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For the latest news from Scotland see our ScotNews feed at:
https://electricscotland.com/scotnews.htm
Electric Scotland News
It is with a heavy heart that I have to inform you all of the passing of Camus-na-h-Erie. Duncan will be posting the following notice in the press soon:
Ian Malcolm Grant MacIntyre, 17th Chieftain of Camus-na-h-Erie on 26th September in his 80th year, beloved long term companion of Anne, Countess of Dunmore, loving and adored father of Duncan, Annabelle and Abby, sorely missed by Katie, Rebecca and their families and by his nine grandchildren; Skye, Rosie, Zara, Poppy, Lily, Jack, Kitty, Lulu and Florie. Thanksgiving Service to be held at the Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh on Wednesday 16th October at 2pm. Family flowers only.
I will be attending the funeral. I am also aware that the Chief will be represented at the service. I understand it was a heart attack. This is all the information I have at the moment.
Regards
Colin
-------
Scotland and the Arctic Festival Events at Moat Brae
Press Release 7th October 2019
Read about this event which includes Inuits from Greenland and also Canada at:
https://electricscotland.com/newsletter/moatbrae.pdf
Scottish News from this weeks newspapers
Note that this is a selection and more can be read in our ScotNews feed on our index page where we list news from the past 1-2 weeks. I am partly doing this to build an archive of modern news from and about Scotland as all the newsletters are archived and also indexed on Google and other search engines. I might also add that in newspapers such as the Daily Record, Courier, BBC, Capx, ThinkScotland, etc. you will find many comments which can be just as interesting as the news story itself and of course you can also add your own comments if you wish.
Note: The Scotsman newspaper has gone behind a paywall so we'll rarely be using their news for our feed as it's our policy to ensure you get to read a full news story and if it's behind a paywall then that doesn't mean you'll be guaranteed to be able to read the full article.
North Coast 500 boosted Highland economy by £22m
The North Coast 500 is now one of the top reasons for people to travel to Scotland, and with the stunning scenery, unique experiences, exceptional food and drink, the famous Highland hospitality, a wide range of activities and the fascinating history and heritage the North Highlands of Scotland has to offer,
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland...lands-49933065
Martin Howe QC calls for a Restoration of the Constitution Bill
Martin Howe QC called for the Restoration of the Constitution Bill to reverse this judgment and to undo the Blair constitutional changes which have led to this situation, by replacing the present Supreme Court with a new lower key and less activist court of final appeal and restoring the historic role of the Lord Chancellor in relation to the judiciary.
Read more at:
https://lawyersforbritain.org/martin...stitution-bill
Walkers' Brussels sprouts crisps are back following requests all year round
If you've been requesting Brussels sprouts crisps, you need to take a long hard look at yourself
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifest...-back-20410708
Iceland is selling festive pie that has full Christmas roast dinner inside
The supermarket chain is the latest to launch an unusual festive treat that should wow guests on the big day.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifest...-full-20447996
The economic case for a clean break from the EU’s protectionist cartel is stronger than ever
Once one looks at the data, it is clear that the business case for Brexit has been stronger than ever.
Read more at:
https://brexitcentral.com/the-econom...ger-than-ever/
Scottish business leads way in vertical arming trend using hydroponic towers
Vertical farming is expected to be worth £13billion by 2025 and Shockingly Fresh has secured 50 hectares of land to create sites.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...-market-205248
The biggest crisis in British politics
The brutal truth is many voters don't see politicians as human
Read more at:
https://capx.co/the-big-crisis-in-br...lapse-in-trust
Whisky firm release new dishwasher tablet-shaped cocktail capsules
The Glenlivet distillery has created biodegradable capsules encased in a bubble of edible seaweed and insist their new invention is delicious.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...asher-20526014
Scotland's not proven verdict on trial in study
The size of juries - at 15, among the largest in the world - and Scotland's controversial not proven verdict may be reviewed as a result of the research.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-49972637
Canada election: Key moments from the leaders' debate
For the first time, all Canada's main party leaders were on stage together, in what is likely to have been the most watched TV debate in this federal election campaign.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49901453
Brexit defiance as Nigel Farage delivers crushing blow to Angela Merkel after EU demand
NIGEL FARAGE hit back at Angela Merkel after she said there could only be a deal if Northern Ireland stayed in the customs union.
