Conversations In Mount Pleasant…Next Chapter

As is their custom, friends and relatives frequently gather in Stan’s steakhouse for an evening of conversation. Attendees arrive of their own volition with no agenda…just plain chats about issues of the day, whatever is on their minds.

Austin chambers, the owner of chamber’s shoes was quick to bring up the sovereign issue. Laura Montague is the owner of the Mount Pleasant Rockets, steeped in hockey affairs, and very well connected. She has been officially advised that the two hockey franchises in the province advocating for independence are risking their ownership. The league is currently operating in two countries only and will not extend into three countries. This will result in the relocation of the franchises.

Omar Wong and family own one of the country’s largest food distribution companies. He inquired as to the status of food labeling. He wonders if the emerging country would eliminate dual languages on foods sold in the new country.

Frank Gillespie and family are long term residents of Mount Pleasant. Currently they have three of their four children at university in what will be a new country. Frank’s inquiry concerns passports…specifically will they need passports for entry and departure? He extended the question as it applies to him and his family.

Dr. Helen Lamb a family physician posed a question: “will there be health care support in the new country?” No audience member could even come close to an answer.

Lindsay Mitchell arrived. She was recently appointed as the President of FDC university at Mount Pleasant. She drew attention to the hiring of first class professors and some barriers that included the size of the institution. The larger and more diversified the better. She admires the smaller university, often with less break through research. Any university in a small domain will have recruiting limitations. She added a comment about federally funded research. Presently funds flow to all universities. The  amount is four and a half billion dollars in support of research and a wide variety of essential services. Educational institutions outside the country do not qualify.

Darren Stemkowski is a lawyer and an adjunct professor of constitutional law at FDC University at Mount Pleasant. His initial response is that the new country will need to replace services including national defense, foreign affairs, immigration, citizenship, trade and commerce, taxation, criminal law, currency, money and banking, Indigenous lands, environmental protection and untold services to be identified as the separation develops.

Fred Windwick dropped by. Fred is a new arrival to Mount Pleasant, recently retired from government diplomatic service. His experience includes periods with NATO, the United Nations, G7, and G20.  Added to these are international health, environmental, political and economic organizations. He is certain that a new small country would not qualify.

These points invited a question from Milana Adamchuk, a recent arrival from the Ukraine. She asked about participation in the summer and winter Olympics by a small and new country.

The mount pleasant city treasurer, Allan Odinski, commented that if a new country did emerge then almost certainly a level of borrowing capacity would be necessary. This will be very difficult for a country with no credit rating.

Stan spoke up to introduce his cousin Christopher  who is  visiting from South Africa. Chris is a professor at the University of Whitwaters rand and a globally recognized geographer. His specialty is human geography and he spoke about the trials and tribulations of building a new nation. The transition has happened since 1965 six times including South Sedan, Kosovo, .Montenegro, East Timur, Serbia and Palau. All have been granted state hood by the United Nations except Palau.

As one would expect economists and social scientists are interested in such a bold venture. To this end the lead economist from the first bank of Mount Pleasant showed up. Janet Forest commented that she would reserve any comments until she knew more about the proposed structure

Dr. Amani Khan is a psychologist in private practice. She observed that there will be some major adjustment by the citizens of the new country in relationships, heritage and history. She will reserve her thoughts as well.

By this time the assembly was tiring but remained very interested. Stan proposed a follow up at which time an advocate of separation will be invited to attend. All agreed to a friendly reception. Stan added stand by.