Western Canada separation would be a messy procedure

Editor: Re: letter of Dec. 26, from Mike Polvere in The Daily Courier: “Western Canada should separate before the drunken sailors ruin it all.”

Your letter gave me pause to think about a divorce from the rest of Canada, and I believe it is incumbent upon me to point out a few flaws in your thinking.

In theory, your letter seems to make sense, but when I dig deeper into the possibility of a divorce, between Canada and the West, I find several things, which I am sure you have not considered. Think about this: The West would need its own monetary policy, separate and apart from Canada’s policies.

A central bank would be required to monitor and drive the economy and set national interest rates.

The West would need its own currency. Thus it would require a national mint to design and strike coins and print bills.

Western passports would be a pre-requisite for independence; can’t use Canadian passports.

A full diplomatic corps would have to be formed, complete with embassies in other countries, staffed with experienced and qualified diplomats, assistants, secretaries, etc. These embassies would require security staff, well trained in dealing with potential threats and violence.

A full military force would have to be organized, trained and supplied with weapons to protect this new country.

Since this new country would have international borders to the east, north, south and a coastline to the west border security, immigration and customs officers would need to be recruited and trained.

The West would not be allowed to use the RCMP, therefore a national police force would have to be recruited, trained, detachment buildings built and forensic labs built and staffed. Maybe Canada would sell us those things that the RCMP currently uses. You can bet that we wouldn’t get bargain basement prices on them.

Now, when the RCMP leaves the west, every city, town, village, hamlet and settlement would need its own police force. I could go on here with a new justice system, federal laws, judges and courthouses with all the accompanying staff.

Just to top all of this off, a new charter of rights would have to be written, new treaties with First Nations must be negotiated and written, and we know how that would go. What if, as happened in Quebec, the First Nations refused to separate with the West? That would mean there would be pockets of Canadian First Nations tribes sprinkled all over the West. Just look at a map and see for yourself.

I could go on, but I think you can see that it is not just a simple job of saying, “We are going to divorce you Canada.” Divorce is never simple, and there are many people who can attest to that.

Thanks for the suggestion, but no thanks, I can’t afford a divorce. Our system may not be the best, but the alternative is worse.