Read more at:
https://www.express.co.uk/news/polit...-boris-johnson
A rare £10k whisky advent calendar has just gone on sale and it's the best thing we've ever seen
The Master of Malt website has just launched this year's range of boozy advent calendars - all carefully selected to keep your spirits up this festive season
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifest...endar-20542159
It’s high time for a truly pro-growth tax reform
A competitive tax system will attract investment and jobs regardless of the outcome of Brexit
Read more at:
https://capx.co/its-high-time-for-a-...wth-tax-reform
We need a new strategy to take on the scourge of diabetes
A different approach to treating diabetes could improve lives and save billions
Read more at:
https://capx.co/we-need-a-new-strate...e-of-diabetes/
Thousands of building snags found at unusable hospital
Minutes of the dedicated NHS Lothian board overseeing the project show there were 2,000 snagging issues in May.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland...-fife-49991047
MSPs' green light for workplace parking levy
Plans to give local councils the power to charge a levy on workplace parking are expected to be passed into law.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland...itics-49991051
Indian tycoon plans to build Brigadoon village in Highlands
The businessman has already snapped up three hotels in the area and now wants to buy Glengarry Forest.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...adoon-20546131
Airborne laser scan reveals Arran's 1,000 ancient sites
A cutting-edge archaeological project has discovered about 1,000 sites of interest on Arran including prehistoric settlements and medieval farmsteads.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland...-west-49989351
Dyson has scrapped its electric car project
The firm, headed by inventor Sir James Dyson, said its engineers had developed a fantastic electric car but that it would not hit the roads because it was not commercially viable.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50004184
Amazon is selling a huge box of Celebrations for £17 and it weighs almost 2.5kg
Savvy shoppers can stock up for Halloween and Christmas for less with this incredible offer
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifest...tions-20552874
Fight. Fight. Fight!
The incoming European commissioners, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, will fight climate change. They want to fight to protect the European way of life.
Read more at:
https://www.politico.eu/article/the-...commissioners/
Billions of euros of EU funds misspent last year: auditors
More than 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) of European Union funds were misspent last year, EU auditors estimated in a report released on Tuesday, which highlighted poor checks in receiving states on how the bloc’s funds are invested.
Read more at:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-eu...-idUKKBN1WM2B0
Glasgow's Lord Provost billed taxpayer for 23 pairs of shoes in £8000 spending spree
Eva Bolander also claimed for six jackets, five coats, underwear and a £200 hat with critics branding the SNP councillor 'Imelda Marcos'.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/p...payer-20533715
Electric Canadian
An Historical and Descriptive Account of British America
Comprehending Canada Upper and Lower, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Price Edward island, the Bermudas, and the Fur Countries: Their History from the earliest settlement; the statistics and Topography of each district, their commerce, agriculture, and fisheries, their social and political condition, and also an account of the manners and present state of the aboriginal tribes to which is added a full detail of the principles and best modes of emigration by Hugh Murray, F.R.S.E., with Illustrations of the natural history by James Wilson, F.R.S.E. A.M.W.S., R. K. Greville, LL.D. and Professor Traill in three volumes (1839)
You can read this at: https://www.electriccanadian.com/his...ricamurray.htm
Flowers from a Canadian Garden\
Selected and Edited by Lawrence J. Burpee (1909) (pdf)
You can read this at: https://www.electriccanadian.com/lif...00burpuoft.pdf
Norwegians in Canada
Added a section for the Norwegians in Canada to our collection of ethnic roots in Canada.
You can view this at: https://www.electriccanadian.com/history/norway.htm
The Canadian Army Newsreels
107 to view on YouTube at:
http://www.electricscotland.org/show...Army-Newsreels
Father Ritchot fighter for the rights of the Metis.
I also updated the Metis page due to three videos not displaying so have replaced them with 2 new videos which you get to at: https://www.electriccanadian.com/his...herRitchot.htm
Main Canadian opposition leader slams PM Trudeau as a fraud in key election debate
Canada’s main opposition leader repeatedly attacked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday during a pivotal televised debate, calling him a phony and a fraud who did not deserve to be re-elected on Oct. 21.
You can read more at:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-ca...-idUKKBN1WM09Q
Electric Scotland
Scottish Folk-Lore
By The Rev. Duncan Anderson, M.A., author of "The Lays of Canada" (1899) (pdf)
You can read this at: https://electricscotland.com/history...shfolklore.pdf
Clan Buchanan
Got in their newsletter "The Buchanan Banner" for October 2019. It contains a great deal of information on their clan chief and is an excellent read and you can get to this at: https://electricscotland.com/familyt...anan/index.htm
Robert Burns Lives!
Robert Burns: 'Man O' Independent Mind' by Professor Chris Whatley who reflects on the poetic legacy of Robert Burns.
You can read this at: https://electricscotland.com/familyt...s_lives266.htm
One Human(e) Society
By Martin MacIntyre the author of the Clan MacIntyre book (pdf)
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...%205-23-19.pdf
Home Preacher
Got up the 10th service by W. B. M’Kenzie. Included a picture of him and two of his books and also a funeral address given at his funeral.
You can get to this at: https://electricscotland.com/bible/h...her/week10.htm
The New Scrap-Book
A Selection of choice Bon Mots which you can read at: https://electricscotland.com/humour/scrapbook1.pdf
King Arthur Pendragon
By Nigel Dryden Cunningham (2019) (pdf).
