What You Can Do

What can I do on my own to promote the idea of Ontario statehood?

Even in this modern era there is still plenty that individual citizens can accomplish.  Although it often may not seem like it, remember that you alone can still make a difference.  Individual citizens of like mind and spirit working together can unite to form small groups.  These small groups in turn can unite with other groups to form larger groups and so on.  Always bear in mind that the mightiest of floods always begins with a single drop of rain, and you could very well be that single drop of rain.  As a staring point, here are just a few suggestions of what you could do on your own to promote Ontario statehood.

Discuss the idea of Ontario statehood

A good idea that nobody ever hears of, is a good idea that nobody will ever see.  So something that anyone can very easily do is discuss the idea of Ontario statehood with friends, neighbors and relatives.  Talk it up, get the ball rolling, and most importantly, make people think.

Remember that our perception always works best from a subjective view rather than from an objective view.  Therefore you could directly relate the implications of statehood to people by explaining how it would impact them personally.  Bring up the multitude of potential benefits that they would reap from Ontario statehood.  In particular, be sure to illustrate just how Ontario statehood would change their day to day lives for the better.

Encourage them to speak to others about the topic, even if their initial reaction is negative.  Do not let a negative knee-jerk reaction discourage you.  Remember that this type of response is emotional in nature, and due to years upon years of institutionalized Canadian nationalist propaganda and not to critically thinking about the issue.  If people still find grounds to disagree with you, then you just simply have not explained your case thoroughly enough.

Given an opportunity with all of the facts laid bare, people can determine on their own just how much this fallacy of "Canadian sovereignty" is really costing them.  Best of all, these same individuals will also come to realize on their own just whom the real beneficiaries are in a country that fosters a belief in an ever expanding, rights constricting paternalistic government, the Canadian politicians.  If enough awareness is raised that there are actually people who know that it would be better for Ontario to be a part of the U.S. rather than part of a so-called "sovereign" nation, then gradually people will see that this is not a pipedream after all but something realistically attainable.  The more people that discuss an idea, the more it becomes not only seemingly possible but completely sensible as well.

Write on

The written word has historically always been a powerful communication tool, but with the modern technology of the internet the written word has become a very powerful communication tool.  Correspondence to anyone with a computer, anywhere in the world can be sent and received almost instantaneously through a simple phone connection.  We are no longer forced to wait for letters to be sent, delivered and replied.  What once took a matter of weeks or sometimes even months to accomplish can now be done in simply a matter of seconds.  Yet while a traditional hardcopy letter typically has more of an impact on the reader, e-mail is very common nowadays and most importantly, e-mail is read.

A concise, well articulated letter has the ability to educate, inform and promote critical thinking.  The tone of a letter should be practical and idealistic in order to appeal to people's best interests and foresight, and not just to narrow self-interest alone.  Those letters that are best written and make valid points can move people to action and can ultimately succeed in changing the world for the better.  Here are some very basic suggestions as to whom you could write, and what points in particular you could emphasize.

• An open letter to an Ontario university could possibly suggest that national independence is costing them large sums of money in basic research grants, forcing them to be less competitive than U.S. universities.  You could also contend that their U.S. counterparts threaten to further widen their broad lead over Ontario universities by attracting top professors, researchers and students to "where all the action is."

• In writing to Ontario manufacturers you could assert that U.S. federal and state procurement policies that now discriminate against foreign goods would in fact favor those same goods in Union.  You could stress that protection of Ontario's workers from downsizing comes only through permanent inclusion into what is already their very own market through statehood.

• In the print media, editorial letters could be written to Ontario newspapers.  Whenever stories appear addressing topics such as high unemployment rates, less disposable income, rising prices, high taxes or the falling value of the Canadian dollar, mention how much economic conditions would improve along with statehood.  Letters to the editor in particular should be especially short and appeal to people's best instincts.  Every time a nationalist article or letter appears in a Canadian publication, answer it, and let people know that it is alright to admit out loud that becoming part of the United States is something that many dream of, not dread.

• Letters to the editor in American newspapers could also point out that the U.S. trade deficit with Ontario could permanently be alleviated with statehood.  Statehood would no doubt lead to investment within Ontario and spur the growth of the U.S. national economy as a whole.  In addition, Ontarians could also raise the point that contrary to popular misconceptions, not every single individual is a Canadian nationalist and many in fact favor Union but have been culled into silence by the establishment.

• In the United States you could suggest in writing to the Democratic National Committee that with the addition of Ontario as a state, the growing trend of conservatism in the U.S. electorate might be curbed.  Since the historical trend of voters in Ontario has been to vote for more liberal policies, you could argue that the outcome of the 2000 Presidential election might have been very different with the addition of Ontario's electoral votes.

• Conversely you could also suggest in writing to the Republican National Committee that as with the original 13 colonies, the British tradition has instilled voters in Ontario with a great deal of respect for social order that would further be strengthened upon statehood.  The addition of Ontario as a state could cause liberalism in the U.S. electorate to be limited by welcoming home people whom are enthusiastic about greater personal freedom and less reliance upon government.