Mobility is a Part of Freedom

People have been writing about Stéphane Dion and his dual Canadian-French citizenship. Here in Edmundson, Fraser Paper regularly advertises for jobs REQUIRING dual citizenship (American and Canadian). Fraser's Edmundston (Canada) mill makes the pulp and the Madawaska (USA) plant turns it into paper (it is shipped via a big pipe).

One of the local American border guards has dual citizenship and lives in Canada !

A good chunk of the local population has dual Canadian and American citizenship. Most do not, however, and there a regular stories about people being barred from entry. And did you know that if you are engaged to an American you need a visa to enter the USA?!

Anyway, seems to me that Canadians should be able to live and or work in the USA and vice-versa. The French and Irish can in the UK. New Zealanders can in Australia. Norwegians (not part of the EU) can in Sweden. Many other countries have similar arrangements. Why not Canada?

Don't blame the Yanks. Canada doesn't even have a mobility agreement as part of its Commonwealth or Francophonie membership. That is just silly.

We send our troops to Afghanistan to defend the USA but Canadians can't work in a Maine Tim Hortens at the height of the summer tourist season! Canadian construction workers can't work in Florida during the winter despite the huge need for temporary workers (especially after a hurricane).

There are many Portuguese construction workers working illegally in Toronto. I'm sure many Canadians would like to live or work in Portugal. Seems to me like a mutual agreement would benefit both countries.

Maybe having a Liberal leader who can live in 25 countries (thanks to his French and EU citizenship), and who has studied in France, will move Canada just a bit closer to allowing its citizens the ultimate freedom: to chose where to live.