There was an article in this morning’s Montreal newspaper about the Alberta separatist movement. They want to have a referendum on independence. Apparently not interested in joining US, most of them. Premier Smith is opposed.
Would be hilarious if the first region to secede were not, in fact, Quebec after all.
I don’t mean to make light of the OP; some insufferable a-hole living in the unit downstairs is creating all kinds of trouble, and it’s annoying at best, and horror inducing for most. Said a-hole is making the ENTIRE WORLD a worse place and it feels like a third rate dystopian scif-fi movie. That being said, I strongly believe the odds of Trump invading Canada are less than 1%. Nervous or not, stating it like it’s a forgone conclusion is not helpful, nor good for for anyone’s - especially the OP’s - mental health. When we’re talking about Trump and the Deplorables, I know it feels like there’s nothing they can’t / won’t do, but this simply isn’t going to happen. I know everyone’s gonna feel however they feel, but I wish I could ease your mind about this one.
Which nonetheless marks a massive increase in the odds as compared to the last century and a half. I agree with your assessment of the risk, and yet my mind is not eased. A 1 in 200 chance of being invaded and occupied by a hostile foreign power with a vastly larger military is way too fucking high. It might beat the situation in Latvia or Moldova, but two years ago the odds were in the unthinkable range, not the very unlikely range.
yes, to all of this. and I really appreciate the respect you show while disagreeing. Something we all need to practice. (well, me, and most of the people I see/read)
No, actually they don’t, fo r the most part. There are certainly the usual idiots in the minority who make a lot of noise about this.
Currently, there is a formal petition being circulated, “Alberta Forever Canada”, which is asking the question “Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?”
They are gathering signatures, and are about 80% of the way towards the threshold to force a referendum. This is a grass roots movement,and is doing very well. Their goal is to shut down this bullshit separation talk once and for all.
Petition for referendum to ensure Alberta remains in Canada approved by Elections Alberta | CBC News
This is silly and makes the left sound deranged. We need to shift the focus from what Trump might do or what the things he is doing might lead to and focus on what he is actually doing.
Correct. Here in Alberta, the feeling on the ground is that we do not want to leave Canada, and we do not want to be part of the United States. Period, full stop. As so often happens, it is the tiny minority that is screaming the loudest. Unfortunately, it is their voice that is heard in the rest of Canada and in the US, which gives the wrong impression of how Albertans really feel.
Out of all the Albertans I know (and being an Albertan, I know many), nobody wants to separate. Well, there’s the drunk at the end of the bar who mutters “Fuck Trudeau” every five minutes, and who likes the idea of separation because “Fuck Trudeau.” But if he’s the only one I can think of out of the thousands I know, then I’d suggest that there are very few separatists.
And especially, nobody wants to become a US state. Any American who thinks US troops will be welcomed as liberators in Alberta, is deluded. We’ll resist just as strongly as the rest of Canada.
I think we should certainly look at what Trump is actually doing. But we must also clearly be planning/preparing for what Trump has SAID he wants to do.
Sure, many of the things Trump says are just bluster/bullshit/nutty meanderings.
BUT. As the saying goes, when someone tells you what they are planning to do… Believe them.
Trump has repeatedly, and recently, said that he wants to take over Canada. Sure, at the moment, he’s trying to so so using economic insanity. But it’s not insane to imagine an escalation if Canada does not roll over to his whims.
What form will that escalation take? Will he need more distraction from the Epstein files if he fails to get the military to kill Americans in large cities?
An invasion of any kind is not likely. In fact, very unlikely.
But possible in a way that it was not even thinkable a decade ago. Deranged thinking? No.
Is there is a deranged person in the White House who can do (and has done) crazy shit in the past and may do so in the future? Yes.
I think the odds are much higher than that; and rise to near-certainly with his successors. Attacking their neighbors and trying to conquer them is simply standard fascist behavior. And Canada is just too vulnerable a target for them not to try.
He’s already killing random people off the coast of Venezuela because he insists they’re smuggling drugs. And he’s already accused Canada of being a major source of the same drugs, so similar strikes are entirely possible. Newfie fishermen had better watch out!
He’s targeting people who speak Spanish.
Again, AFAIK he’s not actually said that. He keeps pointing out deranged reasons that Canada would supposedly “be better off” as part of the US, but has never actually suggested the use of military force as I believe he has regarding Greenland and Panama. Of course what the moron says or doesn’t say doesn’t amount to much. As Jimmy Kimmel pointed out the other night, the “stable genius” has changed his position on tariffs something like 50 times.
exactly.
It’s a new world and not a better one. (just like climate change: I can’t help comparing)
But surely 45/47 isn’t going to invade Canada before he gets the Nobel Peace Prize? Or is this one of those bargaining positions from a New York real estate mafiosos “Give me the Prize or I’ll invade Canada.”
Who’s to say he knows the difference between Spanish and a Newfoundland accent? He’s off his rocker.
The US cannot occupy Canada. Any invasion will take the form of an alliance between dissident elements in Canada and MAGA elements in the US. Consider that MAGA is around 35% of the US voting population. MAGA does not have a cause, it is just the sum of whatever malcontents believe this week. That base is being used by the Republicans to seize permanent power. It may be that the power brokers in Canada are all uncorruptible altruists. Or it may be that a minority will join MAGA as a way of funding their path to dominance. The only thing they need share is the overwhelming desire for power.
Why not? The US has occupied large nations before. Iraq has a bigger population than Canada, and was a much harder target.
One thing that I haven’t seen mentioned: What would NATO’s reaction be to the invasion of one of its member nations by another?
NATO has no intention of getting involved: