some pretty big problems for Canada.

1. If Scotland were a Canadian province, they'd likely be a "have not" province and equalization payments from other provinces would go to Scotland. Good for Scotland, but this would be a drain on the rest of Canada.

2. If Scotland seceded from the UK and joined Canada, that would be one heckuva precedent for Quebec, which has held referendums on separation before. How Scotland makes the decision to separate (e.g. 50% +1 of a referendum vote?) would have a big impact on Canada, even if Scotland doesn't join Canada.

3. Like an unfaithful lover, if Scotland were to secede from the U.K., could they be viewed as anything other than a fair-weather province? Is it worth pouring resources into a province that's likely to leave later on if it suits them?

4. How would Canada-U.K. relations be affected by this?

5. How are military assets going to be handled? What does Scotland take with them, and what does Canada (not the biggest of military spenders) have to do to maintain Scotland's current military readiness? While I doubt the rest of the U.K. would pose a threat, they might not be happy giving up equipment, soldiers, and co-coordinating the defense of the British isles with Canada. It's fair to note Scotland would face all these problems if it goes it alone. For Canada, they are optional.

6. How are Canadian nation-wide services going to be rolled out to Scotland and/or harmonized with those of Scotland? e.g. Canada Post would suddenly have to deal with an overseas province. Flat rate shipping within Canada would suddenly cease to exist.

7. Contrary to what the article states, geographic distance is still immensely important. Integrating Scotland into Canada's economy would pose huge problems. Scotland would likely be better served with closer economic ties to the E.U.. Would Scotland want to abide by Canada's trade deals with the E.U.? Would Canada want to modify those deals to meet Scotland's needs?

I could go on for a while, but what does Canada get out of all this anyways? Haggis and scotch? Scotland has had a huge impact on Canada's culture, but that doesn't necessarily mean we should take them in as a province if there aren't compelling economic benefits to doing so. Becoming a larger country does have some appeal, but this is a case where the problems created may outweigh the benefits of growth.

Re: It’s time for Scotland to find a new home in Canada

#34
post #7

With the prospect of Calexit, I would definitely consider having California join Canada. Preexisting trade deals, membership in NATO and NAFTA, and a country used to bilingual culture would all be a great fit for us.

Her majesty might veto it though. We can't have Canada winning medals at the Commonwealth Games in every event except cricket!

Re: It’s time for Scotland to find a new home in Canada

#35
post #23

> while the Tories in Britain and the Republicans in the United States set about creating a neo-liberal Anglosphere – anti-egalitarian, avowedly Christian, pro-Big Business, pro-military – Scotland becomes part of Canada and helps lead the way to a more progressive world Similar to "the Liberals in Australia and Republicans in the US set about creating a pro-big business, pro-military Anglosphere". Does that mean New…

I'm waiting for the article suggesting Wales should split from England and join Argentina.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y_Wladfa

Re: It’s time for Scotland to find a new home in Canada

#36
post #29
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Calexit scares me because it's effectively abandoning the country; California can survive much more than the rest of the country can. It might be unfair to place that burden on California, sure, but it seem indisputable that leaving would destabilize the remaining United States in many ways - which won't be good for either Californians or anyone else. What's to stop New York, for instance, from also leaving once it r…

I worry about the refugees streaming from the rump USA into California, most of whom would not be prepared for the harsh Sierra conditions.

It's okay, I played a lot of Oregon Trail.

Re: It’s time for Scotland to find a new home in Canada

#37
post #10
post #7

With the prospect of Calexit, I would definitely consider having California join Canada. Preexisting trade deals, membership in NATO and NAFTA, and a country used to bilingual culture would all be a great fit for us.

Calexit scares me because it's effectively abandoning the country; California can survive much more than the rest of the country can. It might be unfair to place that burden on California, sure, but it seem indisputable that leaving would destabilize the remaining United States in many ways - which won't be good for either Californians or anyone else. What's to stop New York, for instance, from also leaving once it r…

Last time some states tried to do that it didn't work out so well.

Re: It’s time for Scotland to find a new home in Canada

#38
post #14
post #7

With the prospect of Calexit, I would definitely consider having California join Canada. Preexisting trade deals, membership in NATO and NAFTA, and a country used to bilingual culture would all be a great fit for us.

Calexit will of course never happen. Any secession attempt would automatically lead to yet another civil war. California would be crushed.

> California would be crushed.

If California gets crushed, the rest of the country will starve.

And you really think that a military that couldn't pacify a city with a bunch of camel jockeys carrying AK-47's could pacify Compton let alone something the size of Los Angeles or San Francisco? Good luck with that.

Calexit won't happen because Californians really don't want it. We're a pretty level-headed bunch even when Cousin Cletus Red State shoots himself in the foot with his loaded gun--again.

The problem is that Trump and the Republicans are incompetent enough to actually do something stupid enough to galvanize Californians the wrong direction. THAT'S the real danger that could cause Calexit.

Re: It’s time for Scotland to find a new home in Canada

#39
post #37
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Calexit scares me because it's effectively abandoning the country; California can survive much more than the rest of the country can. It might be unfair to place that burden on California, sure, but it seem indisputable that leaving would destabilize the remaining United States in many ways - which won't be good for either Californians or anyone else. What's to stop New York, for instance, from also leaving once it r…

Last time some states tried to do that it didn't work out so well.

Those states didn't have the majority of the economic power when they tried it. The South needed to win; the North simply needed to outlast.

Re: It’s time for Scotland to find a new home in Canada

#40
post #27

As a Canuck, I think this kind of thought experiment must be extremely offensive to the autonomy of Scottish people... I would be pissed if I read the same sort of thing coming from the U.S. towards Canada. Nonetheless I love my Scottish brothers, if it were coming from you I wouldn't say no!

I think the concept comes from the idea that Scotland, while defined as a "country", is already subservient to the U.K., a situation which clearly does not define the relationship between Canada and any other larger country, and so this is not about "stop being autonomous and come join Canada" but "maybe become part of Canada instead of part of the U.K.".

"Scotland's head of state is the monarch of the United Kingdom, currently Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952)." - Wikipedia

Post reply on HN