A new book just published and you can read a synopsis at:
https://www.electricscotland.com/his...kingarthur.pdf
Scotland and the Arctic Festival Events at Moat Brae
The Press Release issued on 7th October 2019 can be read at:
https://electricscotland.com/newsletter/moatbrae.pdf
Life of Sir John Richardson
By The Rev. John McIlraith (1868) (pdf). also added another small book about him at the foot of his page.
You can read this at: https://electricscotland.com/history...richardson.htm
The Study of Celtic Literature
By Mathew Arnold (1867) (pdf).
Added this to our Celtic Review page just over half way down the page at: https://electricscotland.com/history/celtic/
Scottish Society of Louisville
Got in their October 2019 issue which can be read at:
https://electricscotland.com/familyt...ille/index.htm
The Story
CANZUK
Would Great Britain be best served joining up with Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other former colonies and making a new union or trading union? We have very strong ties to these countries and family connections.
Reply by Dr. Andrew Lilico
Great question Ryan, and thanks for bringing this concept forward. You likely are already aware of the answer, as you picked the four specific countries that have actually already been contemplating such an alliance! The proposed union even has a name already spread about - CANZUK - the Canada-Australia-New Zealand-United Kingdom trade bloc. There is even a website (CANZUK International) currently promoting the idea to all four national governments, who are all in various stages of development of the idea locally:
I believe strongly that the United Kingdom/Great Britain would indeed be best served by joining with these particular member states of the current British Commonwealth, to form a new trade bloc, like the EU - Australia, New Zealand and Canada (FULL DISCLOSURE: I was born I, and have lived all of my 51 years, as a citizen of Canada).
You are correct that the personal, professional, business and national connections between these four particular countries is incredibly deep. Of course, this is because we are family, as you stated previously - Great Britain being our mother, and the other three nations (Australia, New Zealand and Canada) being sisters, who to this day very much love and respect one another.
The trust and credibility built between these four nations goes all the way back to our individual founding as colonies of the British Empire, and now member states of the Commonwealth. The daughter states are all within 44 years of being the exact same age:
New Zealand - May 7, 1856
Dominion of Canada - July 1, 1867
Commonwealth of Australia - January 1, 1901
These four nations fought through two World Wars, the Great Depression, and a host of other challenging times… side by side.
They are also the countries Britons like most, by a large margin. A 2011 survey by the research firm YouGov found that Australia, New Zealand and Canada are regarded as “especially favourable” by 48, 47 and 44 per cent of Britons. The next most-favoured country, the U.S., was way behind at 31 per cent, and the most-favoured EU member, the Netherlands, had only half the favourability of those three countries, at 24 per cent. The feeling is fairly mutual. A 2014 survey found 80 per cent of Canadians and 73 per cent of Australians regard the U.K.’s influence as “mainly positive.” (By way of reference, that same survey found only 43 per cent of Canadians regard American influence as “mainly positive,” versus 52 per cent who regard it as “mainly negative.”)
We share Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II as our common monarch. A shared monarch is an essential aspect of CANZUK, who represents a global institution which has played an important role as a symbol of a common heritage and parliamentary tradition. The Crown has been the cornerstone of democratic government and the rule of law over a long history of peaceful constitutional development. It is instructive to note that the English speaking countries which have retained the monarchy have been far more successful in avoiding civil unrest than their republican counterparts.
The four nations have the same Parliamentary governmental system, a similar Constitution, and are all members of the British Commonwealth. We have similarly-ranked and recognized educational institutions, as well as similar ideas in the business and financial realms, and geopolitical aspirations. The four nations also have, for the most part, the respect and trust of the majority of the nations of the world.
Interest and support is already high in all four nations for such a trade bloc agreement:
We have a similar racial profile, speak the same language (with some various differences that only make things more interesting at worst). Canada, Australia and New Zealand even share a similar currency with a near-identical value - the Dollar. For example, on December 14, 2018 (information provided by Google Finance)
1 New Zealand Dollar equals 0.91 Canadian Dollar
1 Australian Dollar equals 0.96 Canadian Dollar
1 New Zealand Dollar equals 0.96 Australian Dollar
Canada, Australia and New Zealand are more like Britain than any EU member. At US$6.5 trillion in combined GDP, the CANZUK countries would constitute the fourth-largest group in the world, behind the U.S., EU and China. At nearly two-thirds the combined GDP of China, no one could deny that a CANZUK economic grouping would be economically significant. Total global trade of these four countries would be worth more than US$3.5 trillion, versus around US$4.8 trillion for the U.S., US$4.2 trillion for China, or US$1.7 trillion for Japan. These are big numbers by global standards.
With the United Kingdom “Brexiting” the European Union trade bloc and going on their own, this idea has gained newfound interest in the UK, and across the other three nations as well.
