On February 14, I acquired an e-mail from Alexa DiFrancesco, a producer on the government-funded Canadian Broadcasting Company.
She wrote, partially:
I’m reaching out as a result of my workforce is engaged on a Canada-US call-in present between 4 and 6pm ET (2pm and 4pm MT) on Sunday, Feb twenty third. It is going to be carried on NPR, CBC and CBC Information Community (radio and tv). It’s going to be co-hosted by Ian Hanomansing and Jeremy Hobson.
I’m reaching out to see when you can be obtainable for a 5-7 minute digital interview with us someday throughout this present. This episode focuses on the query “What does Canada as the 51st state mean to you?”
We’re on the lookout for an American voice that disagrees with Trump’s 51st state thought/feedback, and we learn your piece about why a Canada/U.S. union is a foul thought.
I replied:
Thanks, Alexa. I’m in.
I ought to warn you, although, that I’m a twin citizen. I grew up in Manitoba. I consider myself as 98% American, the opposite 2% being when U.S. performs Canada in hockey (NOT ice hockey) as will occur on Sunday.
If that works for you, we’re good.
Finest,
David
Alexa replied:
Hello David,
Thanks a lot — superb information! Would you have the ability to hop on a fast name with me later this afternoon or Sunday morning if that works higher to debate interview particulars/your perspective?
This name can be to make notes and draft a script for our hosts Ian and Jeremy.
This interview isn’t 100% simply but — one final step is that my senior producer would additionally must take heed to our name simply to ensure your perspective suits what we’re on the lookout for.
Please let me know if that every one sounds good — thanks once more and I hope you’re having an exquisite day!
Alexa
(PS – solely certainly one of us watches Canada/US hockey but it surely’s nice to know you’re supporting Canada LOL).
I like when correspondence will get to be enjoyable, so I replied:
Pricey Alexa,
That is smart. Sure, let’s discuss on the telephone right now. What time? I’m within the Pacific time zone.
Finest,
David
P.S. My spouse was born in New Jersey. We met in 1981 and married in 1983. After we had been watching the ultimate Olympic hockey sport between Canada and U.S. within the 2002 Olympics, I began screaming and operating round the lounge when Canada scored the tying objective. My spouse puzzled whom she had married. 🙂
Alexa replied with a steered time after which added:
(That’s such a healthful story and it made my day! Thanks a lot for sharing it. 🙂 )
We had the interview, and she or he recorded it for her senior producer. I’m going by reminiscence right here. I didn’t get on the present, and I don’t know if it’s as a result of I stated one thing the senior producer didn’t like. Who is aware of?
However listed below are the questions I bear in mind her asking and my answering.
Alexa: What’s your major purpose for opposing Canada changing into a 51st state?
DRH: I believe competitors amongst international locations is sweet. A technique they compete is on taxes, particularly company taxes. When Janet Yellen was U.S. Treasury Secretary, she tried to assist manage a tax cartel amongst many of the world’s main international locations in order that international locations would discover it tougher to compete by reducing company tax charges. I need to go the alternative approach. I need Eire to maintain their company revenue tax low, as an illustration, in order that different international locations’ governments will really feel strain to maintain their charges low. [I was going by memory here, but I was right: Ireland’s rate is 12.5%.] Canada as an unbiased nation helps in that competitors. [I later checked and, sure enough, even though Canada’s statutory corporate income tax rate is a whopping 38%, they lop off 10 points for some reason and 13 points for some other reason to get it to 15%.]
Alexa: What would you say to individuals who don’t care a lot about tax competitors?
DRH: I’d say that there are different methods international locations and governments compete and it’s necessary to have choices. I bear in mind when George W. Bush signed a very dangerous invoice in 2001, the USA PATRIOT Act. The subsequent summer season I went as much as my cottage in Canada and attended a fireworks show on Canada Day. [That’s on July 1.] At one level they performed the nationwide anthem. I had hated it in highschool as a result of we needed to sing it on daily basis. However I stood and belted it out with quite a lot of emotion as a result of I used to be in a rustic that wasn’t fully beneath George Bush’s thumb.
Alexa: What would you say to Individuals who could be leaning in favor of getting Canada as a 51st state?
DRH: My notion is that individuals with that leaning have a tendency yo be disproportionately Republican. I’d ask them, “Do you really want a lifetime guarantee of 2 more Democratic Senators?”
