Canada may annex Turks and Caicos as 11th Province

[Recon Rover]

Will Turks and Caicos become the 11th Canadian province?

Spoiler :

In the midst of spring snow and winter-like storms, many Canadians are eagerly awaiting sunshine, warmth, and warm beach sand.

The NDP is considering making this Canadian dream a reality.

The party recently released a resolution suggesting that a federal NDP government should work toward adopting the islands of Turks and Caicos as Canada's 11th province.

Resolution 1-92-16, released shortly before the party's national convention in Edmonton, says Canada should develop the archipelago into "an affordable tourism industry for all Canadians." The resolution is backed by several Ontario riding riding associations, and it asks that party members connect with lawmakers and locals from Turks and Caicos Islands, along with the British Government, to have the Islands become a part of Canada.

A British Overseas Territory, Turks and Caicos lies southeast of the Bahamas and is made up of 40 coral islands in the Atlantic Ocean. This isn't the first time Canada has tried to incorporate these tropical islands within our borders. NDP MP Max Saltzman proposed the same idea in 1974 as part of a private member's bill to annex Turks and Caicos Islands.

Even before that, in 1917 then-Prime Minister Robert Borden asked the U.K. to leave the paradise islands to Canada. And, more recently, former Conservative MP Peter Goldring proposed the idea in 2013. When Goldring resurfaced the idea of incorporating Turks and Caicos under the Canadian flag in 2014, the islands' Premier Rufus Ewing supported the idea. But former foreign affairs minister John Baird turned down the idea of a tropical Canadian province.

“One of the reasons the idea continues to be popular is because there is this thing called winter in Canada,” Robin Sears, former NDP strategist and principal at Earnscliffe Strategy Group told Global News. “But it ain’t going to happen.”

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/ne...aicos-become-the-11th-canadian-province/66187

Reality check: Should Canada adopt Turks and Caicos as its 11th province?

Spoiler :

It was an idea proposed by an NDP MP more than 40 years ago and could be revisited at the party’s national convention in Edmonton this weekend: the adoption of the islands of Turks and Caicos as Canada’s 11th province.

The NDP released its wide-ranging resolution list Tuesday ahead of the convention, and resolution 1-92-16 states that an NDP federal government should develop the islands into an “affordable tourism industry for all Canadians.”

“New Democrats Believe in: Engaging with the peoples and government of Turks and Caicos Islands, and the British government to have the Turks and Caicos Islands become Canada’s 11th Province,” reads resolution. While the idea was more recently proposed in 2013 by former Conservative MP Peter Goldring, the idea goes back to 1974 when New Democrat MP Max Saltzman introduced a private member’s bill to annex the islands. The proposal can be traced back even further to 1917 when former prime minister Robert Borden asked Great Britain to let Canada have the tropical paradise.

“One of the reasons the idea continues to be popular is because there is this thing called winter in Canada,” said Robin Sears, a principal at Earnscliffe and former NDP strategist. “But it ain’t going to happen.” In 2014, Goldring revisited the idea of making Turks and Caicos Canada’s 11th province telling Global News it “would be good for business if we were to develop a good strong relationship and maybe even a marriage.”

And while Turks and Caicos Premier Rufus Ewing was open to the prospect of his country joining Canada in 2014, former foreign affairs minister John Baird shot down the idea of a tropical Canadian province. During his final speech in the House of Commons before retiring, Goldring called his Turks and Caicos dream “a work in progress.”

Turks and Caicos is a British Overseas Territory consisting of 40 low-lying coral islands in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Bahamas. “It would require the Queen being willing to transfer one of her assets to us and I don’t think that is very likely,” said Sears. “But it’s a nice fairy tale.” Errol Mendes, a constitutional law expert at the University of Ottawa, said there would also have to be a “constitutional amendment to add another province.” “If it included having representation in the House of Commons or the Senate, that requires unanimous consent of all the provinces,” said Mendes, adding that it has been historically difficult to use the amending formula. “But we have such awful winters we may get unanimous consent,” he said jokingly.

