THE RELATIONSHIP OF CANADA A ND THE UNITED STATES
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—I observe from a cable despatch in our local newspapers that a letter has appeared in the Times saying that a prominent Canadian, who knows what he is talking about, has expressed the opinion that Canada will be absorbed by the United States in ten years.
I should like to say that there arc many well-informed Canadians who do not agree with this opinion. I believe there is less annexation sentiment in Canada to-day than there has been since Confederation. The only localities in Canada where annexation has ever been seriously mentioned in recent years are the Eastern Maritime Provinces and some of the Western Provinces. Any feeling in that direction which may have existed in the Maritimes has been completely dissipated by the Dominion Government, which affords them relief by carrying out certain recommendations of the Duncan Commission, notably reduction of freight rates and increased provincial subsidies. So far as the West is concerned, well-informed people in Canada pay very little attention to annexation talk, as any sentiment in that direction is confined to a few people who consider they have grievances that arc not quickly enough remedied by the Government.
There is much American capital being invested in Canada, and many of our natural resources are attracting American money, and in other directions the American influence is Undoubtedly considerable, but it does not tend towards annexa- tion sentiment in either country•, rather towards cementing the friendship which is so rapidly developing between the English- speaking peoples.
There is a decidedly strong nationalistic sentiment develop- ing in Canada, but it is accompanied by the determination that the British connexion shall be maintained and that Canada's future lies within the British Commonwealth of Nations.—.
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