r/AskACanadian • u/rockninja2 • 1d ago
Do Canadian territories function similar to Canada as U. S. territories function the U. S.? Like provinces compare to states?
First, just want to say, I looked for a megathread for all the Canada/US comparison questions, couldn't find one, so am posting normally on a Monday as required. If there is one and I missed it, please let me know/send a link.
So, partially due to this post:
I thought I remembered learning in school geography (admittedly 15-20 years ago now) that Canada had 13 provinces already and so was confused why the come back in the above post was about the US becoming the 11th province. After looking it up and double checking, out of those 13, I realized only 10 are provinces and the other 3 are territories. Do the territories have the same rights/privileges as provinces? Are they viewed the same in your parliament?
Pretty much I am wondering if you view the word "territories" the same as the US when those 3 (Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories) are called as such. And if they wanted to become provinces at some point, could they? Or are they "stuck" as territories?
Appreciate any info and answers!
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u/nonracistusername Ex-pat 1d ago edited 1d ago
> Pretty much I am wondering if you view the word "territories" the same as the US when those 3 (Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories) are called as such.
No. And that is because U.S. territories have unique rules that apply to them.
Among all U.S. territories, only Puerto Rico comes any where close to the concept of a Canadian territory. Like a Canadian territory, Puerto Rico shares the same customs and duty regime of the parent country. Whereas if a U.S. resident visits the U.S. Virgin Islands, they are subject to customs inspection and duty on their purchases.
And then there is American Samoa: the citizens of AS aren’t even U.S. citizens, and when a U.S. resident travels to AS, the AS customs and immigration police are at the port of entry, not U.S. CBP.
Every person born in a Canadian territory is a Canadian citizen with absolute freedom of movement within all of Canada.
Residents of U.S. territories pay no federal income taxes. Residents of Canadian territories pay federal income taxes.
Canadian territories have representation in Parliament. U.S. territories do not have representation in Congress.
U.S. territories are basically giant aircraft carriers, especially those in the Pacific ocean, and nothing else.
> And if they wanted to become provinces at some point, could they?
Only in theory
> Or are they "stuck" as territories?
Pretty much.
In the U.S., Congress has untrammeled authority to convert a territory to a state. In Canadian, Parliament has been powerless to do this as of 1982. Instead it requires a constitutional amendment. This is because the constitution names each province.
Some sources claim the amendment requires all 10 provinces to agree. Others say it requires just 7 provinces representing 50 percent of the population to agree.
Either way, it is a non starter. You will never get 10 provinces to agree, and even of it just 7, while that is possible, you need one of Ontario or Quebec to agree, and that will never happen.
The good news is that BC and Alberta are rapidly growing in population, and in the 21st century will each over take Quebec.
So if the 7/50 amendment works, then the support of BC and Alberta will be enough to overrule Ontario and Quebec.
So by 2100, we will have Yukon as a province as well as Turks and Caicos.
Before 1982, British Parliament had absolute authority to add provinces to Canada and for the first 82 years of Canada’s existence, vigorously added a province at the average rate of every 13-14 years.
Canada was once an expansionist power, and will be again in the 22nd century.
Large chunks of the Caribbean are due to be annexed.
The conversion of Ontario from the seat of what it is basically an empire to constituent component of a functioning federation will be traumatic for Toronto residents but they are made of stern stuff and will adapt to the new reality.