Tropical Canada?
March 30, 2004 1:42 PM Subscribe
Canadian expansionism: there's a plan afoot for Canada to annex the beautifully sunny Turks and Caicos islands. Why? "Turks and Caicos would give Canada a warm, friendly 11th province - a southern destination where the Loonie could land without breaking a wing."
What will Canada's policy concerning the rush of USian boat people that will washing up on the shores of the Turks/Caicos islands? Asylum?
posted by birdherder at 2:09 PM on March 30, 2004
posted by birdherder at 2:09 PM on March 30, 2004
Having actually spent some time in the Turks & Caicos Islands, I can confirm that it is a major destination for Canadian visitors (I'm not going to call them tourists, mostly because the T&Cs aren't really large enough to allow much touring of any kind), and there's a remarkable synergy between the two countries' mindsets.
Also, it's very nice there.
posted by Hogshead at 2:14 PM on March 30, 2004
Also, it's very nice there.
posted by Hogshead at 2:14 PM on March 30, 2004
Quiet, you fools! They'll find out about the Toronto MeFi war cabinet meeting this Saturday night!
posted by stonerose at 2:45 PM on March 30, 2004
posted by stonerose at 2:45 PM on March 30, 2004
Its all part of a cunning plan.
First we send out our Special Forces as tourists. Then the RV Cavalry heads south to sieze key US recreational vehicle instillations. And then the next thing you will know is that you start to see poutine on restaurant menus.
posted by Razzle Bathbone at 2:52 PM on March 30, 2004
First we send out our Special Forces as tourists. Then the RV Cavalry heads south to sieze key US recreational vehicle instillations. And then the next thing you will know is that you start to see poutine on restaurant menus.
posted by Razzle Bathbone at 2:52 PM on March 30, 2004
Anyone who stands in our way will be politely asked to move aside, or routed around.
Thank your for your cooperation.
posted by tiamat at 4:52 PM on March 30, 2004
Thank your for your cooperation.
posted by tiamat at 4:52 PM on March 30, 2004
Canada's top diplomat in Denmark was summoned to the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday to discuss the disagreement.
Oooooo! Oh no! They might use their WORDS against us! Oh, wait, words hurt. I can't hear now. Damn.
posted by shepd at 5:43 PM on March 30, 2004
Oooooo! Oh no! They might use their WORDS against us! Oh, wait, words hurt. I can't hear now. Damn.
posted by shepd at 5:43 PM on March 30, 2004
Us vs the Danes. A Clash of epic proportions!
posted by Salmonberry at 5:45 PM on March 30, 2004 [1 favorite]
posted by Salmonberry at 5:45 PM on March 30, 2004 [1 favorite]
Okay, lots of joking around ("ha, ha - Canada's an ice world so it needs a warm island. Ha, ha - Canadian world domination. Ha, ha - tropical poutine!") but does anybody have any actual, you know, opinions on this?
I think it is an amazingly great idea. Every time I manage to save a few pennies to visit a warm climate, I can't help but think the exact idea being put forth here - Canada should enter into an agreement with some tropical nation so we have our own Hawaii (or Florida or Arizona or Mexico or Cuba depending on whether you want a vacation destination, retirement mecca or a mixture of both - which is what this would give you.)
Peter Goldring, a Conservative MP from Edmonton, is leading the current charge to do this and has an open letter to Canadians on his web site (http://www.petergoldring.ca/) where he lists advantages for our country and theirs...
The advantage for Canadians are many:
- Stable, secure retirement condos
- Stable, secure vacation destination in Canada
- Manufacturing distribution for the Caribbean and South America
- Convention destination
- Olympic sports year-round training possibility
- A place for Paul Martin to park his fleet in Canada
- Opening new Central and Southern American markets
- Caribbean destination for Canada’s naval training exercises
- National revenue from a new ‘have’ province
- Rebalance our nation’s present international vacation travel deficit
The advantages for the people of the Turks & Caicos are also many:
- A greatly expanded economy
- Lower cost goods and services
- Direct regular air travel to the rest of Canada
- Universal health care – improved hospital and medical facilities
- Movie industry location/studios
- Greater regional stability, security
- Diversifying the economy with manufacturing, distribution jobs
- Ready access to post-secondary education
- Military and Coast Guard integration and improvement
- Potential for hosting of sporting events, conventions, etc.
Can anyone think of the disadvantages or why this shouldn't be done?
- I guess there's no guarantee that doing this would make the island a "have" province.
- The chain of islands that make up the Turks & Caicos are only 430 sq km according to CIA world fact book, less than 1/10 the size of PEI or about 2/3 the size of Edmonton. Is there enough space to make it affordable for the majority of travellers/snowbirds who would like to visit/retire there? (I've always thought a larger place, already Canada-friendly, like Cuba would be a natural for establishing a more formal connection like this.)
- I've never been but would a massive influx of tourists ruin whatever small-island charm the place may have?
- do the additional costs of developing infrastructure outweigh the benefit - at least in the short term? (The GDP is listed as $231 million USD - that's barely one scandal's worth of cash for our current government!)
Anything else I'm missing? See you in the Turks & Caicos in 2010?
