I enjoyed Michael Burke’s essay titled “Please, Canada, take Maine in?,” which appeared in the Maine Sunday Telegram on April 13. In his piece, Mr. Burke describes what our lives might be like as Canadian citizens. The essayist offers an imaginary escape from our frightening reality under the regime of President Donald Trump and his toadies.
Although Mr. Burke lists several advantages to Canada’s absorption of Maine, I would like to offer a few more for fun: we would no longer suffer heartburn every time Rep. Jared Golden votes in Congress, Sen. Susan Collins would retire and Massachusetts drivers could drive no more than 100 km/h (around 60 mph) on our roads.
More seriously, imagine if all Maine citizens would live like Canadians, who receive health care as a right; where no one, including students and people of color, are subject to rendition, and whose country addresses climate change and has mature relationships with the world’s other democracies. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our country could be like Canada?
Daniel Boutin
Portland
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