Jordon Kosikowie has been pondering so much about what would occur if Alberta joined the USA.
The 35-year-old works within the oil and gasoline trade within the Edmonton space and says life has been exhausting lately. So he’s open to the concept if it brings extra prosperity.
“If there’s a chance for me to place more cash into my pocket, why not converse about it?” mentioned Kosikowie, who runs a Fb group for Albertans who need to be part of a 51st U.S. state. The group has grown to 1,000 members because it was created just a few months in the past.
“There’s no Canadian dream. I nonetheless don’t foresee myself proudly owning a house.”
Kosikowie represents a small fraction of Canadians who say they might vote to affix the U.S. in a referendum, mentioned Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute.
A web based institute survey of 1,653 Canadian adults in January urged 90 per cent wouldn’t vote for Canada to change into a 51st state in a hypothetical referendum.
“The 90 per cent is critical,” she mentioned.
“That actually does converse to a consensus that crosses political strains, demographic strains, regional strains, age and gender demographics, and it’s principally the one factor that Canadians agree on proper now.”
But it surely additionally suggests 10 per cent of Canadians would need to be part of the U.S.
A web based Leger ballot launched in March mentioned 9 per cent of Canadians need Canada to change into the 51st state. Help was highest in Alberta at 15 per cent.
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The web surveys can’t be assigned a margin of error as a result of they don’t randomly pattern the inhabitants.
Kurl mentioned her survey suggests these in favour of becoming a member of the U.S. are principally conservative males dwelling in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and those that would possibly vote for fringe events and are “weight-reduction plan MAGA,” referring to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Make America Nice Once more motion.
“We’re speaking about slices of the inhabitants on the margins,” she mentioned.
Kosikowie mentioned he would need Alberta to affix the U.S. as a result of extra conservatives reside in Alberta and Albertans are opportunistic.
Many within the province additionally really feel overlooked from the remainder of Canada, he mentioned. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has recurrently butted heads with the federal authorities and says Ottawa has executed nothing however hurt the oil and gasoline sector.
“I assist statehood, however I assist extra of the dialog,” Kosikowie mentioned.
Dave Bjorkman is proven on this handout photograph.
Provided
Dave Bjorkman has larger desires. He thinks all of Canada must be a part of the U.S.
The 47-year-old from Edmonton began the Celebration of the Canadian Constitutionalists. He additionally created a Facebook group called “Canada the 51st State,” when Trump first made his annexation risk earlier this 12 months. It now has 6,600 members.
Bjorkman mentioned he believes each international locations can prosper in the event that they unite. He additionally feels Canadians are unwilling to work with each other to develop the nation’s wealth.
“We don’t even love one another,” he mentioned.
“I’ve been throughout Canada. All I hear is, ‘I used to be born in Alberta, I hate Quebec, I hate Ontario,’ or, you already know, ‘I’m from B.C., I hate Alberta.’”
He mentioned Canada can profit from U.S. commerce relations and the U.S. can study so much from Canada’s common well being care.
The perceived financial profit is what’s drawing some Canadians to the 51st state motion, mentioned Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor on the College of Toronto.
“Loads of these persons are sad with the present state of affairs,” he mentioned.
“They really feel disconnected from the federal government. They suppose the federal government simply serves large cities.
“But it surely’s a wild thought.”
Canadians would possibly view the U.S. as extra affluent, he mentioned, however a merger would create important financial challenges.
“From a logistical viewpoint, an operational viewpoint, a practical viewpoint, it might take most likely a decade for a merger of the 2 international locations to occur,” he mentioned.
“You don’t simply wave a magic wand and it occurs, as a result of there are every kind of issues that must be sorted out.”
This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioned Trump’s threats to annex Canada have to cease earlier than the 2 international locations can have complete bilateral conversations about commerce and safety.
“We’ve known as out these feedback. They’re disrespectful, they’re not useful, and they should cease,” Carney mentioned.
Nonetheless, Kosikowie mentioned Trump’s feedback have sparked concepts within the minds of some Canadians.
“All of us have a look at issues a special method. We’re all allowed to study and ask questions,” he mentioned.
“It’s the great thing about Canada.”
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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