The U.N. actually made a decision
Actually I think Canada is a great country likely third on my list after The U.S. and New Zealand (which looks like paradise to me). I think the only thing I really don't like much about Canada is all the cold weather.
Having lived in both countries for many years, actually almost at my 10th year mark in the US, I would analytically say that both countries would be better off if US and Canada united, and Quebec either became another Louisiana, with appropriate state right's protections for language laws, or they went off on their own and suffered under the their crushing share of the Canadian debt coupled with the highest tax regime of any state/province in N. America (ie. Au revoir and Good Luck!!
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I think the world woud be better off too cuz a more moderate electorate would prevail in combined US/Canadian politics. Not too far left (ie. generally the norm in Canada) and not too far right (ie. generally the norm in the US).
Plus, an united US/Canada would have the natural resources to compete with any other potential super-power (ie. a resurgent Russia, China, mb India one day). For example, no more oil problem if you got Canada in your pocket.
I also don't think this is a 420 post. If Quebec separates then it could come about relatively quickly. This Canadian corruption scandal is really making the separtists popular in Quebec again. Another Quebec separation vote this decade is not inconceivable. In 1995, some panicking Canadian conservates and ever-resentful Newfoundland were making feelers to the US when the separtists cames within 50,000 votes of winning the Quebec separation referendum. If it went through, France was really tempted to give diplomatic recognition to Quebec and the Canadian gov't. was thinking about sending in the army ala US Civil War style union-ism. Chaos was a-coming up north...btw, Canada does have an high-quality, if under-equipped, armed forces. They know how to exert military power, if necessary. Canada also logged more years in WWI and WW2 than the US, so it won't be hard to get that Nazi-busting groove back in a pinch, and with massive fiscal infusion that would be obviously provided by an alarmed federal gov't. All former British Empire colonies have a tradition of victory that reaches back to the Napoleonic Wars (ie. don't mess with the Brits!!).
Anyway, I am more pragmatic about ranking Canada and US. Both have big plusses depending at what life stage you are at. Definitely, growing up and getting a cost-effective high quality education is better in Canada. Then when you have university-level education, the US is the place to make good $$$ and live well. Then when you retire, you can just pick your favorite place in US or Canada and retire there. I called it the NAFTA thing which one day may become the united US/Canada (Quebec whatever :rolleyes:) country thing.
Now that's a realistic RL Federation to ponder, instead of a dreamy sci-fi one.