In the aftermath of the Nov. 2 presidential election, there has been a call from both sides of the political spectrum to come together as a nation. But for some, these pleas alone may not be enough to prevent a drastic statement in response to the divided election.
Some are so unwilling to be affiliated with another Bush administration that they have considered jumping ship to seek liberal asylum in Canada.
| The Issue The Canadian immigration Web site has seen a six-fold increase in visitors since the election. |
On Nov. 3, the day after the election, Canada saw a six-fold increase in hits on its national immigration Web site. In the days following, an above-average number of visitors interested in the idea of becoming a Canuck have continued the trend.
In response to this heightened interest from disgruntled Americans in our left-leaning neighbor to the north, Immigration Ministry spokeswoman Maria Ladinardi said, “The more the merrier.”
And for the people who feel they have been most adversely affected by the election result, Canada might actually make sense.
Take, for example, gay people. Upon Saskatchewan’s ruling Friday to allow same-sex marriage, seven of the 10 Canadian provinces now fully endorse gay rights. Contrast this with the 11 U.S. states that approved a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage Nov. 2, and it’s easy to see how the balance, for gay people at least, may tip to Canada.
Marijuana enthusiasts may have legitimate incentive as well. Three provinces have legalized the personal possession of marijuana and the federal government is currently entertaining the idea of legalizing small quantities nationwide. If you’re an American living outside of Alaska, good luck seeing this kind of progressive legislation on the ballot in the near future.
Finally, those simply offended by recent civil liberty infringements also may be drawn to the bastion of liberal thinking that Canada offers.
For some, perhaps defecting to Canada isn’t such a crazy idea after all.