This concept of a trade bloc consisting of the United Kingdom/Great Britain, as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand was discussed in a February 13, 2017 Financial Post article, which I will quote verbatim for some excellent updated information. - In the Trump era, the plan for a Canadian-U.K.-Australia-New Zealand trade alliance is quickly catching on:
Erin O’Toole, one of the candidates for the Conservative Party leadership, has made one of the key planks of his campaign his determination to “pursue a Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand trade and security pact.” The idea of creating a “CANZUK” zone of free trade and free movement of labour is catching on elsewhere, too.
In New Zealand, the junior coalition partner in the government, the Act New Zealand party led by David Seymour (who himself worked for five years in Canadian politics), is explicitly in favour of free movement and free trade within CANZUK.
In official party circles within the U.K. and Australia, the wheels are grinding a little slower, but the former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott is already into most of the idea, proposing a free-trade agreement and free-movement area encompassing Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. And in Britain, Theresa May’s Conservative government has made it clear it wants new trade agreements with Canada, Australia and New Zealand as soon as possible after it leaves the EU.
The idea of CANZUK begins with a free-trade agreement, free-movement area (the freedom to live and work in each others’ countries) and defence-partnership agreement. O’Toole favours all three of these main planks, and he’s right that it all makes perfect sense.
The post-Cold-War alliances are obsolete. NAFTA is dead. The EU is losing a key member.
The CANZUK countries, working closely together, would make a formidable contribution to world affairs. They would have the largest total landmass of any free-trade zone. They would collectively constitute the fourth-largest market in the world, after the U.S., EU and China.
Their combined military spending would be the world’s third largest, well ahead of Russia, and on European Geostrategy’s geopolitical power index, the CANZUK countries collectively have a strength around 70 per cent of that of the U.S. — and nearly twice that of China or France. With a combined global trade footprint nearly twice as big as Japan’s, the CANZUK countries would have substantial influence in opening up global markets and guiding global regulation across a range of issues from banking to shipping to the environment.
What makes CANZUK a natural union is perhaps self-evident. Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand share a similar culture, similar values, and analogous legal, business and social systems that allow us to get along easily and interchangeably. (The term CANZUK was originally a term diplomats used to refer to these four countries because of how frequently they would vote the same way at the UN.)
Most of the main issues our political parties focus upon are instantly comprehensible to anyone from another CANZUK state. Our laws and constitutions share many features, making trade deals and mutual regulatory recognition a relatively straightforward matter. Our citizens enjoy a roughly similar per capita GDP (which is just not true of the other Commonwealth nations with similar constitutions) and face few hurdles in integrating into another CANZUK country’s labour market. Our societies are peaceful and orderly.
And in our modern globalized world, we see that we are much more similar to each other than we are to others. The challenges of dealing with Japanese or Chinese business partners can be overcome, but they cannot be denied. Continental Europeans have different foibles, different goals and different priorities from ours, as well as importantly different legal and constitutional challenges. The arrival of President Trump reminds us of just how different from us many parts of the U.S. really are, and always have been.
Furthermore, while the U.S., the EU and China can all make valuable trading partners in their different regions, each CANZUK state that encounters them is regionally overmatched and, standing alone, will inevitably be dominated. Working together though, exploiting our natural affinities and the world of mass communication, high-value services and rapid transit, CANZUK can allow us stand our ground and project our own values and agendas.
The post-Cold-War alliances and assumptions are obsolete. NAFTA is dead. The EU will soon lose one of its largest members. Trump might downgrade NATO, abandon the WTO and even diminish the UN. It’s tempting, in a world of change, to try to cling to as much of the old certainties as possible. But if we look up and out, something new beckons. Free trade, free movement and a new security partnership between countries of shared culture and natural affinity. CANZUK is the global deal of tomorrow.
What might be the elements to a new partnership? The first step might be a new trade deal, perhaps encompassing all four countries together. Then we could add free movement of people — i.e., the automatic right to move to work. A special defence partnership might follow, perhaps including the U.K. providing a nuclear shield to Australia (more credible today than U.S. guarantees) and naval support to Canada to enforce its claims on the increasingly important Northwest Passage. We could develop mutual recognition of our economic, environmental and health and safety regulations, along with our labour standards. Perhaps we might agree to committees or other institutions to develop future regulation together.
A CANZUK alliance would allow its peoples to assert their very similar culture and values in the world as a major global player instead of secondary regional players ultimately subservient to others. It would allow enormous opportunities for mutual reinforcement and protection, trade growth, the flow of people and weight in global economic, regulatory and geopolitical decision-making. When CANZUK speaks, all would listen.
Shall we try?
Dr. Andrew Lilico, born in New Zealand but based in London, is executive director and principal of Europe Economics, a fellow of the Institute of Economic Affairs, and chairman of the IEA Monetary Policy Committee.
And that's it for this week and hope you all have a great weekend and a Happy Thanksgiving.
