CANZUK

[[File:CANZUK_and_dependencies.svg|thumb|300px|CANZUK countries.]]
{{politics}}
'''CANZUK''' ''(pronounced /kæn‘zʊʔk/, CAN-zuk)'' is the political philosophy of economic and political integration of the Anglosphere or the [[White Commonwealth]]. The name comes from the abbreviation of the countries in question; [[Canada]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], and the [[United Kingdom]], hence why it is always written in all capitals. 

The idea is that these four countries should work together and allow near-complete freedom of capital, goods, and services, but principally freedom of movement between the four countries — effectively a European Union among Anglosphere. The [[philosophy]] rose during and after the [[Brexit]] referendum as providing an alternative to the [[European Union]], although such a "union of English-speaking peoples" has been around since Britain's membership. The phase CANZUK come from a book written in 2016 by the anglophile [[American]] writer {{wpl|James Charles Bennett|James Bennett}} called ''A Time for Audacity''.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Time-Audacity-Brexit-Created-CANZUK-ebook/dp/B01H4U7FAQ Bennett, James C, ''Time For Audacity: How Brexit Has Created The CANZUK Option'']</ref><ref>Bennett, James C, [https://eu.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2016/06/24/brexit-boosts-canzuk-replacement-european-union-column/86347818/ "Brexit boosts 'CANZUK' replacement for European Union: Column"] ''USA Today''</ref>

CANZUK is often used as a counter against integration in terms of the [[European Union]] and the United Kingdom. With the thinking being, 'why should we discriminate against Australians and New Zealanders who are our ''“kith and kin”'', compared to those [[France|French]], [[Germany|German]] and [[Poland|Polish]] foreigners?" So naturally, it is [[Eurosceptic]]. The organisations that promote this philosophy is {{wpl|CANZUK International}} (formerly known as the Commonwealth Freedom of Movement Organisation) founded by Canadian-resident Briton James Skinner and CANZUK Uniting<ref>[http://www.canzuk.co.uk CANZUK Uniting]</ref> by Canadian Brent Cameron. Supporters of CANZUK are often known simply as "CANZUKer" in their own jargon. 

== British Conservative Imperialism in 21<sup>st</sup>-century clothes ==
While it claims to be non-partisan, it is a deeply [[conservative]] philosophy, with all the people spouting support for it being conservatives. Notable supporters included New Zealand-born British writer Andrew Lilico, British Conservative MPs Bob Seeley & Andrew Rosindell,<ref>[https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2020-01-13/debates/3C015023-C583-4D04-91DC-77AFC1994182/BritainInTheWorld?highlight=canzuk#contribution-6C17E707-7958-4D94-B531-B03E526AA00B Uk Parliament House of Commons Hansard - 13 January 2020 - Debate: Britain in the World]</ref> Canadian [[Conservative Party of Canada|Tory]] leader {{wpl|Erin O'Toole||,}}<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x9z_heIWWw ''Erin O'Toole Talks CANZUK with CANZUK International''], [[YouTube]]</ref> and Australian [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]] Senator {{wpl|James Paterson (Australian politician)|James Paterson|.}}<ref>[https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/7b64dad2-40a4-477c-ad6b-ac738f3ca1b6/&sid=0216 Hansard Senate - 5/07/2017, ADJOURNMENT - Trade, Speaker: Paterson, Sen James ] ''Parliament of Australia''</ref> It should also be pointed out that the chaps who formalised the idea of CANZUK, James Skinner of CANZUK International (who currently works as a paralegal in British Columbia), is a former Vice-Chairman of Conservative Youth.<ref>[https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jrskinner James Skinner - LinkedIn]</ref> Brent Cameron used to work as a parliamentary assistant to Canadian Tory MPs and James Bennett is a fellow of the conservative [[think tank]] the {{wpl|Hudson Institute||.}} While James Paterson, before he was a Senator, was working as a fellow in the [[hard right]]-[[libertarian]] [[Institute of Public Affairs|Institute of Policy Affairs]].

