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Statehood Issues

Why should the U.S. want Ontario as a state?

Ontario would directly contribute billions of dollars in annual revenue to the United States Treasury Department through federally collected taxes.

Nearly 8% of all U.S. foreign trade is conducted with Ontario. The United States trades more annually with Ontario alone than with the entire European Union. With the addition of Ontario as a state, not only would U.S. economic growth be spurred by a 4% population base increase in the domestic market, but the U.S. trade deficit with Ontario would be cut literally overnight.

The national addition of 412,582 square miles of land and 177,388 square miles of inland water surface, along with its wealth of resources including the remaining 4 Great Lakes, and much of Hudson and James Bay.

Ontario statehood would really signify a long-awaited homecoming. Around 80,000 British loyalists left the U.S. for Upper Canada after the Versailles Treaty recognized the United States of America as an independent nation in 1783.

Why should Ontario want to be a state?

Ontario is very dependant on the United States both economically and militarily. Decisions made at the national level in Ottawa, or at the provincial level in Toronto are meaningless if the policies of the United

U.S. Capitol—Where Ontario has no voice

States government or those of individual states overwhelm Ontario. With statehood, there would no longer be domination without representation. Ontario would elect 2 Senators to the U.S. Senate and as many Congressmen as the population would warrant. Currently Ontario has a population of 11,416,046. With each Congressman representing approximately 650,000 people according to the 2000 census, Ontario would elect 18 Congressmen to the U.S. House of Representatives. Ontarians would finally take their rightful place in the grand scheme of things by influencing actual legislation and presidential policy to attack problems head-on that they can now only whine on endlessly. Not only would Ontario have a voice in Washington, D.C., but Ontario would have a voice that would be heard.

Individual states within the United States of America have much more autonomy and freedom to shape their own destiny than do provinces within the highly centralized government of Canada. Broad ranging issues from the death penalty, to privatized health care, to tax rates all fall under each individual state's jurisdiction and not under federal jurisdiction.

Any native born Ontarian or legal resident would be the equivalent of any native born citizen or legal resident of the United States of America. Citizens would have the constitutionally guaranteed right to live, travel and work from California to New England. Retirees would not have to suffer through the cold winter months, but could legally pack up and move permanently to Arizona, Florida or Hawaii on a moment's notice. People in search of opportunity would be able to migrate to wherever there are new technologies and careers. The so-called Canadian "brain drain" would mean nothing, as would the guilt that Canadian nationalists attempt to lay on individuals seeking their fortune and welfare of their families by going over to "the other side." The educational investment that Ontario makes would stay within the nation, and would work for the benefit of the nation—even if thousands of miles away. In addition, native born citizens would legally be eligible to run for all federal offices, including President of the United States of America.

Skyline of downtown Toronto

Along with statehood would come immediate prestige not only in the United States of America, but on the world stage as well. Ontario would be the seventh most populous state immediately after the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with a total population of 11,416,046 people and the second largest state directly following the state of Alaska with 412,582 square miles of land. Ontario would also instantly have two cities ranking nationally among the top 20 in population. Toronto with a population of 2,481,494 people would become the fourth largest city in the country right after Chicago, Illinois and Ottawa with a population of 774,072 people would become the fourteenth largest city in the country behind San Francisco, California.

Economic growth and prosperity from investment would flourish in Ontario not only through the monetary stability obtained by full adoption of the U.S. dollar, but through complete integration into the national economy.

Much of the revenue collected on all products from the national 7% Goods and Services Tax is handed out to other provinces in the form of Equalization Payments. It is estimated that the burden of just keeping Quebec within the Canadian Confederation costs each Ontarian nearly $3,000 annually. Not only is there no federally extorted Goods and Services Tax, but there are no Equalization Payments paid to placate states to remain within the United States of America—Ontarians would be able to keep that 7% of their own money in their own pocket.

There could never be any tariffs or quotas introduced to shut out Ontario goods or throw Ontarians out of work. Permanent security against exclusion from the U.S. market is guaranteed only through statehood. Free trade legislation can readily be repealed and even treaties with any foreign nation, including Canada, can be revoked at any time.

Post secondary institutions of higher learning in Ontario would automatically become eligible for both federal and private funding resulting in better schools with lower overall tuition rates. More of Ontario's best and brightest students would also be able to afford schools of their choice across the nation through eligibility for federal and private grants, loans, and scholarships.

With statehood comes eligibility for federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation for much needed improvement to Ontario's antiquated transportation infrastructure.

Eligibility for U.S. philanthropic funding for the Arts in Ontario from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as various private sector contributors.

With a single common currency, Ontario's professional sports teams in baseball, basketball, and hockey will not only be able to regain their financial footing, but would become very profitable as well. They would no longer be at the mercy of generating revenue in a weak currency and paying expenses in a strong currency. In addition, a city with the power of Toronto would be virtually guaranteed to gain a professional football franchise and quite possibly even a second professional hockey team.