Alastair
https://electricscotland.com/scotnews.htm
Electric Scotland News
It is with a heavy heart that I have to inform you all of the passing of Camus-na-h-Erie. Duncan will be posting the following notice in the press soon:
Ian Malcolm Grant MacIntyre, 17th Chieftain of Camus-na-h-Erie on 26th September in his 80th year, beloved long term companion of Anne, Countess of Dunmore, loving and adored father of Duncan, Annabelle and Abby, sorely missed by Katie, Rebecca and their families and by his nine grandchildren; Skye, Rosie, Zara, Poppy, Lily, Jack, Kitty, Lulu and Florie. Thanksgiving Service to be held at the Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh on Wednesday 16th October at 2pm. Family flowers only.
I will be attending the funeral. I am also aware that the Chief will be represented at the service. I understand it was a heart attack. This is all the information I have at the moment.
Regards
Colin
-------
Scotland and the Arctic Festival Events at Moat Brae
Press Release 7th October 2019
Read about this event which includes Inuits from Greenland and also Canada at:
https://electricscotland.com/newsletter/moatbrae.pdf
Scottish News from this weeks newspapers
Note that this is a selection and more can be read in our ScotNews feed on our index page where we list news from the past 1-2 weeks. I am partly doing this to build an archive of modern news from and about Scotland as all the newsletters are archived and also indexed on Google and other search engines. I might also add that in newspapers such as the Daily Record, Courier, BBC, Capx, ThinkScotland, etc. you will find many comments which can be just as interesting as the news story itself and of course you can also add your own comments if you wish.
Note: The Scotsman newspaper has gone behind a paywall so we'll rarely be using their news for our feed as it's our policy to ensure you get to read a full news story and if it's behind a paywall then that doesn't mean you'll be guaranteed to be able to read the full article.
North Coast 500 boosted Highland economy by £22m
The North Coast 500 is now one of the top reasons for people to travel to Scotland, and with the stunning scenery, unique experiences, exceptional food and drink, the famous Highland hospitality, a wide range of activities and the fascinating history and heritage the North Highlands of Scotland has to offer,
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland...lands-49933065
Martin Howe QC calls for a Restoration of the Constitution Bill
Martin Howe QC called for the Restoration of the Constitution Bill to reverse this judgment and to undo the Blair constitutional changes which have led to this situation, by replacing the present Supreme Court with a new lower key and less activist court of final appeal and restoring the historic role of the Lord Chancellor in relation to the judiciary.
Read more at:
https://lawyersforbritain.org/martin...stitution-bill
Walkers' Brussels sprouts crisps are back following requests all year round
If you've been requesting Brussels sprouts crisps, you need to take a long hard look at yourself
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifest...-back-20410708
Iceland is selling festive pie that has full Christmas roast dinner inside
The supermarket chain is the latest to launch an unusual festive treat that should wow guests on the big day.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifest...-full-20447996
The economic case for a clean break from the EU’s protectionist cartel is stronger than ever
Once one looks at the data, it is clear that the business case for Brexit has been stronger than ever.
Read more at:
https://brexitcentral.com/the-econom...ger-than-ever/
Scottish business leads way in vertical arming trend using hydroponic towers
Vertical farming is expected to be worth £13billion by 2025 and Shockingly Fresh has secured 50 hectares of land to create sites.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...-market-205248
The biggest crisis in British politics
The brutal truth is many voters don't see politicians as human
Read more at:
https://capx.co/the-big-crisis-in-br...lapse-in-trust
Whisky firm release new dishwasher tablet-shaped cocktail capsules
The Glenlivet distillery has created biodegradable capsules encased in a bubble of edible seaweed and insist their new invention is delicious.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...asher-20526014
Scotland's not proven verdict on trial in study
The size of juries - at 15, among the largest in the world - and Scotland's controversial not proven verdict may be reviewed as a result of the research.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-49972637
Canada election: Key moments from the leaders' debate
For the first time, all Canada's main party leaders were on stage together, in what is likely to have been the most watched TV debate in this federal election campaign.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49901453
Brexit defiance as Nigel Farage delivers crushing blow to Angela Merkel after EU demand
NIGEL FARAGE hit back at Angela Merkel after she said there could only be a deal if Northern Ireland stayed in the customs union.
