President Trump’s musings about annexing Canada are rather silly, but as so often happens, even his least practical ideas can contain a kernel of truth. Here, the kernel is Alberta.
The Canadian province of Alberta is one of the most desirable pieces of real estate on Earth. It includes some of the world’s most beautiful scenery and internationally known tourist attractions like Banff and Lake Louise. It is home to two significant cities, Edmonton and Calgary. It contains trillions of dollars worth of petroleum.
And quite a few Albertans would like to declare independence from Canada. The Alberta independence movement got on my radar through Instagram. Here are some screen shots from the “Rise of Alberta” account:
I would love to see Alberta as our 51st state. But is it possible? It won’t be easy: this National Post story lays out some of the processes involved. There is, actually, a procedure for secession in the Canadian constitution. There would have to be a clear majority in favor of disunion in a referendum, and the terms would have to be negotiated with Canada’s national government. The Indian tribes would have a say, but not a veto. So, difficult but not impossible.
There are other political hurdles. At the moment, of course, there is not a majority in favor of Albertan independence. But the movement is growing. Over the years, there has been talk of a union of Canada’s Western provinces, but not of joining the U.S. Even if they became independent, would most Albertans want to become a state? They might be no more interested in subordination to Washington than in subordination to Ottawa. And historically, Canadians have largely defined themselves by being not-American. So that bias would have to be overcome.
Then, too, America’s politics are important. Alberta would vote Right, so the Democrats would never agree to admit it as our 51st state. On the other hand, admitting a new state only requires Congressional action. So if the Republicans controlled the House, Senate and presidency, as they do now, it likely could be done. Absent that control, Alberta would need to be paired with a liberal prospective state, as Alaska and Hawaii were.
So, would incorporating Alberta be easy? No. Will it happen overnight? No. But is it far-fetched, let alone impossible? No. If the Trump administration got behind the Alberta independence movement, and Albertans could be convinced that it would be better to be part of the U.S. than on their own, I think it really could happen. The stars would have to align; once the Democrats take the House in 2026 it would need to wait for the House to return to GOP control. But of course the Canadian process would take much longer than that in any event.
Trump likes to see himself as a big thinker and a visionary. Laying the groundwork now for incorporating Alberta as a state could be a legacy along the lines of the Alaska Purchase, if not the magnitude of the Louisiana Purchase. I don’t have access to Trump’s circle, but those who do might start putting this on his radar, and maybe Marco Rubio’s. Trump, it’s time to think big.