Mendes said while things like health care or representation would be up for negotiation, the federal government would also have to consider concerns like assuming debt and security.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2621875/r...-adopt-turks-and-caicos-as-its-11th-province/

Proposed union with Canada

A great number of tourists who visit the Turks and Caicos Islands are Canadian. In 2011 arrivals from Canada were about 42,000 out of a total from all countries of about 354,000. Owing to this, the islands' status as a British colony, and historical trade links, some politicians in Canada and the Turks and Caicos have suggested some form of union between Canada and the British territory. In 1917, Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden attempted to persuade the British government to annex the island, and the idea has been discussed several times over the last century. In 1974, the government of the islands sent Canada a "serious offer" to join the country, however at the time the Canadian government was focusing on their free trade agreement with the United States.

In 2013, Rufus Ewing, the Premier of the islands, rejected the idea of the islands joining Canada, however the following year he stated that he wasn't "closing the door completely" on the possibility.

In April 2016, it was reported that the New Democratic Party, one of the three major political parties in Canada, was considering a resolution at an upcoming national convention to discuss the possibility of working with lawmakers and citizens of Turks and Caicos Islands to have it join Canada as the eleventh Canadian province.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turks_and_Caicos_Islands#Proposed_union_with_Canada

Alright, every single year this issue comes up in Canada. And every single year it is dismissed. I am becoming disappointed.

Canadians need and deserve a warm place to call their own. We already make up the vast majority of visitors to Cuba! Our seniors have already carved a name for themselves out of Florida too! Why can't we just have a beautiful new province to call our own? Why is this idea so refuted time and time again? Has anyone looked at the amount of money people pay to visit the Turks and Caicos? It is heaven on Earth! We really need some real leadership on this issue because Canada needs a tropical island!

 

[CivCube]

I think the real question is, does anyone use coconuts with maple syrup?

 

[Synobun]

This is the first time I've heard of this. Initially scoffed at it but... y'know, maybe not a terrible idea. It'd be interesting to develop a resort-like region with Canadian interests in mind. Cheaper air fare, a place where Canadian culture may thrive. Not opposed.

But at the same time... is it really that important?

 

[warpus]

Yeah yeah this comes up every couple years, and each time it does, there doesn't seem to be enough interest from either side to make it happen. So I doubt it ever will.

What would be the benefits to Canada, anyway? It'll make it easier to go on vacation there? It's already pretty damn easy, all you need is a passport. Sure, if they joined as a new province, you wouldn't even need that, but people who go on Caribbean vacations own passports, so..

What other benefits are there? Seems like most benefits would come from the other side - the islands would get an influx of Canadian infrastructure $, etc.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

It so cute you guys want your own Puerto Rico.

But remember what happened with Cuba for us.

 

[BirraImperial]

Just invade them with tourists every year like the Germans do to Mallorca...

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

Do it before Putin does...

 

[Recon Rover]

Do it before Putin does...

Whatever the economic situation is in Russia, I always encounter Russian tourists throughout Central America and the Caribbean.

I suppose they got comfortable in Nicaragua and Cuba over time, but they've really warmed up to Mexico lately.

 

[Recon Rover]

Yeah yeah this comes up every couple years, and each time it does, there doesn't seem to be enough interest from either side to make it happen. So I doubt it ever will.

What would be the benefits to Canada, anyway? It'll make it easier to go on vacation there? It's already pretty damn easy, all you need is a passport. Sure, if they joined as a new province, you wouldn't even need that, but people who go on Caribbean vacations own passports, so..

What other benefits are there? Seems like most benefits would come from the other side - the islands would get an influx of Canadian infrastructure $, etc.

I see it as the beginning of something greater really!

There is no reason why the Bahama's may not consider joining our expanding empire - and what about Haiti? There's a poorer country that has significant ties to Canada that would greatly benefit from coming under our sphere of influence.

We're afforded the luxury of influence throughout this part of the world due to our British heritage and bilingual advantage. We should take advantage of it.

From Bona Vista to Vancouver Island to the Arctic Circle to the Antilles!

 

[Wrymouth3]

Listen Canadians, there are WAYYY too many of you down here in South Florida to the point where I hear the word "Aboot" as the 4th word in most conversations I have. If one of you wants to build a Tim Horton's in Miami, be my guest, I like Tim Horton's. Donald Trump talks about the Mexicans, but he should really be talking about the problem that are the Canadian immigrants.

 

[Synobun]

I see it as the beginning of something greater really!

There is no reason why the Bahama's may not consider joining our expanding empire - and what about Haiti? There's a poorer country that has significant ties to Canada that would greatly benefit from coming under our sphere of influence.

