[Alberta's Child]

With Alberta as America's 51st state, the U.S. would secure 300 billion barrels of recoverable oil reserves, more than exist in Saudi Arabia.

With Alberta as the 51st state, this oil would promptly be declared off-limits as a result of endless litigation by environmentalists.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

I don't disagree with that. The only way for Alberta to have it's cake and eat it too would be to first declare independance, immediately tap the oil reserves, and then hammer out an agreement with Washington that they are off-limits to the environmental whackos. In other words, negotiate your entry on your terms, ala Texas.

As for BC, I think I'd rather have Regina or Saskatchewan as the 52'd state.