We’ve had worse people calling the shots
Work in Progress/by Ivan Morgan
My great-grandfather was 71 when his beloved Newfoundland joined Canada – six years older than I am now. He was a doctor in St. John’s and had invented the gas mask in the First World War. He was a proud Newfoundlander in the truest sense of the word.
As the oldest of my generation, I remember him well. I feel I know him because in my twenties I came across cases of his letters to his many friends and relatives, and I read them all. A lifetime’s correspondence.
I remember a letter to a friend where he spoke about Newfoundland joining Canada. He was devastated. He said for six months after the vote he wore a black armband, a traditional sign of mourning, every day. Then, on the first day of the seventh month he took it off and set about becoming the best Canadian he could be.
I mention this because there has been a lot of chatter about President Donald Trump liking the idea of Canada joining the USA and becoming the 51st state. It’s a silly suggestion and it has generated the usual cast of characters reacting with predictable hysteria. I am sure Trump was just blowing smoke. Why wouldn’t he? He’s on top of the world right now.
I am not advocating becoming an American. I am only asking you to consider the ramifications for a moment. I offer a thought. Were Canada to become an American state, do you think Quebec would be allowed to treat Newfoundland the way they do regarding Churchill Falls power and our other developments on that river?
There is an American organization called FERC – the Federal Energy Regulation Commission – that might have a say regarding sensible, fair power regulations, were we all Americans. They might impose a more favourable deal for us, and our American compatriots, perhaps.
I don’t want to be an American. Like most of us I am a happy enough Canadian, but I understand being part of Canada comes with a cost. Quebec’s ability to bully us is part of that price.
A long time ago, in 2004, I worked with a newspaper that was nominated for a Michener journalism award (that’s the Canadian version of a Pulitzer) for a series we published that attempted to compare the costs and benefits to Newfoundland of Confederation with Canada. Our point was to show being Canadian came at a cost.
My personal attraction for joining the USA would be the First Amendment. I believe in free speech. Passionately. I used to believe in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms until I saw what government can do to our right to express ourselves freely, regardless of the Charter. Now I feel our right to free speech should be hard-wired, guaranteed and hard fastened six ways to Sunday.
If we were an American state perhaps central Canada might get a taste of its own medicine. Ontario currently has 121 federal seats in the House of Commons, Quebec 79, out of a total of 338. We have seven only because we are guaranteed those in our terms of union. A Canadian 51st state would have two senators in a House of 102. I doubt Ontario and Quebec would like that.
I know this conversation is sacrilege to some. Outrageous! Unthinkable! Maybe. But take away all the flag waving and tub thumping and most governments are just like banks and insurance companies. Sometimes you should take a cold-eyed look at what your membership is costing you. Perhaps there’s a better deal out there.
Not that I personally think becoming an American state is a better deal, but maybe we could get a fairer shake?
Who knows? One truth about Canada I have learned is that no part of Canada (except maybe southern Ontario) is truly happy with Canada. It’s something we all share. Having said that, I am happy enough being Canadian. To paraphrase the late great Ray Guy, we Newfoundlanders have suffered under worse masters than Canada.
Ivan Morgan can be reached at ivan.morgan@gmail.com