There are many people, who are talking about moving to Canada. I subtly share links like this one for Cape Breton, Canada (link cleverly named cbiftrumpwins.com). I also try to explain that it is not as simple as jumping in a car and crossing borders. There are visas and nationalism to consider. Also, one should be prepared for the issue of taxation. Until a person renounces American citizenship, they are still legally responsible for U.S. taxes. As Benjamin Franklin once wrote, "...nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."
Loonies aside (a loonie is a Canadian dollar), if I decided to move to Canada I would choose Hans Island.
| Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia |
This barren hunk of rock is less than a square foot mile and is nestled halfway between Canada and Greenland. It is uninhabited and otherwise uninteresting...except for one thing. The Canadian and Danish governments have been fighting over this arctic paradise for around eighty years..
In 1933, the Island was deemed Danish territory by the not-so-Permanent Court of International Justice of the League of Nations. This League of Nations disbanded and was later replaced by the United Nations. The issue of who legally had claim to Hans Island fell in the...in-between (pun, intended).
Apparently, hostilities were revived in 1984 when Denmark's Minister of Greenland Affairs planted a flag on the island. To further the slight, a bottle of brandy and a note that read, "Welcome to the Danish Island" was left behind. This started what is known as, "the whiskey wars".
Arbitrarily, the Canadian military visits the island to change the Danish flag to their own. They leave a bottle of whiskey and a note that reads, "Welcome to Canada". Eventually, the Danish return to replace these with their own flag, booze and message.
A Danish website called freehansisland.com reviews the affects of this war. A few of my favorites are;
- No humans have lived on Hans Island since Canada first occupied it.
- The landscape of Hans Island has been barren, to say the least, since Canada first occupied it.
- The Danish navy has suffered no casualties in the struggle for Hans Island. Canadian losses are unknown, but are at least equal, possibly higher.
- Despite claiming ownership, Canada provides no medical or social services to any of the inhabitants of Hans Island.
My final thoughts are wrapped up in this comic from my half-assed google search. Enjoy!
| Photo Courtesy: satwcomic.com/epic-battle |
