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I wonder if the dust settles and the UK/EU relationship becomes much like Canada to the US. Canada is a deep ally to the US, with a demilitarized border, tons o

I wonder if the dust settles and the UK/EU relationship becomes much like Canada to the US. Canada is a deep ally to the US, with a demilitarized border, tons of trade, friendly relations, cultural sharing, and easy transit between the two nations (covid notwithstanding). Canada is a much smaller, less powerful, poorer, and less globally relevant country, but is hardly impoverished. And it seems there truly are advantages to being smaller and more independent -- Canada certainly has some strong societal advantages over the US, a better social safety net, less of a military-industry complex, better income equality, etc.

smnrchrds 6y ago
> poorer Canada has a higher GDP per capita than UK. Its lower GDP is because of its lower population. I wouldn't call Canada poor, any more than I would call Luxembourg, Switzerland, or Singapore poor (all of which have lower GDPs but higher GDP per capitas than both UK and Canada).
- thehappypm 6y ago
  I was saying poorer than the US.
  - smnrchrds 6y ago
    That makes more sense. Thank you for the clarification.
ashtonkem 6y ago
Canada seems to actually understand where they stand relative to the US, which smooths a lot of the negotiations out. The UK on the other hand seems to think that they can bully the EU around and ... that’s not working out so great for them.
ardy42 6y ago
> I wonder if the dust settles and the UK/EU relationship becomes much like Canada to the US. Canada is a deep ally to the US, with a demilitarized border, tons of trade, friendly relations, cultural sharing, and easy transit between the two nations (covid notwithstanding). How much of the US/CA (excluding Quebec) relationship is enabled by common language and extremely similar cultures? The center of gravity of the EU isn't English speaking, so I'd expect relations to be at least somewhat more distant.

smnrchrds 6y ago

> poorer Canada has a higher GDP per capita than UK. Its lower GDP is because of its lower population. I wouldn't call Canada poor, any more than I would call Luxembourg, Switzerland, or Singapore poor (all of which have lower GDPs but higher GDP per capitas than both UK and Canada).

thehappypm 6y ago
I was saying poorer than the US.
- smnrchrds 6y ago
  That makes more sense. Thank you for the clarification.

ashtonkem 6y ago

Canada seems to actually understand where they stand relative to the US, which smooths a lot of the negotiations out. The UK on the other hand seems to think that they can bully the EU around and ... that’s not working out so great for them.

ardy42 6y ago

> I wonder if the dust settles and the UK/EU relationship becomes much like Canada to the US. Canada is a deep ally to the US, with a demilitarized border, tons of trade, friendly relations, cultural sharing, and easy transit between the two nations (covid notwithstanding). How much of the US/CA (excluding Quebec) relationship is enabled by common language and extremely similar cultures? The center of gravity of the EU isn't English speaking, so I'd expect relations to be at least somewhat more distant.