Read more at:
https://www.express.co.uk/news/polit...-boris-johnson
A rare £10k whisky advent calendar has just gone on sale and it's the best thing we've ever seen
The Master of Malt website has just launched this year's range of boozy advent calendars - all carefully selected to keep your spirits up this festive season
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifest...endar-20542159
It’s high time for a truly pro-growth tax reform
A competitive tax system will attract investment and jobs regardless of the outcome of Brexit
Read more at:
https://capx.co/its-high-time-for-a-...wth-tax-reform
We need a new strategy to take on the scourge of diabetes
A different approach to treating diabetes could improve lives and save billions
Read more at:
https://capx.co/we-need-a-new-strate...e-of-diabetes/
Thousands of building snags found at unusable hospital
Minutes of the dedicated NHS Lothian board overseeing the project show there were 2,000 snagging issues in May.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland...-fife-49991047
MSPs' green light for workplace parking levy
Plans to give local councils the power to charge a levy on workplace parking are expected to be passed into law.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland...itics-49991051
Indian tycoon plans to build Brigadoon village in Highlands
The businessman has already snapped up three hotels in the area and now wants to buy Glengarry Forest.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/s...adoon-20546131
Airborne laser scan reveals Arran's 1,000 ancient sites
A cutting-edge archaeological project has discovered about 1,000 sites of interest on Arran including prehistoric settlements and medieval farmsteads.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland...-west-49989351
Dyson has scrapped its electric car project
The firm, headed by inventor Sir James Dyson, said its engineers had developed a fantastic electric car but that it would not hit the roads because it was not commercially viable.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50004184
Amazon is selling a huge box of Celebrations for £17 and it weighs almost 2.5kg
Savvy shoppers can stock up for Halloween and Christmas for less with this incredible offer
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifest...tions-20552874
Fight. Fight. Fight!
The incoming European commissioners, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, will fight climate change. They want to fight to protect the European way of life.
Read more at:
https://www.politico.eu/article/the-...commissioners/
Billions of euros of EU funds misspent last year: auditors
More than 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) of European Union funds were misspent last year, EU auditors estimated in a report released on Tuesday, which highlighted poor checks in receiving states on how the bloc’s funds are invested.
Read more at:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-eu...-idUKKBN1WM2B0
Glasgow's Lord Provost billed taxpayer for 23 pairs of shoes in £8000 spending spree
Eva Bolander also claimed for six jackets, five coats, underwear and a £200 hat with critics branding the SNP councillor 'Imelda Marcos'.
Read more at:
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/p...payer-20533715
Electric Canadian
An Historical and Descriptive Account of British America
Comprehending Canada Upper and Lower, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Price Edward island, the Bermudas, and the Fur Countries: Their History from the earliest settlement; the statistics and Topography of each district, their commerce, agriculture, and fisheries, their social and political condition, and also an account of the manners and present state of the aboriginal tribes to which is added a full detail of the principles and best modes of emigration by Hugh Murray, F.R.S.E., with Illustrations of the natural history by James Wilson, F.R.S.E. A.M.W.S., R. K. Greville, LL.D. and Professor Traill in three volumes (1839)
You can read this at: https://www.electriccanadian.com/his...ricamurray.htm
Flowers from a Canadian Garden\
Selected and Edited by Lawrence J. Burpee (1909) (pdf)
You can read this at: https://www.electriccanadian.com/lif...00burpuoft.pdf
Norwegians in Canada
Added a section for the Norwegians in Canada to our collection of ethnic roots in Canada.
You can view this at: https://www.electriccanadian.com/history/norway.htm
The Canadian Army Newsreels
107 to view on YouTube at:
http://www.electricscotland.org/show...Army-Newsreels
Father Ritchot fighter for the rights of the Metis.
I also updated the Metis page due to three videos not displaying so have replaced them with 2 new videos which you get to at: https://www.electriccanadian.com/his...herRitchot.htm
Main Canadian opposition leader slams PM Trudeau as a fraud in key election debate
Canada’s main opposition leader repeatedly attacked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday during a pivotal televised debate, calling him a phony and a fraud who did not deserve to be re-elected on Oct. 21.
You can read more at:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-ca...-idUKKBN1WM09Q
Electric Scotland
Scottish Folk-Lore
By The Rev. Duncan Anderson, M.A., author of "The Lays of Canada" (1899) (pdf)
You can read this at: https://electricscotland.com/history...shfolklore.pdf
Clan Buchanan
Got in their newsletter "The Buchanan Banner" for October 2019. It contains a great deal of information on their clan chief and is an excellent read and you can get to this at: https://electricscotland.com/familyt...anan/index.htm
Robert Burns Lives!
Robert Burns: 'Man O' Independent Mind' by Professor Chris Whatley who reflects on the poetic legacy of Robert Burns.
You can read this at: https://electricscotland.com/familyt...s_lives266.htm
One Human(e) Society
By Martin MacIntyre the author of the Clan MacIntyre book (pdf)
You can read this at:
https://electricscotland.com/history...%205-23-19.pdf
Home Preacher
Got up the 10th service by W. B. M’Kenzie. Included a picture of him and two of his books and also a funeral address given at his funeral.
You can get to this at: https://electricscotland.com/bible/h...her/week10.htm
The New Scrap-Book
A Selection of choice Bon Mots which you can read at: https://electricscotland.com/humour/scrapbook1.pdf
King Arthur Pendragon
By Nigel Dryden Cunningham (2019) (pdf).
