Canada can sustain itself

The tax system needs an overhaul, though….

by Mike Murchison

A 51st state!

Canada was basically formed in a series of backroom deals a ‘ways back.

After the tug of war between the British and the French, England called it their colony. Made some small concessions to France, and that was all she wrote.

Then the government of the day decided to run the Acadian population out of eastern Canada and send them down to New Orleans.

Now we had this big area west of what is now Ontario called Rupertsland. A big territory with a whole lot of nothing but indigenous people living on it, which they had been doing for quite a long time.

Both the US and Canada as they were back then eyeing this big piece of real estate which is now pretty much where Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta sit.

So, our long-gone leaders of yesterday decided to lay the rails, drive the spikes and set that iron horse on the rails to link this country together. For better or worse.

(insert patriotic music here).

With this 51st state idea floating around I find pause to ask myself what this country would look like?

How much more development would we see extracting natural resources out of landscapes that have been untouched?

How much blasting, digging, concrete pouring and erecting would there be?

How much voluntary relocation of people would there be? From either the North to the South, or visa versa.

My opinion: Canada is a self-sustaining country. There is nothing that we need from other countries.

We are well supplied with natural resources. High-tech know how. People who want to work and work hard. And a respectable infrastructure.

So, the only benefit I see is eliminating the “border” of free trade that these days is used as a club instead of an agreement of free-flowing goods.

Will parring the dollar benefit Canada? Well, free trade seems to be operating on the assumption that the Canadian dollar needs to be lower than the US dollar to entice US business to continue buying Canadian products.

Our problem here in Canada is not that we can’t make it with or without the US; it’s two-fold. First and foremost, our tax laws are ridiculous and reduce a person’s desire to want to give that extra effort. When you’re taxed on your taxes that you were taxed on. It makes it hard to keep your head afloat.

We are for the most part a country with many freedoms which many across the globe seem to gravitate to. Fine and dandy. But like hauling heifers and steers. You can only fit so many in a trailer before things start going sideways.

When your government’s answer (regardless if it’s Liberal or Conservative) to unbalanced budgets and running defects is to throw more taxes on people and companies then there can be an undercurrent of wanting a change from people.

Secondly. Being a Prime Minister is one thing. But being a Leader who has vision, hope and true compassion for people is a different thing altogether. Therein lies the problem as I see it.

Hey, I’m just a guy who puts in long hours hauling cattle and thinks our tax system here in the Great White North needs a serious overhauling.

I’ve trucked stateside for years. Good place. Good people. But I’ll tell you this. If there was only one reason NOT to become the 51st states it’s because…..I’ve yet to find a cup of coffee in the US that’s worth a damn…..