Jason
posted by Jaybo at 6:33 PM on March 30, 2004
I think it is an amazingly great idea. Every time I manage to save a few pennies to visit a warm climate, I can't help but think the exact idea being put forth here - Canada should enter into an agreement with some tropical nation so we have our own Hawaii (or Florida or Arizona or Mexico or Cuba depending on whether you want a vacation destination, retirement mecca or a mixture of both - which is what this would give you.)
Peter Goldring, a Conservative MP from Edmonton, is leading the current charge to do this and has an open letter to Canadians on his web site (http://www.petergoldring.ca/) where he lists advantages for our country and theirs...
The advantage for Canadians are many:
- Stable, secure retirement condos
- Stable, secure vacation destination in Canada
- Manufacturing distribution for the Caribbean and South America
- Convention destination
- Olympic sports year-round training possibility
- A place for Paul Martin to park his fleet in Canada
- Opening new Central and Southern American markets
- Caribbean destination for Canada’s naval training exercises
- National revenue from a new ‘have’ province
- Rebalance our nation’s present international vacation travel deficit
The advantages for the people of the Turks & Caicos are also many:
- A greatly expanded economy
- Lower cost goods and services
- Direct regular air travel to the rest of Canada
- Universal health care – improved hospital and medical facilities
- Movie industry location/studios
- Greater regional stability, security
- Diversifying the economy with manufacturing, distribution jobs
- Ready access to post-secondary education
- Military and Coast Guard integration and improvement
- Potential for hosting of sporting events, conventions, etc.
Can anyone think of the disadvantages or why this shouldn't be done?
- I guess there's no guarantee that doing this would make the island a "have" province.
- The chain of islands that make up the Turks & Caicos are only 430 sq km according to CIA world fact book, less than 1/10 the size of PEI or about 2/3 the size of Edmonton. Is there enough space to make it affordable for the majority of travellers/snowbirds who would like to visit/retire there? (I've always thought a larger place, already Canada-friendly, like Cuba would be a natural for establishing a more formal connection like this.)
- I've never been but would a massive influx of tourists ruin whatever small-island charm the place may have?
- do the additional costs of developing infrastructure outweigh the benefit - at least in the short term? (The GDP is listed as $231 million USD - that's barely one scandal's worth of cash for our current government!)
Anything else I'm missing? See you in the Turks & Caicos in 2010?
Jason
posted by Jaybo at 6:33 PM on March 30, 2004
My favorite Club Med resort is on the main island. Wonder if annexation would make the flights better or cheaper. Go Canucks!
posted by billsaysthis at 7:16 PM on March 30, 2004
posted by billsaysthis at 7:16 PM on March 30, 2004
I think it's clear. We should annex Denmark.
While not really a warm, sunny place, it does have a nifty lego factory. And they have better health care than we do, so that won't be a problem. And they'll stop trying to steal our Arctic islands.
(A few people up here seem to think some influential Canadians have invested in Turks & Caicos real estate, and would like the property values to go up with political stability, hence the push.)
posted by Salmonberry at 8:03 PM on March 30, 2004
While not really a warm, sunny place, it does have a nifty lego factory. And they have better health care than we do, so that won't be a problem. And they'll stop trying to steal our Arctic islands.
(A few people up here seem to think some influential Canadians have invested in Turks & Caicos real estate, and would like the property values to go up with political stability, hence the push.)
posted by Salmonberry at 8:03 PM on March 30, 2004
How about we ship the Separatists off to Denmark, replace them with Danes, and send me off to the Caicos?
Works for me, anyway.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:10 AM on March 31, 2004
Works for me, anyway.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:10 AM on March 31, 2004
Sounds good to me! But what do the islanders think about it?
http://www.turksandcaicos.tc/government/ says:
Population and Housing Census Census Office: (649) 946-1619
Based on the 2001 Census Report the total population is said to be 20,014. It is now estimated to be 25,000.
I don't think that this population would be enough to seriously compromise our health care system (more so than it already is) or any other welfare programs.
I'd say that's a great trade, sign me up for my time share :)
posted by canucklehead at 1:23 PM on March 31, 2004
http://www.turksandcaicos.tc/government/ says:
Population and Housing Census Census Office: (649) 946-1619
Based on the 2001 Census Report the total population is said to be 20,014. It is now estimated to be 25,000.
I don't think that this population would be enough to seriously compromise our health care system (more so than it already is) or any other welfare programs.
I'd say that's a great trade, sign me up for my time share :)
posted by canucklehead at 1:23 PM on March 31, 2004
Dasein has it right. I've spent a lot of time in T&C and Canada would get the shaft in that deal. I suspect 'serious' politicians know this, that's why this issue has gone under every time it's come up, it's just rookie back benchers who think it's a good idea.
The real issue is never raised anyway. Work permits. It is very hard/expensive to work in T&C. The only voters in the country are called 'belongers', there are only about 8000 of them and they run the government from stem to stern. They want Canadian money, but they don't want to let Canadian work and vote on the islands.
posted by Leonard at 2:53 PM on March 31, 2004
The real issue is never raised anyway. Work permits. It is very hard/expensive to work in T&C. The only voters in the country are called 'belongers', there are only about 8000 of them and they run the government from stem to stern. They want Canadian money, but they don't want to let Canadian work and vote on the islands.
posted by Leonard at 2:53 PM on March 31, 2004
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For the present however, I would at least suggest that all you Starbucks employees convert to the worship of Tim Horton's - it will make the transition MUCH easier for you.
posted by Ryvar at 1:55 PM on March 30, 2004