A new book just published and you can read a synopsis at:
https://www.electricscotland.com/his...kingarthur.pdf
Scotland and the Arctic Festival Events at Moat Brae
The Press Release issued on 7th October 2019 can be read at:
https://electricscotland.com/newsletter/moatbrae.pdf
Life of Sir John Richardson
By The Rev. John McIlraith (1868) (pdf). also added another small book about him at the foot of his page.
You can read this at: https://electricscotland.com/history...richardson.htm
The Study of Celtic Literature
By Mathew Arnold (1867) (pdf).
Added this to our Celtic Review page just over half way down the page at: https://electricscotland.com/history/celtic/
Scottish Society of Louisville
Got in their October 2019 issue which can be read at:
https://electricscotland.com/familyt...ille/index.htm
The Story
CANZUK
Would Great Britain be best served joining up with Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other former colonies and making a new union or trading union? We have very strong ties to these countries and family connections.
Reply by Dr. Andrew Lilico
Great question Ryan, and thanks for bringing this concept forward. You likely are already aware of the answer, as you picked the four specific countries that have actually already been contemplating such an alliance! The proposed union even has a name already spread about - CANZUK - the Canada-Australia-New Zealand-United Kingdom trade bloc. There is even a website (CANZUK International) currently promoting the idea to all four national governments, who are all in various stages of development of the idea locally:
I believe strongly that the United Kingdom/Great Britain would indeed be best served by joining with these particular member states of the current British Commonwealth, to form a new trade bloc, like the EU - Australia, New Zealand and Canada (FULL DISCLOSURE: I was born I, and have lived all of my 51 years, as a citizen of Canada).
You are correct that the personal, professional, business and national connections between these four particular countries is incredibly deep. Of course, this is because we are family, as you stated previously - Great Britain being our mother, and the other three nations (Australia, New Zealand and Canada) being sisters, who to this day very much love and respect one another.
The trust and credibility built between these four nations goes all the way back to our individual founding as colonies of the British Empire, and now member states of the Commonwealth. The daughter states are all within 44 years of being the exact same age:
New Zealand - May 7, 1856
Dominion of Canada - July 1, 1867
Commonwealth of Australia - January 1, 1901
These four nations fought through two World Wars, the Great Depression, and a host of other challenging times… side by side.
They are also the countries Britons like most, by a large margin. A 2011 survey by the research firm YouGov found that Australia, New Zealand and Canada are regarded as “especially favourable” by 48, 47 and 44 per cent of Britons. The next most-favoured country, the U.S., was way behind at 31 per cent, and the most-favoured EU member, the Netherlands, had only half the favourability of those three countries, at 24 per cent. The feeling is fairly mutual. A 2014 survey found 80 per cent of Canadians and 73 per cent of Australians regard the U.K.’s influence as “mainly positive.” (By way of reference, that same survey found only 43 per cent of Canadians regard American influence as “mainly positive,” versus 52 per cent who regard it as “mainly negative.”)
We share Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II as our common monarch. A shared monarch is an essential aspect of CANZUK, who represents a global institution which has played an important role as a symbol of a common heritage and parliamentary tradition. The Crown has been the cornerstone of democratic government and the rule of law over a long history of peaceful constitutional development. It is instructive to note that the English speaking countries which have retained the monarchy have been far more successful in avoiding civil unrest than their republican counterparts.
The four nations have the same Parliamentary governmental system, a similar Constitution, and are all members of the British Commonwealth. We have similarly-ranked and recognized educational institutions, as well as similar ideas in the business and financial realms, and geopolitical aspirations. The four nations also have, for the most part, the respect and trust of the majority of the nations of the world.
Interest and support is already high in all four nations for such a trade bloc agreement:
We have a similar racial profile, speak the same language (with some various differences that only make things more interesting at worst). Canada, Australia and New Zealand even share a similar currency with a near-identical value - the Dollar. For example, on December 14, 2018 (information provided by Google Finance)
1 New Zealand Dollar equals 0.91 Canadian Dollar
1 Australian Dollar equals 0.96 Canadian Dollar
1 New Zealand Dollar equals 0.96 Australian Dollar
Canada, Australia and New Zealand are more like Britain than any EU member. At US$6.5 trillion in combined GDP, the CANZUK countries would constitute the fourth-largest group in the world, behind the U.S., EU and China. At nearly two-thirds the combined GDP of China, no one could deny that a CANZUK economic grouping would be economically significant. Total global trade of these four countries would be worth more than US$3.5 trillion, versus around US$4.8 trillion for the U.S., US$4.2 trillion for China, or US$1.7 trillion for Japan. These are big numbers by global standards.
With the United Kingdom “Brexiting” the European Union trade bloc and going on their own, this idea has gained newfound interest in the UK, and across the other three nations as well.
