SATURDAY MORNING CONFUSION: Would the United States be a bigger world power by absorbing Canada?

Allan:

I am never quite sure if these questions that attempt to undermine Canada’s sovereignty are meant to be directly insulting towards Canadians, or if they are, in fact, genuine, yet naive, queries that stem from the need so many Americans seem to have to be constantly reassured by others that their country is powerful.

No matter their intention, questions like this are straight out of the Ugly American’s Handbook. (See: Manifest Destiny, a phrase coined in 1845, is the idea that the United States is destined—by God, its advocates believed, to expand its dominion and spread democracy and capitalism across the entire North American Continent. )

I am literally embarrassed for those Americans who have an understanding of the world outside their borders who read questions like this, do a face-palm, and think, “Yeah, this is exactly why I am reluctant to travel abroad as an American." 

The US is absolutely not “exceptional” — no country is. Understand that.

At any rate, the question is stupid, as there is literally a 0% chance of the US “absorbing” Canada.

John Smith

Halifax