We're afforded the luxury of influence throughout this part of the world due to our British heritage and bilingual advantage. We should take advantage of it.

From Bona Vista to Vancouver Island to the Arctic Circle to the Antilles!

The Clintons would never allow Haiti to fall out from under the American sphere of influence.

 

[warpus]

Listen Canadians, there are WAYYY too many of you down here in South Florida to the point where I hear the word "Aboot" as the 4th word in most conversations I have. If one of you wants to build a Tim Horton's in Miami, be my guest, I like Tim Horton's. Donald Trump talks about the Mexicans, but he should really be talking about the problem that are the Canadian immigrants.

Tim Horton's is garbage and nobody says "aboot"

 

[Cutlass]

Maybe you should just annex Cuba instead. I'm sure they'd welcome you with open arms.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Tim Horton's is garbage and nobody says "aboot"

Yeah you all do.


Link to video.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Yeah yeah this comes up every couple years, and each time it does, there doesn't seem to be enough interest from either side to make it happen. So I doubt it ever will.

What would be the benefits to Canada, anyway? It'll make it easier to go on vacation there? It's already pretty damn easy, all you need is a passport. Sure, if they joined as a new province, you wouldn't even need that, but people who go on Caribbean vacations own passports, so..

What other benefits are there? Seems like most benefits would come from the other side - the islands would get an influx of Canadian infrastructure $, etc.

Canadian snowbirds would have a winter destination that isn't American, and wouldn't involve American laws and taxes. They'd still need health insurance, though.

But this would be quite a slap in the face to the three territories, if a place that wasn't part of the country were to be elevated directly to provincial status over territories that have remained territories for nearly 150 years.

It so cute you guys want your own Puerto Rico.

But remember what happened with Cuba for us.

Maybe you should just annex Cuba instead. I'm sure they'd welcome you with open arms.

Maybe if Fidel were still in charge instead of his brother...? Fidel Castro and Pierre Trudeau were good friends, and there are photos of Fidel holding our current PM, Justin Trudeau, when he was a baby. When he attended Pierre Trudeau's funeral, Fidel Castro sat with the family instead of with the foreign dignitaries.

Tim Horton's is garbage and nobody says "aboot"

Yeah you all do.


Link to video.

None of those people are saying "aboot." They're saying "abowt."

A boot is what we wear on our feet in the wintertime - at least when it's cold and snowy enough to bother. I bought new winter boots several years ago and haven't worn them yet.

 

[Bootstoots]

Yeah, Canadians say aboat, not aboot. And they say "sorey" when they boreow something and forget to return it. You guys who think they say aboot need to brush up on your Canadian. Study it from eh to zed.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Yeah, Canadians say aboat, not aboot. And they say "sorey" when they boreow something and forget to return it. You guys who think they say aboot need to brush up on your Canadian. Study it from eh to zed.

Okay, I'll agree that some say "aboat." I've heard that with my own ears - from one of the people in my local SCA group and the captain of our starship in the Star Trek club I was in.

How else would one pronounce "sorry" and "borrow"?

But I don't say "eh." Not all of us do, and it's a really annoying thing to hear.

 

[emzie]

Yeah yeah this comes up every couple years, and each time it does, there doesn't seem to be enough interest from either side to make it happen. So I doubt it ever will.

What would be the benefits to Canada, anyway? It'll make it easier to go on vacation there? It's already pretty damn easy, all you need is a passport. Sure, if they joined as a new province, you wouldn't even need that, but people who go on Caribbean vacations own passports, so..

What other benefits are there? Seems like most benefits would come from the other side - the islands would get an influx of Canadian infrastructure $, etc.

It would expand on what being Canadian means.

I would fear for local culture, though. Turks and Caicos is like 1/3rd the population of PEI. If you had free movement of people and capital, it's not hard to imagine more than 45k Canadians moving to warm Canada year round.

 

[Arakhor]

How else would one pronounce "sorry" and "borrow"?

I aim to please.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

None of those people are saying "aboot." They're saying "abowt."

Yeah, 'aboot' is definitely the exaggerated version of how you pronounce it. But the point still stands, you don't pronounce it like us. Which is fine but there's no better target for teasing than those who can't take the (ultra mild) heat. And that video shows you not pronouncing it 'about' like we do.