Letter: Boundary between Canada and U.S. not just real, it’s historically significant
By Letter to the Editor on May 13, 2025.
Dear editor, It’s time those who say we should become the 51st state begin to understand Canadian history and geography. Canada’s southern border divides us from those with differing views and expectations – it is a totally appropriate and wonderful boundary. Those who seek to dissolve it like the Orange Autocrat and the supposed one-fifth of Albertans obviously failed history. Begin our recap of historical geography with the United Empire Loyalists; women, men and children who fled the 13 southern British colonies to escape the horrors of being tarred and feathered, or the threat of losing their entire livelihoods and personal investments. Follow that with the mid-1800s Underground Railway that aided African American slaves to travel northward to southern Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes so they would not be forcibly returned to their southern “owners.” Later in that century, Sitting Bull and his nation of Sioux certainly knew where the border was and what it represented as they sought the protection of Redcoats and Queen Victoria. The Hutterian Brethren, too, fled north from the Dakotas into Manitoba, fleeing the white feather movement and (ironically) possible incarceration in Alcatraz where a number died of exposure as they wouldn’t don the uniform of the U.S. military – they certainly understood the reality of the U.S.-Canada boundary. More recently, the reality of the border was recognized by many young men in the 1960s and 70s, who saw the undeclared ‘war’ in Southeast Asia as immoral. The border offered sanctuary and a new life. Presently, international graduate students flee some of the most prestigious U.S. universities and come North, over this “irrelevant” border because they fear deportation from the U.S. In Canada they seek safety and the dream of completing their advanced degrees. Do not think the border means nothing and that we are merely the 51st state in waiting. Differing hopes, dreams, values and attitudes separate us from the emerging autocratic state to the south. Take your abandonment of Canada and your infatuation with the U.S. and be gone. Go back and learn your history and the geography of our northern nation that is not, and shall never be “for sale.” Ben Moffat Medicine Hat 14-13
So while one of my American Cousins says “For God’s Sake Don’t Let Anyone Destroy Your Public Healthcare System, Trust Me You Don’t Want Ours. It’s the number one cause of bankruptcies in the U.S.”
Danielle Smith is still trying to destroy ours. When her survey showed no one was interested she is trying to trick ignorant Albertans into separating from Canada so they won’t have a choice. How stupid does she think we are?
AB will decide, not Premier Smith. Grassroots Democracy right there.
BTW, she has stated numerous times she is against Separation and is hopeful a fair deal with Ottawa can be reached.
So why has Smith made it easier for a referendum to take place? By cutting the number of votes needed to succeed. Tricking seniors into believing one thing when she is doing something else is something she is very good at.
While oilmen and former conservative MLAs have been telling about how badly these Reformers have cheated us out of billions of dollars she wants us to believe it’s the Federal Government yet the facts prove that it’s not true they are the ones doing it.