A quarter of Saskatchewanians ready to join United States, poll finds

[Screaming Lord Byron]

http://www.canada.com/news/national/story.html?id=5BCB5AC0-577B-40F5-A964-8F06505B3201

OTTAWA (CP) - The federal government was told Western alienation had reached disturbing levels just after Canada ratified the Kyoto protocol, with almost a quarter of one Prairie province saying it wouldn't care if they joined the United States.

Research done 14 months ago by the Ekos polling firm, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information law, doesn't blame alienation on the Kyoto issue. The polling firm points instead to a sense among residents in almost all provinces that their interests and values are ignored in Ottawa.

"On the whole, Western disaffection is a real issue which is somewhat inflamed, particularly in Alberta and Saskatchewan," says an analysis accompanying the poll.

Twenty-three per cent of Saskatchewanians said they would not be too concerned if their province joined the United States, more than in either Alberta or Quebec, where 19 per cent expressed that view.

The poll may help explain why Prime Minister Paul Martin has made Western concerns a key priority while moving cautiously on the Kyoto file. Although he criticized his predecessor for lacking an implementation plan, Martin himself has not introduced one.

-What, it only took fourteen months for a poll to get in the press?

[carolinayellowdog]

1. and a quarter of Americans wish they were in Canada

so let's trade places

[Screaming Lord Byron]

2. A quarter of Saskatchewan for a quarter of the States?

You've got a deal, buddy!

[Gman]

3. Just what we need... another state full of right wing nuts

If Kyoto is a major reason these people would favor secession from Canada, we don't want them. However, the 25% about matches our level of RW nuts.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

4. Saskatchewan has a weird split. It's a hotbed of Socialism & Conservatism.

Must make life interesting.

[zbdent]

5. Any oil in the pristine areas?

If so, then Bush would welcome the 51st state.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

6. No Blood for Wheat!

[Richardo]

11. *That's* funny!

:D :thumbsup: ,SLB!

[Minstrel Boy]

7. Checking out the "Free Dominion" board

I keep seeing remarks like, "If Harper doesn't win the Conservative leadership, that's it. I'm a Western separatist."

Belinda Stronach: uniter, or divider? :evilgrin:

[Screaming Lord Byron]

8. Well, that depends on who you want her to unite.

Incidentally, did you shower after visiting the Dominoes? TrogL would be very unhappy, he's determined to kill them off.

[Minstrel Boy]

12. There's a very funny/disturbing thread there

giving an undecided voter reasons why he shouldn't support the NDP:

"They like Cuba so much, why don't they move there."
...
"Ok, all this commie stuff is really scaring me...Please tell me this is only a small fringe in the party.. right? This article made me think of the communists than ran the student association in college" -"Right on. They grew up and joined the NDP."
http://www.freedominion.ca/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20450

:crazy: :evilgrin:

[Screaming Lord Byron]

13. You want a real laugh? Check out their traffic figures.

I'm pretty sure the whole site is just Rob Anders and Ezra Levant whining together.

[Crachet2004]

9. A new study out today indicates that 25 percent...

of Saskatchewanians are certifiably insane, or delusional, prompting discussion in Washington DC of a massive airlift of chemical restraint medication to the mentally beleaugered Canadian Province.

"We've got enough problems with Haitian refugees", one high administration source was quoted as saying, "without being inundated with Canadian Madmen!"

More at five, when I sober up.

[Richardo]

10. Is it "Saskatchewanians", "Saskatchewegians" or "Saskatchewankers"?

:shrug:

They know not what they ask for... :scared:

[Johnyawl]

14. We'll trade Saskatchewan for Washington State

That'll work for me!