CANZUK is about Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom setting up our own kind of EU. Free trade, free movement of people and a coordinated foreign policy. This is not just somebodies pipe dream. Erin O’Toole, leader of Canada’s Conservative party, has made it a priority for his parties platform. Boris Johnson is on record for strongly supporting it and New Zealand is a thumbs-up. Australia is considering it, they have just been to busy with their own security issues with China. CANZUK would definitely give Australia more security. Why these countries are considering such an arrangement is simple– we have so much in common already. We all vote the same on UN issues, we all have a very similar court system, similar GDP per capita and we all get along. This is quite different than the EU, where the countries have very different ideas and customs.
After the 2016 Brexit vote, this idea of CANZUK started picking up traction. All four countries are already part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance and have the same monarch.
The combined population would be 136 million and have a GDP of $6.5 trillion.
Canada and Australia both have had their own problems with China. Since China likes to pick on weaker countries, such a federation as CANZUK would protect all its members from such aggression.
Now for the downside of CANZUK
- Trade is hampered because of distances
- Military support difficult because of distances
- Common currency?
Instead of listing all the things that would impede such a union, why not see what would work right now.
A free trade deal, is a no brainer and how about an agreement for mutual protection from unfair tariffs. Kind of a one for all and all for one approach… are you listening China?
This could be a start, lets see where it takes us.
image sources
- CANZUK_International_April_2018_Poll: PhilipYip1988 | CC BY-SA 4.0