'Alcan' has an answer to the open border question

The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

In 1941 the United States and Canada signed a joint agreement later called “Alcan”. Also known as the “Alaska Highway”, the purpose was to build an overland highway across northwestern Canada to Alaska. The objective: “To supply the Soviet Union with critical military supplies in the joint war of the three countries against NAZI Germany.

“The Alcan” originates in Dawson Creek, British Columbia and ends in Fairbanks, Alaska. The highway crosses the southern part of the Yukon Territory, including the provincial capital, Whitehorse. When I visited Alaska in 1996, I learned about a little-known arrangement.

A forgotten provision

The late Stan McGrorty was posted to Fort Richardson, AK while in the service. A member of the Army Corps of Engineers, he was familiar with the original treaty that gave the United States authority to build a railroad line on both sides of the Alcan, if it did not exceed 250 meters of the highway. In essence, it gave the US permanent Canadian permission to build a railway on its territory.

I confirmed this with Canadian officials at a university war event held by the University of Kentucky Paterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, October 2021. The US CAN, anytime they want, build a railroad on both sides of the Alaska Highway. , in Canadian territory.

An unexpected benefit of global warming

Thanks to global warming, the Northwest Passage is now ice-free three, four, and sometimes five months of the year. Every country in the world has recognized the pass as Canadian territory. Except America! With US recognition, the Canadian completion of the railroad on the Montana border would be a given.

Canadians are practical people. They could see the merit of a railroad crossing the width of Alberta, en route to Alaska through the Yukon Territory. But what then? Once in Alaska, where would the destination be?

The “Jewel” of the North Pacific

Answer: Homer and ice-free Katchmak Bay, approximately 220 SW of Anchorage. The railroad would take a steep “dog leg” southwest at Tok en route to Anchorage. From there, I would follow Sterling Highway to Homer. The total length, from start to finish, would be better than 2,000 miles!

Back to the original question: “Purpose.”

Answer: A railroad connecting Montana to Katchmak Bay would allow American and Canadian farmers an affordable route to ship agricultural products to the Asian steamers that would line up at Katchmak Bay. It would allow Alaska to circumvent the problematic “Jones Seaman Act,” which was adopted in 1920 at the behest of the Seattle Longshoremen's Union. It would allow Alaskans to dramatically reduce their cost of consumer goods, such as toilet paper and baby diapers, while lowering the cost of shipping raw materials from the state to 48.

Labor costs: a key consideration

This brings us to the most important consideration: “Cost”.

Finding workers to work under these conditions would be expensive. Participants would expect to receive a premium. Today's “gross” in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska are paid over $50 an hour.

There is a saying: “where there is a problem, there is an opportunity”. Most of America has concluded that the open border policy enacted by the Biden administration is a serious problem. Many consider these policies an insult to immigrants who came to America legally! It is believed that up to 10,000,000 illegal aliens will illegally cross into America under Joe Biden's watch. In most cases, we have no idea who these people are. This is equivalent to the objective of this policy. It's called “the grand theory of substitution.”

A problem becomes an opportunity

This is the problem. The opportunity is to “catch these offenders” and put them to work on the construction of this railway. Workers who might normally make $50 an hour would be working for room and board, greatly reducing costs. After 36 months, the workers would be returned to their home country. Meanwhile, the US and Canada would have a magnificent piece of infrastructure that would save their populations tens of millions annually, while giving them the opportunity to affordably experience the great Northwest through passenger rail service. It would be considered payment for those who decide to enter the country without permission.

Admittedly, the “bleeding hearts” and “milquetoast moderates” would see this initiative as “draconian.” But is it? These advocates of “backward America” ​​seem to have forgotten who they represent! Many of these “guests” have criminal records. Some are even on terrorist watch lists! Over the years, many Americans have died at their hands!

In short, the priority should be to “take care of our citizens first.” When word gets around that uninvited guests will end up working on a subpolar railroad, the motivation to illegally cross our borders will diminish. If not, removed.

It means that our political leaders have the “will” to put their constituents first. Having freight and passenger service in Alaska would link the continent like never before. In the end, it would be a safety measure in the highest sense.

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