Tracy
The EU (European Union) would seem to suggest that countries can band together for mutual advantage without losing their social and language identity. Germany exerts huge control over the EU even though most other members have a fairly important grievance against Germany within living memory. Canada with USA looks easy by comparison.
Having said that, Australia and New Zealand have even more reason to merge- one language, very similar culture, geographically very close, similar defence and trade challenges- but mutual "admiration" (!) and politics means it is unlikely to happen any time soon. I'm not sure, but I rather suspect that Canada is to USA as New Zealand is to Australia.
Regards
JR
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1
