Occasionally, I get mail:
Hi James: I have been doing a petition (to make) the Islands of Turks & Caicos Canada's 11th Province. It is worded the same as MP Peter Goldring's Motion and will accompany the Motion to the House of Commons when it is discussed..soon. I am also on the Turks & Caicos exploratory committee with Richard Pearson... aplaceinthesun.ca Just wondered if you wouldn't mind making mention of my website on your website. The petition is at www.4caribbeandream.com. If you decide to do so, thanks for the help.
best regards,
Pam Stewart-Crawford
Consider it done.
Assuming that the Turks and Caicos islands still want us, I fully support any movement to make them a part of Canada. Though there will be costs (bringing the islands' 18,000 residents up to Canadian standards of employment and health care, as well as a coast guard to patrol the islands and maintain control over immigration), I'm sure they will be more than made up for by the tourist dollars that will be unleashed when Canadians get a tropical destination they can reach without going through customs, where goods are available in Canadian dollars, and the economic activity comes back to us in spades.
I still think it is a mistake to campaign to bring the islands aboard as Canada's eleventh province. Such a province would have a fifth of the population of Prince Edward Island and probably not even the square mileage. On the other hand, the Turks and the Caicos would fit comfortably next to the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut as Canada's fourth territory.
Whatever. I'm sure the details will all be ironed out in the end. The important thing is to get the ball rolling.