Letter: Unionism should mimic the resolve of Canadians and refuse to cooperate with Irish Sea border

There have at times been suggestions that seem like more than humour that if Canada wants to avoid tariffs they should become the 51st State and be annexed into the USA.

In and of itself this is a legitimate aspiration just as some people wanted the EU to become one country or some aspire (increasingly successfully) to all-Ireland unification.

In so far as there seems to be little appetite for the idea in Canada and perhaps not among many Americans either it’s obviously foolish to try to bully or coerce people into this arrangement.

I assume he would like to go down as some of the early presidents did, as someone who expanded their territory wider than ever before.

Despite being clearly outmatched economically and likely to endure considerable short term damage if any kind of trade war was to occur, the Canadians admirably and correctly refused to be bullied out of their sovereignty or to have their British head of state changed by anything other than their own choice.

This is the only rational course of action for any country or people, as if you don’t defend your sovereignty (whatever else you choose to compromise on) you aren’t a country.

What is the difference, however, between Donald Trump threatening tariffs etc if Canada doesn’t comply with his demands which could potentially include annexation, and the Irish/EU demand that Northern Ireland should be treated as part of their economic territory?

The Brexit referendum was a UK-wide referendum. No border poll has been lost to suggest NI should not be treated as a full part of the UK.

Why does the British government support Canada’s right to remain sovereign but isn’t defending the rights of its own citizens in Northern Ireland?

It seems unlikely Donald Trump will successfully annex Canada but if he were to succeed it seems to me the precedent for what he is suggesting he might do was set by Europe in Northern Ireland.

Unionism should mimic the resolve of our Canadian cousins and refuse to cooperate with the Irish Sea border at every opportunity.

R G McDowell, Belfast BT5