CANZUK has been pushed by {{wpl|Atlas Network}} connected [[Margaret Thatcher|Thatcherite]] think tank {{wpl|Adam Smith Institute||.}}<ref>Kilcoyne, Matt, [http://www.cityam.com/266009/our-canzuk-friends-should-welcome-post-brexit-britain "Our CANZUK friends should be welcome in post-Brexit Britain"] City AM</ref> At the end of 2018, another connected think tank also supported CANZUK, the libertarian {{wpl|Institute of Economic Affairs||.}}<ref>Powell, Jack, [https://iea.org.uk/a-global-britain-must-embrace-migration/ "A “Global Britain” must embrace migration"] Institute of Economic Affairs</ref> In the 2018 Conservative Party convention, O'Toole persuaded the party to make CANZUK formal policy in the 2019 federal party manifesto.<ref>{{Cite book|last=|first=|url=https://www.poltext.org/sites/poltext.org/files/plateformesV2/can_pl_2019_pcc_en.pdf|title=2019 Manifesto - English Version|publisher=Conservative Party of Canada|year=2019|isbn=|location=Université de Laval - POLTEXT|pages=81|quote=A new Conservative government will also make sure that Canada is at the forefront of advocating for the CANZUK alliance. CANZUK is the diplomatic shorthand for Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom – nations that share common histories and legal systems, and similar views and voting histories in international political fora. The CANZUK movement proposes enhanced [[free trade]], seamless military interoperability, and security and intelligence sharing.}}</ref> In February 2019, Bob Seeley tried to set a Westminister CANZUK all-party parliamentary interest group to promote this philosophy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/iowbobseely/status/1095788810586206213?lang=en|title=This evening we launched an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the Canada, Australia, New Zealand & the UK #CANZUK partnership. In coming months we’ll explore opportunities to collectively deepening relationships over Trade & Travel, Defence & Diplomacy. @CANZUK|last=MP|first=Bob Seely|date=2019-02-13|website=@iowbobseely|language=en|access-date=2020-04-26}}</ref> However it didn't come to fruition until September 2020,<ref>[https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/standards-and-financial-interests/parliamentary-commissioner-for-standards/registers-of-interests/register-of-all-party-party-parliamentary-groups Register of All-Party Parliamentary Groups - UK Parliament]</ref> and even then, out of the 11 officers [members], only two are from the opposition [[Labour Party|Labour]] bench, with the rest being Conservatives and one right-wing [[Democratic Unionist Party|DUP]] MP.<ref>[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/200924/canada-australia-new-zealand-and-the-uk-canzuk.htm Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups <nowiki>[as of 24 September 2020]</nowiki> Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK (CANZUK)]</ref>

Notable sympathisers to CANZUK are the former Liberal prime ministers of Australia John Howard and British-born [[Tony Abbott]], former Australian High Commissioner to the UK <nowiki>[Ambassador]</nowiki> Alexander Downer,<ref>Bourke, Latika, [https://www.smh.com.au/world/alexander-downer-flags-completely-free-movement-for-australians-emigrating-to-britain-20160520-gp09r7.html "Alexander Downer flags 'freer movement' for Australians emigrating to Britain"], ''Sydney Morning Herald''</ref> British historian [[Andrew Roberts]], former owner of the [[National Post]] and the [[Daily Telegraph]] newspapers Conrad Black, British former prime minister [[Boris Johnson]] and former Canadian prime minister [[Stephen Harper]], plus former Canadian Tory leader Andrew Scheer.

The initial idea was that the four countries would allow the current visa requirements for Australians and New Zealanders to live and work in each other's country under the {{wpl|Closer Economic Relations}} policy of the {{wpl|Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement||,}} to be expanded to include the UK and Canada. However, since the [[Brexit]] vote, it has expanded to include trade and economic links between the four countries.

The idea has been rejected by most people in the respective countries due to a number of reasons; despite this, however, many conservative blogs and websites still support the idea of CANZUK, with many believing that it could revive the [[British Empire]].<ref>Booten, Matthew, [https://www.politic-ed.com/2020/02/03/canzuk-british-empire-after-brexit/ Will CANZUK bring back the British Empire after a 2020 Brexit?], Politic-Ed</ref>

=="Kith and kin"==
CANZUKers say that the reason for linking the four counties is that they all have the same [[monarch]], similar parliamentary systems, legal systems of [[common law]], and trade position of being [[Free market|free-market]] liberals and the fact they all speak the [[Fun:British English|same language]]. They tend to emphasize the “[[Britishness]]” between the nations, using the term “kith and kin” to talk about their "people".

They conveniently ignore that all have [[republic]]an movements, which are especially strong in Australia, with the former leader of the Australian Republican Movement being certain former prime minister [[Malcolm Turnbull]].<ref>[https://www.republic.org.au/ Australian Republican Movement]</ref> Although they have parliamentary systems, the Beehive in Wellington is unicameral; Australia and Canada are confederal, and Australia and New Zealand use voting systems found in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] and [[Germany]], respectively. With regard to legal matters, both [[Scotland]] and [[Quebec]] have a version of civil law for their courts. Historically, all — particularly both Canada and New Zealand — were notoriously protectionist, with their [[monetarist]] trade practices only coming about in the 1980s under {{wpl|Brian Mulroney#Free trade|Brian Mulroney}} and {{wpl|Rogernomics|Roger Douglas|.}} And finally, Quebec is majority Francophone, messieurs.

Another problem with CANZUK is that it ignores non-Anglo interests within the respective countries, both ethnic and linguistic. The biggest problem would likely be with New Zealand, which has both a 28% non-Anglo population and a somewhat ambiguous {{wpl|Treaty of Waitangi}} between the Maori and the non-Maori that could be brought to bear on any change in the status quo of the monarchy.

