The Endgame

Newsletter #31 - Scotland

Port Medway, Nova Scotia, July 9, 2023

Scotland

Let’s talk about the fate of nations.

Recently it’s been suggested that Orkney, an archipelago off the north coast of Scotland and part of the United Kingdom, should leave the UK and join Norway. The Guardian newspaper reported earlier this month, “A motion has been put forward by the Orkney Islands council leader, James Stockan, to explore its “Nordic connections”… He said Orkney had been “failed dreadfully” by governments in Edinburgh and London…”

Which brings me to Scotland itself, another part of the United Kingdom. The Scots don’t like Brexit (in the 2016 Brexit referendum an overwhelming majority voted to remain in the European Union). Many don’t like the UK (in a 2014 independence referendum, 45 per cent voted in favour of Scottish independence). The relationship between Scotland and the UK government at Westminster, problematic for a long time, has become increasingly fractious (the most recent sticking point has been gender reform).

The Scots are fed up.

What’s the solution? It’s obvious if you stop and think about it. Scotland should become part of Canada. Both places would be stronger and happier if they got together. This marriage was first proposed in 2017 by Canadian writer Ken McGoogan. He pointed out that joining Canada would be good for Scotland. It would be Canada’s third largest province with corresponding political clout. As a Canadian province, Scotland would have more powers than it does now as part of the UK. McGoogan noted that distance is irrelevant in the age of modern communications and air travel. After all, Glasgow is nearer to Halifax than Halifax is to Vancouver. He suggested that if Scotland were part of Canada, perhaps Canada could join the European Union. Think of the extraordinary implications of that…

McGoogan’s imaginative idea attracted considerable attention at the time but, like most imaginative ideas, was quickly forgotten.

Maybe it’s time to revive the McGoogan proposal. It would be devilishly hard to implement, but things worth doing are always difficult.

There’s a natural affinity between Scotland and Canada. The Scots were among the first Europeans to establish themselves in Canada and are the third largest ethnic group in the country. Nova Scotia houses the most Gaelic speakers outside of Scotland. Scots have been involved in every aspect of Canada's development. More than half of Canada's prime ministers were of Scottish heritage.

I write this from my house in Nova Scotia. When the original Scotland joins the new Scotland, we’ll all get along just fine and prosper mightily. I know it.

Notes from readers of Newsletter #30 – Deplaning

One reader writes:

“I was taking a flight from St. John’s, stopping in Halifax and then on to Toronto. Before we took off for Halifax an announcement was made as to whether a few people wanted to give up their seats for compensation and a promise (!) to try to re book on another flight as soon as possible.

Some guy jumped up and said “Yes this is a good deal!” and exited the plane. My lemming instincts kicked in and I joined him and another person.

After we exited (or deplaned as they might have said) they told us they could get us on another flight to Halifax shortly and then they would do their best to get us to Toronto from there.

While on the flight to Halifax there was an announcement- would I identify myself. I dutifully did so, and the flight attendant came by to say they had found one but only one seat for a flight to Toronto for soon after our arrival in Halifax and she said I could get it.

When I got to Halifax, I did get the connecting flight and it ends up to have been the second leg of my original St. John’s / Halifax/ Toronto flight so I got back on the original flight (the passengers all congratulated me) and I arrived as originally scheduled a few hundred dollars richer.”

The final word is from another reader:

“I’d take the travel voucher. It would be a perfect merger of capitalism and the collective interest. Adam Smith would smile.”