Canadian Confederation Bicentennial Project

To be proposed on April 1, 2007

Whereas Haiti is the western hemisphere’s poorest country, with problems that would require an immense effort to overcome,

Whereas Canada has human ties to Haiti through immigration including Canada’s current Governor General Michaelle Jean,

Whereas the desirability of Canada’s Confederation is in constant need of re-affirmation, and that this desirability could be proven by welcoming new jurisdictions wishing to join Confederation, not just the prevention of jurisdictions leaving Confederation,

Whereas Canada’s Francophone minority feels that it is in danger of being diluted within the North American Anglophone majority, and whereas their numbers would be doubled if combined with that of Haiti, whose official language is French,

Whereas Canada, as a rich nation, has a responsibility and the capability to help out poorer nations, and might do a better job if it had a concrete long-term goal in mind,

Whereas it is regrettable that Canadians feel the need to leave their country and travel to Florida, Cuba, or Mexico to enjoy some sunshine and warm weather in the winter,

Be it resolved that, should the people of Haiti and the people of Canada express their joint desire through the passage of a clearly worded referendum by a substantial majority, Canada should re-allocate and concentrate its international aid on Haiti during the next sixty years in order to bring standards of living and governance in Haiti sufficiently close to Canadian standards, that Haiti might join Confederation as a new province of Canada by 2067, the 200^th anniversary of Confederation.

(with thanks to Jim, Bob, and Peter for useful comments)