This concept of a trade bloc consisting of the United Kingdom/Great Britain, as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand was discussed in a February 13, 2017 Financial Post article, which I will quote verbatim for some excellent updated information. - In the Trump era, the plan for a Canadian-U.K.-Australia-New Zealand trade alliance is quickly catching on:
Erin O’Toole, one of the candidates for the Conservative Party leadership, has made one of the key planks of his campaign his determination to “pursue a Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand trade and security pact.” The idea of creating a “CANZUK” zone of free trade and free movement of labour is catching on elsewhere, too.
In New Zealand, the junior coalition partner in the government, the Act New Zealand party led by David Seymour (who himself worked for five years in Canadian politics), is explicitly in favour of free movement and free trade within CANZUK.
In official party circles within the U.K. and Australia, the wheels are grinding a little slower, but the former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott is already into most of the idea, proposing a free-trade agreement and free-movement area encompassing Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. And in Britain, Theresa May’s Conservative government has made it clear it wants new trade agreements with Canada, Australia and New Zealand as soon as possible after it leaves the EU.
The idea of CANZUK begins with a free-trade agreement, free-movement area (the freedom to live and work in each others’ countries) and defence-partnership agreement. O’Toole favours all three of these main planks, and he’s right that it all makes perfect sense.
The post-Cold-War alliances are obsolete. NAFTA is dead. The EU is losing a key member.
The CANZUK countries, working closely together, would make a formidable contribution to world affairs. They would have the largest total landmass of any free-trade zone. They would collectively constitute the fourth-largest market in the world, after the U.S., EU and China.
Their combined military spending would be the world’s third largest, well ahead of Russia, and on European Geostrategy’s geopolitical power index, the CANZUK countries collectively have a strength around 70 per cent of that of the U.S. — and nearly twice that of China or France. With a combined global trade footprint nearly twice as big as Japan’s, the CANZUK countries would have substantial influence in opening up global markets and guiding global regulation across a range of issues from banking to shipping to the environment.
What makes CANZUK a natural union is perhaps self-evident. Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand share a similar culture, similar values, and analogous legal, business and social systems that allow us to get along easily and interchangeably. (The term CANZUK was originally a term diplomats used to refer to these four countries because of how frequently they would vote the same way at the UN.)
Most of the main issues our political parties focus upon are instantly comprehensible to anyone from another CANZUK state. Our laws and constitutions share many features, making trade deals and mutual regulatory recognition a relatively straightforward matter. Our citizens enjoy a roughly similar per capita GDP (which is just not true of the other Commonwealth nations with similar constitutions) and face few hurdles in integrating into another CANZUK country’s labour market. Our societies are peaceful and orderly.
And in our modern globalized world, we see that we are much more similar to each other than we are to others. The challenges of dealing with Japanese or Chinese business partners can be overcome, but they cannot be denied. Continental Europeans have different foibles, different goals and different priorities from ours, as well as importantly different legal and constitutional challenges. The arrival of President Trump reminds us of just how different from us many parts of the U.S. really are, and always have been.
Furthermore, while the U.S., the EU and China can all make valuable trading partners in their different regions, each CANZUK state that encounters them is regionally overmatched and, standing alone, will inevitably be dominated. Working together though, exploiting our natural affinities and the world of mass communication, high-value services and rapid transit, CANZUK can allow us stand our ground and project our own values and agendas.
The post-Cold-War alliances and assumptions are obsolete. NAFTA is dead. The EU will soon lose one of its largest members. Trump might downgrade NATO, abandon the WTO and even diminish the UN. It’s tempting, in a world of change, to try to cling to as much of the old certainties as possible. But if we look up and out, something new beckons. Free trade, free movement and a new security partnership between countries of shared culture and natural affinity. CANZUK is the global deal of tomorrow.
What might be the elements to a new partnership? The first step might be a new trade deal, perhaps encompassing all four countries together. Then we could add free movement of people — i.e., the automatic right to move to work. A special defence partnership might follow, perhaps including the U.K. providing a nuclear shield to Australia (more credible today than U.S. guarantees) and naval support to Canada to enforce its claims on the increasingly important Northwest Passage. We could develop mutual recognition of our economic, environmental and health and safety regulations, along with our labour standards. Perhaps we might agree to committees or other institutions to develop future regulation together.
A CANZUK alliance would allow its peoples to assert their very similar culture and values in the world as a major global player instead of secondary regional players ultimately subservient to others. It would allow enormous opportunities for mutual reinforcement and protection, trade growth, the flow of people and weight in global economic, regulatory and geopolitical decision-making. When CANZUK speaks, all would listen.
Shall we try?
Dr. Andrew Lilico, born in New Zealand but based in London, is executive director and principal of Europe Economics, a fellow of the Institute of Economic Affairs, and chairman of the IEA Monetary Policy Committee.
And that's it for this week and hope you all have a great weekend and a Happy Thanksgiving.
Alastair
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