Turks and Caicos Islands - What's The Problem?
TheGup @ Sat Apr 23, 2005 2:59 pm
As far as I can tell, the Turks and Caicos Islands want to be a part of Canada, yet we keep rebuffing them...I'm confused as to why. Can someone explain to me?
Thanks!
Streaker @ Sat Apr 23, 2005 3:20 pm
The thing is I'm not so sure that they want to be a part of Canada, TheGup. Right now they don't pay much in the way of taxes; I believe they pay no income tax, for example.
The business community in the Turks and Caicos have proposed some kind of closer relationship with Canada for years but have also indicated that they aren't really interested in becoming fully integrated in the Canadian union. From the standpoint of the Canadian gov't this is problematic.
I'm working from memory here so I could be wrong; I'll try to do some research on this later on...
Streaker @ Sat Apr 23, 2005 4:24 pm
Looks like we might have missed the boat 
:
$1:
But an External Affairs study in 1987 warned that annexation of the islands - population 25,000 - could fuel racial tension and would be too costly while providing little or no benefit to Canada.
Island residents use U.S. greenbacks. And they don't pay any income or sales tax. Unlike 20 years ago, the economy is booming.
Anderson fears her paycheque would shrink if Canada took over: "If Canada comes, we're going to have to pay all this tax."
At the Turks and Caicos Free Press, assistant editor Hayden Boyce also frowns on the idea.
"The people ... are not keen on it at all," he said. "It doesn't fit their agenda. They are moving toward self-determination and independence. I don't think they want to trade one colonial master for another."
Island residents use U.S. greenbacks. And they don't pay any income or sales tax. Unlike 20 years ago, the economy is booming.
Anderson fears her paycheque would shrink if Canada took over: "If Canada comes, we're going to have to pay all this tax."
At the Turks and Caicos Free Press, assistant editor Hayden Boyce also frowns on the idea.
"The people ... are not keen on it at all," he said. "It doesn't fit their agenda. They are moving toward self-determination and independence. I don't think they want to trade one colonial master for another."
Link to Full Article.
Beer @ Sun Apr 24, 2005 9:08 pm
Actually..
A recent Plebescite showed that an overwhelming majority of the Turcs and Caicos inhabitants would love to form a partnership with Canada.
The Reason Canada rejected the idea in the past is simply because of our appearance. During the Cold war, Canada was rather seen as a "Neutral" , one of the few NON-imperialistic countries of the G-7. It wanted to Keep it's image, and said NO to it.
Personnaly, the Turcs and Caicos Islands would be a great benefit for both parties, from an Economic stand point. But it would take to long to explain it all.