Alternative North Americans.

• Author: Handley, John
• Position: Book review

David T. Jones, Alternative North Americans: What Canada and the United States Can Learn from Each Other, Washington: DC, Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies, 2014, 339 pp., E-Book available free of charge at:

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/alternative-north-americas-what-canada-and the-united-states-can-learn-each-other

David T. Jones, a retired senior Foreign Service officer, served as political minister counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa from 1992 to 1996. A specialist in politicomilitary affairs, he was an adviser to two U.S. Army chiefs of staff. In retirement, Jones has continued research and writing on U.S.-Canadian bilateral issues and foreign affairs, publishing numerous articles.

David Jones has written a compelling critique of Canada and Canadian attitudes towards the U.S. He has not shown bias or unevenness, but it is fair to say that this book will find few if any readers in Canada. As he implied toward the end, it is sometimes more difficult to speak truth to weakness than truth to power. The author writes with considerable wit and humor, but, as indicated above, I suspect both will be lost on any potential Canadian readers. His research question, simply put, is: "Uncle Sam, what do you really think of Canada?" and he explores 12 major and at least 3 minor areas on discontent on both sides of the border.

The author comments on the problems associated with the 200 mile EEZ when both countries have overlapping claims; on the still not completely resolved Gulf of Maine boundary; and on several unresolved boundaries to include the Beaufort Sea; the Dixon Entrance; the Juan de Fuca Straits Seaward Extension; and the Machias Seal Island (U.S. owned by treaty but claimed by Canada due to a lighthouse it built). He concludes with various proposed solutions and resolutions, none of which the Canadians wish to pursue.

Jones muses that although the majority of Canadians have come from some other part of the world they do not expect to return there to satisfy the desires of Native Canadians who would prefer all non-aboriginals to depart. "That attitude, combined with a sense of guilt by fortunate Canadians, has left them with a system for immigrants and refugees that is open to exploitation. It is a system that so extensively empowers immigrants and refugees within the Canadian legal system as to make the process ludicrous to an outside observer" (p.54). The author addresses at length the immigration system, with...