It’s All Things Considered. I’m Renee Montaine and I’m Robert Siegal. 2)NPR has learned of the largest foreign investment in the United States 3)to date. The government of Canada has purchased the entire state of Arizona for a half trillion dollars to be 4)paid out over several years to the US Treasury. The money will go to cutting the Federal 5)deficit.
At the United Nations today Canadian Ambassador Steven Lewis said the purchase is legal under international law. And he anticipates no problems from 6)the UN Security Council. “We have bought Arizona with an excellent down payment, it will serve the American economy well. I don”t think the Security Council will give it a moment’s thought.”
Though Canadian policy makers confirmed the purchase of Arizona, many US officials were surprised by the news.
Canadian officials apparently saw the 7)disarray in the Evan Meekan-Rose Malford 8)governorship as an opportunity for 9)negotiations. A joint US-Canada Depatriation Commission will be announced tomorrow. Other foreign policy 10)implications are unclear, but in New York today Canadian Ambassador Lewis did say that the purchase should affect the free trade 11)treaty that’s now before ConGREss. “Arizona now becomes our ultimate 12)ace in the hole. If Congress doesn”t approve that deal, then your states will start dropping like flies.”
And Ambassador Lewis did confirm rumors that Canada has sought a warm-water port for centuries and Arizona was the best they could get.
Arizona is expected to acquire the status of a Canadian province before the end of the year, and for now in 13)Phoenix, Executive Authority for the new Canadian territory has been 14)vested in former Arizona governor and ex-presidential 15)candidate, Bruce Babbit. Governor Babbit spoke to us earlier today.
Babbit: Robert, there’s a bit of shock out here, but frankly the state has become 16)unmanageable. We had reached an 17)impasse we don”t know who our governor is. The 18)legislature is unable to act, and I think it’s now pretty widely understood that this is better than the 19)status quo, it was just intolerable.”
Journalist: But this is abandoning a rather lengthy history of association with the United States of America.
Babbit: Well frankly, we’ve been 20)ignored far too often. Washington is 2000 miles away. Many Arizonans are 21)skeptical of the federal government, 22)resentful of its 23)overarching power. It had from time to time been considering should it be Mexico, independence, or Canada. And I think that given the history of our association with Canada, the Canadians in Arizona, they seem to be the least unattractive of the alternatives and we’re going to make the best of it.
Journalist: So Governor Babbit or is it Governor General Babbit, you’re actually placing this act in some context, you see it as part of a continuity of foreign relations?
Babbit: I think it may be the beginning of more, perhaps a North American Union. I think the day may come when North America will be one country. And that the capital will be not in Ottawa but in Arizona.
Journalist: Well, thank you very much, or 24)merci bien as you may say now.
Babbit: I look forward to the rest of you joining us.
Bruce Babbit acting Governor General of Canadian Arizona.
