# Poll: Should Canada annex the Turks and Caicos Islands? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 17, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959 "2009-11-17T22:19:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/1 "2009-11-17T22:19:14Z")
Inspired by [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11773575&postcount=5) in another thread. There’s been talk off and on over the past few decades about having the Turks and Caicos join Canada (see [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposals_for_new_Canadian_provinces_and_territories#Current_or_former_British_territories)), do you think it would happen? Let us know, especially if you are Canadian! ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/2 "2009-11-17T22:41:45Z")
US citizen. I voted no. Not that I think it would be bad for the islands (I wouldn’t mind Missouri being annexed), just I feel control should remain local. I could be persuaded if a guarantee of revenues (from whatever port system is put in place) being kept to improve island infrastructure. Of course all of this hinges on the corruption being eliminated. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/3 "2009-11-17T23:19:20Z")
Canadian citizen. I cannot think of a single way in which this helps Canadians. It would be nothing more than a money hole. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/4 "2009-11-18T00:21:09Z")
It’s significant that this poll was posted just as winter is coming in Canada, eh? 🙂 One proposal I saw had the islands joining as a county of one of the maritime provinces. That way they wouldn’t have to mess with the Constitution (a process which, among other things, requires Québec and Alberta to agree on something). I, a Canadian, am mildly in favour. If the islands made an effort to be admitted, sure, I’d accede, but I’m not sure I’d go out of the way for it. Maybe I just don’t know enough about the Turks and Caicos. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/5 "2009-11-18T00:37:25Z")
Voted no, it would be a land grab plain and simple. Plus… do they even want to join us? I haven’t seen any local requests…sometimes I think we just need to wake up. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/6 "2009-11-18T01:39:01Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > It would be nothing more than a money hole. That was my first thought. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/7 "2009-11-18T01:42:25Z")
It is a warm money hole. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/8 "2009-11-18T01:46:28Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > Voted no, it would be a land grab plain and simple. Plus… do they even want to join us? I haven’t seen any local requests…sometimes I think we just need to wake up. I think they do, actually. It might be a money hole from our side, but it would be nothing but a good thing from theirs, if I understand it correctly. I don’t think it will ever happen, but having a Canadian province in the Caribbean sounds wonderful to me, come January. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/9 "2009-11-18T03:42:13Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > (a process which, among other things, requires Québec and Alberta to agree on something). They do - that everyone in Ottawa and Toronto are a bunch of @$$holes. 😃 > [@RetroVertigo](#): > > (I wouldn’t mind Missouri being annexed) [Grampa Simpson] I’ll be dead in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missourah! [/Grampa Simpson] ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/10 "2009-11-18T04:03:26Z")
I voted yes just because I thought it would be amusing if some pundit somewhere cited the Monroe Doctrine as an excuse for the USA to go to war with Canada over this. I’m thinking maybe Glenn Beck would be perfect for this. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/11 "2009-11-18T04:27:51Z")
21° 40’ or FIGHT! ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/12 "2009-11-18T05:01:18Z")
I’d sure be interested in seeing a news article where someone from the Canadian or the T & C government (preferably both) is really thinking about this idea. Because to me it sounds like fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/13 "2009-11-18T05:52:32Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > I’d sure be interested in seeing a news article where someone from the Canadian or the T & C government (preferably both) is really thinking about this idea. Because to me it sounds like fantasy. Here you go: [CBC cite](http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/turksandcaicos/). Note specifically: > [@](#): > > In 1974, [Canadian] NDP MP [Member of Parliament] Max Saltsman tried to use a private member’s bill to persuade the government to consider annexing the islands. He reasoned that there should be a warm-weather destination for Canadians to spend money on Canadian soil… > > In 1988, members of the Turks and Caicos government resolved to approach the Canadian government about establishing a special relationship. It’s been talked about for a while, as you can tell; and is still something that gets discussed in the Canadian media. I cannot speak for the T&C media, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a topic there too. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/14 "2009-11-18T07:33:18Z")
I’m an American with no knowledge of the situation but I voted yes because there are a lot of things that make sense. The Caribbean really could use more strong government to eliminate the pervasive graft and corruption endemic to the region. Economically it’d be a boon for the T&C as both Canadians and Americans would be very likely to invest and travel there if it were a more secure and reliable location. T&C could use the social services Canada could provide as well and the industry/commerce a deep sea port would add. There’s a ton of pleasure boating and charters operating in the area and the vast majority of the business is controlled by Dutch and South African money and the locals authorities are fantastically corrupt and prejudiced against most whites. The business environment is strained to say the least and waste is sizable. From a Canadian perspective adding a tropical destination that’s within their borders would be a popular idea. In the short term it’d very likely be a financial pit but in the long term I can see it becoming very profitable if T&C takes the lead in Caribbean tourism on the back of this transition. If the deep sea port and sphere of influence pays major dividends for greater business reasons in and around the area it could be a boon. There’s a lot of business to be done in the Caribbean and it’s largely piecemeal right now with disparate influences from America, South America, Africa and various European principalities all using a very laissez-faire approach that doesn’t work particularly well. If the idea is popular amongst T&C locals there seems to be enough benefit to investigating it. Having Hawaii as a US state seems to be coming along fine. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/15 "2009-11-18T15:03:46Z")
I’m totally for this idea. Canadians would flock to a tropical location that didn’t involve a money exchange, had healthcare coverage, no passport requirement. The T & C’s would thrive, I think. We could all take up surfing! We would surely profit. Canada would likely be polite and let them run their own affairs, largely. They would gain some security, I should think, and stability. Health care and education would improve certainly.( Who wouldn’t want to attend university under palm trees?) I say yes, yes, yes! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/16 "2009-11-18T15:47:37Z")
If they joined Canada, would it affect their [del]money laundering[/del] offshore banking business? ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/17 "2009-11-18T19:54:55Z")
> [@dhkendall](#): > > They do - that everyone in Ottawa and Toronto are a bunch of @$$holes. 😃 Oh, snap! ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/18 "2009-11-18T21:07:23Z")
I think long before we go letting another province or territory into Canada, we should maybe think about settling with the First Nations peoples. They’ve been waiting for a cheque and a fair treaty for a few hundred year already… I don’t think I’ve ever in my life met someone who came from the Turks and Caicos. What do they think about joining Canada? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/19 "2009-11-18T21:24:43Z")
I don’t see any reason we can’t do both at once. Maybe fund one with the other, look symmetry! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959/20 "2009-11-18T21:33:03Z")
The islands aren’t far by raft from Cuba and Haiti. I’m thinking “jumpgate”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-should-canada-annex-the-turks-and-caicos-islands/517959.md?page=2)