Blame Canada

Now, I'm sure a lot of members are familiar with the song ...

However, how can we get something like it occur with a post-1900 POD? It doesn't necessarily have to end in armed conflict, but a rapid, vitriolic cooling off of the relationship between the US and Canada is needed. Such an even must be as far-reaching and popular as possible.

What would the politics of North America be like if the USA and Canada were no longer close friends? Could we get the two governments to actually dislike each other, leading to the militarization of the border? Perhaps it's a bit of a pipe dream, but I'm almost hoping for something along the lines of the Red Scare...

Oh, and no ASBs or random, irreconcilable changes in the governments of either country. This has to be a feasible event.
 
Hard to do. It's not that hard to do prior to the turn of the century but after you hit 1900 Canadian politics bore out and the country sort of begins opening up trade relations with America, cause it's sick of trying to stick with the very improbable Commonwealth trade.

If you want to do a PoD in the early 1900s without changing American foreign policy, Prime Minister Robert Borden ended up crushing the Winnipeg Strike. In reality, this ended most hopes of any sort of immediate change in the government. You could have Borden outsted out of office for his poor handling of the situation (have all his Liberal opponents sign a vote of no confidence) and deal a much stricter punishment then was dealt (they deported them- you could execute them all). This would spur alot of anger across Canada, but the result probably would've been staying quieter then getting louder.

In WWII there were huge protests in Quebec against participating in conscription. There's a good chance the violent put down of any of those by so me ineffiecent Minister of Justice (particularly during Borden's Union Government of the First World War) would've definately spurred a majorly negative reaction across the American border as well as internally.

Following the end of WWII, the Quiet Revolution of Quebec started up very..quietly. In real life, there were alot of things that happened during this time (Miners Strikes, Maurice Richard Contreversy, etc.) that really spurred the population- but it was Maurice Duplessis who kept Quebec quiet for Canadians. Had he died- or something else happened, it's unlikely anyone else as scummy and angry could've kept a lid on them.

The FLQ might've risen up more violently. It could be argued that Trudeau was largely the reason Quebec did not seperate in the 70s. There were alot of times he could've signed things wrong or put things out for the Bloc that frustrated Rene Levesque- and led to an earlier referendum on their part in Canada.

The 1995 Referendum was really unbelievably close and honestly could've gone either way. Have it the opposite and Quebec's techinically agreed to be free. Canada could not ratify the referendum, declare it illegal and martial law Quebec. There's been talk from Prime Ministers of using the military against Quebec should it choose to seperate- pretty radical, and the United States wouldn't be jumping for joy over that.

Lastly, Alberta and the west- although mostly Alberta, have long been very unhappy with a centralized government. Canada's largely appeased them since we found they had oil, but in the 1970s an energy plan proposed by Trudeau could've caused significant social unrest- perhaps inspiring other movements to take up, or a much less Canadian-happy Alberta.

Not sure if any of this really helps. PoDs prior to the 1900s is much more plausible imo. but hey- it's AH.
 
Border wars

There was a time in the 19th century when there was potential for conflict and arguably the War of 1812 was a war between Canada and the United States whilst the American War of Independce was arguably also a civil war between Americans with the Tories leaving for Canada in the aftermath.

The border issue was settled peacefully. Canada gave asylum to fugitive slaves and the Sitting Bull but it wasn't enough to cause a war. In the 20th century things were more peaceful. There is however no love lost and they are two different countries. Canada is more like a Scandinavian Country but there isn't open hostility. The Americans did however cause Canadian casualities in Afganistan in yet another friendly fire incident

The United states decides to cross the border to close down runners during prohibition or there is a shooting match between the coastguard and the Royal Canadian Navy when a rum runner in sunk.

Another scenario has the NDP coming to power between the wars however they would probably pursue new deal policies. In the cold war an NDP government takes a neutral stance and is uncooperative on defence and is accused of being pro- Moscow. The CIA arms Queback seperatists

More recently large scale oil strikes in the North West passage area result in the minor territorial dispute escalating.
 
Another scenario has the NDP coming to power between the wars however they would probably pursue new deal policies. In the cold war an NDP government takes a neutral stance and is uncooperative on defence and is accused of being pro- Moscow. The CIA arms Queback seperatists
.

"Queback" didn't have much separatism up till the quiet revolution in the 50'S-60's
 
I would go with the 1911 free trade agreement
During the debate and ratification in the Senate, the Senator from ?Montana? stated it would lead to the annexation of Canada.
Two days later during Parliaments debate, the Opposition used his statement to defeat the Treaty.

ATL whe have a Militarant US response to the Defeat, A militarant counter response, and Escalation.
Positions Harden, and relations continue to deteriorate.
 
There was a time in the 19th century

He's talking modern century. There was a whole load of stuff in the 19th century that could bring the two to war.

"Queback" didn't have much separatism up till the quiet revolution in the 50'S-60's

This is true, largely because the population was rigidly controlled by Martin Duplessis. He basically ran a dictatorship in the province and it was impossible for anyone to do anything. Had he not existed, there are quite a few oppurtunities to throw Anglo-Quebec relations way off course, but seperation like you said was never really a major thought in the Quebec political scene.

However, the United States might find Canada's repression of Quebec- during one of these events, or say Martin Duplessis dies and we have some weak English-leader in Quebec- disturbing which could lead to other disputes and tensions over various tenious border issues or trade agreements.

Like I said before, although it doesn't seem to fit your Cold War-ish setting of this, there was a very good chance following the 1995 Referendum military-action might've been taken had Quebec won. Former Prime Minister Paul Martin once said he wouldn't rule out using it to secure order (he of course came after this but Chretian was just another liberal), and there's been much contreversy regarding the less-then-1% motion regarding their seperation.
 
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