Nation on Borrowed Time: Canada's Continental Destiny

Canada as a sovereign nation state has never existed in practice. Whether it was a part of the British Empire or a member of the community of nations in the liberal world order Canada's choices in foreign policy have been dictated to it by circumstance and ideology. As a liberal-democratic society Canada has acted as other such societies have done. When called upon to defend its imperial motherland Britain Canada answered the call of duty. In the Cold War Canada was a staunch supporter of the rules based international order embodied in the UN. In both cases Canada was a supporter of a world order based on the design of a liberal world power, Britain in the former and America in the latter.The election of 2019 presents Canadians with the opportunity to cast their ballots in judgment on which political party offers the best platform. The political platform that will be chosen is one which Canadians find most beneficial to their interests and compatible with their world view. Matters of taxation, immigration, healthcare, education, and the economy are just a few political topics that Canadians will be thinking about in the months leading up to election day. But there will be one set of matters which will not be on the minds of most Canadians and they have to do with Canadian national sovereignty. Questions over Canada's national sovereignty have long been decided for it. Decisions were made decades ago that have ensured Canada's place in the world as a vassal state to the American Empire.This book presents to the reader a portrait of a country whose claims of national sovereignty depend heavily on the good humor and geopolitical interests of its neighbor to the South. As has been the case through history, those who live in the shadow of a Great Power are never free to choose their own destinies. To those Canadians who proudly declare their loyalty to their nation the author admits the merits of the ideal but has to lament the details of reality.This second edition expands upon the portrait of Canada in 2020 as painted by the author. Despite global unrest caused by geopolitical rivalries, economic crises, and health care emergencies the character of Canada and its place in the world order have not and will not change. The author has presented here his modest assessment of Canada's destiny as a member of a continental union encompassing all of North America. Although many will recoil at the thought of a North American Union, including many Americans who see it as an unnecessary burden, the lessons of history make it clear that continental union is a likely outcome of a world filled with geopolitical competition and technological advancements.