It is perhaps not surprising that most of the non-British CANZUKers have a British or predominately British or Anglo background. Even among the American supporters, they tend to have a British background.

Ask why CANZUKers don’t want to include places like [[Malaysia]], [[Singapore]], [[India]], and the [[United States]]. They claim the CANZUK countries “are highly economically developed countries, with sustainable economic growth, positive [[human rights]], records and a shared historical and cultural bond through a [[Constitutional monarchy|democratic monarchy]].”<ref>[https://www.canzukinternational.com/frequently-asked-questions Frequently Asked Questions], CANZUK International.</ref> Also, if the United States was in, it would dominate the group instead of the British.

==Five Eyes==
Many CANZUKers are obsessed with the military, and often use the phrase “Five Eyes” as another term for CANZUK,<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09j6qz8 ''Archive on 4 - Return of the Anglosphere''] [[BBC]] Radio 4</ref> which refers to the {{wpl|Five Eyes}} [[intelligence]] system of links between the [[police]] forces and intelligence services of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and often conveniently forgetting the elephant in the room, the [[United States]]. Five Eyes itself is based on an agreement during [[World War II]], when [[Churchill]] and [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Roosevelt]] agreed not to spy on each other and to coordinate matters on intelligence. Many CANZUKers laud any military coordination between those four countries, such as proposals for suggesting co-operation in naval matters in East Asia between the UK, Australia and New Zealand as a way to beef up British military support.<ref>[http://www.dailyglobe.co.uk/comment/canzuk-defense-opportunities-in-2019/ ''Canzuk Defense opportunities in 2019''], Daily Globe </ref>

However, CANZUKers conveniently forget that the sole international military alliance that the UK is involved in is [[NATO]], in which only transatlantic North American and European nations are allowed to be members.<ref>{{wpa|Foreign relations of NATO#Global NATO}}</ref> CANZUKers also conveniently overlook that not all conflicts near and far were supported by all other nations, such as the [[Iraq War]], which was boycotted by Canada and New Zealand, and the [[Vietnam War]], which was not taken up by the British and the Canadians.

==The mask slips==
During [[Canada convoy protest|the 2022 Ottawa protests]], CANZUK International put out a message that it condemns the behaviour of Ottawa City Police and Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], claiming it was [[authoritarian]] government overreach by evoking a state of emergency.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220220222042/https://twitter.com/CANZUK/status/1495522545948246018 We 100% condemn the actions of @OttawaPolice and @CanadianPM in recent days, including acts of police brutality and authoritarian government overreach. These actions do not represent what CANZUK stands for. 🇨🇦🇦🇺🇳🇿🇬🇧 #cdnpoli #Canada] by CANZUK International (2:15 PM - 20 Feb 2022) ''Twitter'' (archived from February 20, 2022).</ref> The apparent support for the [[Freedom Convoy]] has led many left-wing CANZUKers to disown the group and move away from the movement.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/CANZUK/comments/sxv6ci/canzuk_international_weighing_in_on_the_ottawa/ ''CANZUK International weighing in on the Ottawa protest (via Insta). Comments are mixed. Should CANZUK International weigh in on things like this?''] - Reddit</ref>

== Further reading==
* Kenny, Michael, Pearce, Nick (2018) - ''Shadows of Empire: The Anglosphere in British Politics'', Wiley ISBN 9781509516612
* Murphy, Philip (2018)  - ''The Empire's New Clothes: The Myth of the Commonwealth'', C. Hurst & Company (Publishers) Limited, ISBN 9781849049467
==External links==
* [https://www.academia.edu/37734171/Brexit_CANZUK_and_the_Legacy_of_Empire Bell, Duncan, Vuectic, Srdjan - ''Brexit, CANZUK, and the Legacy of Empire'']
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw82EkIXcK8 ''The CANZUK Union Explained - Explaining Brexit'' - from] [[YouTube]]r, TLDR News
* [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/09/canzuk-brexiters-imperial-canada-australia-new-zealand-uk-empire Geoghegan, Peter - ''Adventures in 'Canzuk': why Brexiters are pinning their hopes on imperial nostalgia''], The Guardian
* [https://unherd.com/2020/08/why-canzuk-is-an-absurd-fantasy/ Roussinos, Aris - ''Why ‘CANZUK’ is an absurd fantasy - Evangelists of an Anglosphere federation should worry about their own backyard first''], UnHerd

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Australia]]
[[Category:British politics]]
[[Category:Canada]]
[[Category:Imperialism]]
[[Category:International relations]]
[[Category:New Zealand]]
[[Category:Political philosophies]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]

Categories: Australia, British politics, Canada, Imperialism, International relations, New Zealand, Political philosophies, United Kingdom