Friday, August 25, 2006

TILMA Good Idea, But We Can Think Bigger

It's been pretty low on the political radar screen, but British Columbia and Alberta signed an agreement, called TILMA, effectively producing a interprovinical economic union between the two provinces. Under TILMA, it is much easier for trained workers to move between the two provinces, as both provinces recognize each others' professional standards and it is easier for businesses to operate because they do not have to register their businesses two times. The goal of TILMA is to reduce some of the many interprovincial barriers that cost so much.

But I think that we can think bigger on this, and maybe think about uniting the four Western Provinces into a single province. Think about it, as one, we would have more leverage to influence the federal scene like Ontario does, something that is impossible right now. The West United can grow stronger by using each other strengths: Alberta's Oil and Oil Revenue, BC's access to the Pacific Ocean, minerals and softwood, Manitoba's Access to Hudson Bay, and Saskachewan's minerals (like uranium). I think that a united Western Canada could be so strong, the "East will want in".

I'll leave you with a potential profile of "The Province of Western Canada"

Name: Western Canada (WC)
Population (2004): 9,683,000
Land Area (km²): 2,712,729
Capital: Lloydminister (Closest to the geographic centre)
House of Commons Seats: 92
Senate Seats: 24

Political Notes:
- Only Province to have a constitution voted into existence by popular vote
- Unitary Province, but Municipalities constitutionally recognized and relatively powerful (and funded)
-Electoral System: MMP

1 comment:

Saskboy said...

We all know that West Germany was the good Germany too ;-)