Victoria (Richa Walia): A British Columbia legislator has strongly rebuked a pitch from a Republican state senator in the United States, suggesting that Canada’s four western provinces consider joining the U.S.
Brennan Day, a member of the Opposition B.C. Conservative Party, said his reaction shifted from disappointment to anger after receiving the letter from Maine Senator Joseph Martin last week. His office first verified that the three-page document was genuine before responding.
In the letter, Martin urged British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to hold referendums on becoming American states. He argued this would not amount to annexation but rather “adoption,” describing the provinces as “kindred spirits” who could “live under our Constitution” and benefit from U.S. freedoms.
Martin also criticized Canadian institutions, dismissing the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as lacking “absolute protection,” while contrasting it with the U.S. Bill of Rights. He claimed Canadian citizens suffer under “bureaucratic suffocation” and suggested joining the U.S. would allow them to escape “failing ideologies.”
Day said the remarks were offensive, particularly the dismissal of foundational Canadian principles such as parliamentary democracy, bilingualism, multiculturalism, and constitutional rights. He accused Martin’s party of ignoring the dysfunction within the U.S. political system, remarking that Republicans were “hauling around wheeled trunks” of political baggage.
“I don’t know why he thought this was a good idea or why he sent it to me,” Day said, noting speculation that rhetoric out of Alberta may have given Martin the impression there was appetite in western Canada for such a proposal.
In his written reply, Day acknowledged Canada faces challenges but rejected the notion of surrendering national identity. “We fix them by doing what Canadians have always done — rolling up our sleeves, listening to each other, and finding common ground,” he wrote.
Day added that most Canadians are proud of their country and have no desire to look south for solutions. “We’ve got work to do on improving services and managing our finances better,” he said. “But I don’t think anybody here is saying, ‘we want more of that.’”
Martin has not responded to requests for comment.
