To the editor,
The solution to Campobello Island’s isolation from the rest of Canada [WWF Oct. 06] would be the sale or ceding of the island to the U.S.
The only negative implication would be the loss of socialized medicine to the Island population since the population would have to be assimilated into the State of Maine. Canadians would still hold Canadian citizenship and would be allowed to become U.S. citizens after a period of time giving them a dual citizen status. Both Canada and the U.S. would save substantial sums of money by not having to man a border crossing station 24/7, 365 days of the year.
Since the signing of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty in 1842 island isolation has been a problem not only to Campobello but to Deer and Machias Seal Islands. If Webster and Ashburton were a little more astute when drawing the boundary lines in 1842 these island problems would not exist.
I may be wrong but I believe that the majority of the Campobello residents, as well as the Deer Island residents, would welcome such a deal.
C. Louis Bernardini
Calais