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What if the U.S. and Canada merged?

Kai Ryssdal Dec 2, 2013
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What if the U.S. and Canada merged?

Kai Ryssdal Dec 2, 2013
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We talk mergers and acquisitions on this program all the time. Company A buying Company B for so many millions or billions of dollars and so and so forth.

But in the grand scheme of things, corporate goings on are chump change. Let’s talking about merging nations: Say, if the U.S. bought Canada.

In her new book “Merger of the Century,” Diane Francis says that’s a fine idea.  She says an economic union between the two countries is not as far-fetched as one may think.

“I think they’re both terrific countries. To me it’s a no-brainer going forward for a lot of reasons why these countries should be more integrated than they are,” she says.

Francis says that in 50 years she said could see a North American monetary union, like the Euro. She says people think it won’t happen because they have the wrong idea about the European Union.

“I think it’s a miracle what’s happened in Europe,” says Francis.

Francis says West African countries and Caribbean countries have  monetary unions and no borders. And the fact the U.S and Canada don’t is “head scratching.”

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