The Canadian Island CONTROLLED by America

This is the strangest border in North America. Canada’s Campobello Island is essentially controlled by the U.S. Because the city is only connected to America the residents who live on the island lead incredibly unique lives. Should this land mass even be part of Canada?

Everyone seems to know of a unique location for us to explore next. Let us know YOURS in the comments :)

Music by:
Epidemic Sound
Robert Pirogovsky

[chickenwing]

This is simply an administrative problem. There is no reason that people living on the border in this situation could not be given special status that would allow them to move freely back and forth. There are communities that span the border between Vermont and Quebec that are split down the middle as well.

[burningblue]

I suggest you visit St. Pierre and Miquelon. These are 2 islands, 12 miles from Newfoundland. They are a self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France. The residents are citizens of France. Yet almost wholly dependent on Canada.

[MWAdams]

Why is it that Hyder, AK is ALWAYS forgotten by articles like this. Hyder, AK is pretty much completely dependent upon Stewart, BC, even the school children go to Stewart, BC for their education. Stewart, BC also provides ALL emergency services, & infrastructure. Even the telephone area code for Hyder, AK uses the same one as Stewart, BC, in fact Hyder, AK is the ONLY location in Alaska that does not have a 907 area code.

[iloveyoubut]

I visited Campobello Island as a quick stop from Connecticut on my way to P.E.I. This was two weeks after 9-11-01. I was waved through from the Canadian side with zero issues. I took about 45 minutes to visit the FDR House and made my way back to the US border. There I was met with antagonistic border guards yelling rapid fire accusatory questions at me. About 6 or 7 agents went through every inch of my car, with dogs. If they looked at the computer, I had visited Canada twenty+ times in the past without incident. Never been in trouble with the law. It was so disturbing it took me over ten years to return to Canada. Mind you, the Canadian border guard was great.

[joanie]

I would like to point out that the part of this video that is talking about the bank being closed is not on Campobello. I’m originally from Campobello & currently live on Grand Manan. That news segment from CHOCO TV is about the bank that closed this summer on Grand Manan Island. The man in the glasses speaking about the great island that’s losing their bank is my fiancé. He was talking about Grand Manan. So idk if you guys wanna fix that or not. If I’m not mistaken Campobello lost their bank years ago.

[edwinswift]

One potential problem with trading Campobello Island for Point Roberts is the difference in economical value between the two pieces of land. Campobello Island has a strong and valuable sea food industry. Fishing boundaries may change if Campobello Island became part of the USA.

[PointRobertsTV]

Thank you for finishing off the trifecta of exclaves along the contiguous US/Canadian border. We enjoyed having you visit Point Roberts, loved the Northwest Angle video and we are happy you finally got to visit our sister city of Campobello Island. As you have found out, most of the residents who live in these areas have strong connections on both sides of the borders but would not want to change the country they are affiliated with. There is a strong sense of pride and local identity by those who live within these geographic anomalies. You are always welcome to come back to the Point for a visit.

[jenniferciari]

You could do a whole video on dual citizens holding up their passports and talking about the pros and cons of their experience of being a citizen in both countries.

[cojohnso]

Campobello has a special place in my heart. My grandmother grew up there (born in Machias, ME) so I wouldn't exist without it.

[AverytheCubanAmerican]

My favorite geographic oddity in North America is the small overseas collectivity of St Pierre and Miquelon. It's the last remaining remnant of the once vast New France (for those who don't know, what's now Quebec, Atlantic Canada, the Canadian Prairies, and the American Midwest). France got to keep St Pierre and Miquelon after the Seven Years' War because Britain granted them fishing rights along the Newfoundland coast. But the islands have been exchanged between Britain and France many times throughout its history where Britain kept destroying French settlements (like they did in response to France supporting American revolutionaries).

The islands were finally resettled by France in 1816 with Basques, Bretons, and Normans. You can see the flags of these three ethnic groups on the unofficial St. Pierre and Miquelon flag and their official coat of arms (which honestly, their flag is pretty cool).

[b-b-baka]

Without you guys, I would have never known about these unique places. Loving the content keep up the great work bois!

[anthonyleslie]

The ferry to mainland NB from Campobello actually is currently privately run and has a contract for year round travel, weather permitting. It links to Deer Island which has a year round Government run ferry system.

[AverytheCubanAmerican]

Roosevelt Campobello is not the only international park. Back in 1932, Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta and Glacier National Park in Montana formed a union as an international peace park that was achieved thanks to the efforts of the province's and state's rotary clubs. The effort took acts passed in Congress (approved by the US Senate in March 1932) and Parliament and Royal Assent (May 1932) for it to happen. The International Peace Garden between Manitoba and North Dakota was established in 1932 as well.

[KOZMOGRAFX]

Went down a rabbit hole on this one... less than 1000 people live on this island... there is year round ferry service for nearby Deer and Grand Manon islands, but for some reason Campobello doesn't get winter ferry service because it's "too dangerous"?... and even if there was year-round ferry service to Canada, the bridge link to the US creates two "trade-off" choices for residents: it's either a short drive to Lubec, which is right next door but problematic because of the border (with Homeland tensions and ever-changing policies)... or a long ferry haul into Canada just to get services, to shop, or to get gas. (Border issues aside, the folks of Campobello appear to have more shopping options available because of Lubec than the other two islands.)

As for a land swap, I can see three options for residents: a) sell your property to the "new" country for fair market value and then move to the mainland of your home country; b) keep your property and your existing citizenship, essentially becoming a foreign owner in the new country (making you subject to existing visa laws and conditions), or; c) keep your property and simply become a citizen of the new country. Given how small and sparsely populated these enclaves are, I can see why any action on the part of either country is such a low priority. Until there is a "real" reason to spend the money necessary to make land swaps, it's just easier (and cheaper) to let it remain as it is.

For the interim, you'd think slightly-modified Nexus passes and passports would be enough to provide less hassle for pre-screened residents?

[jaystevenson]

Happy to see that you took my advice and looked into Campobello Island! Great job!

[JonMartinYXD]

I'm sure a bridge could be built from Campobello to Deer Island, using Cherry Island and Indian Island. Then another bridge from Deer Island to L'Etete on the mainland. Campobello would then be a little over an hour's drive from Saint John.

[SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

5:05 If we define Native Americans as any indigenous group that lives in the Americas, then the Greenlandic Inuit are the easternmost. There are also a few more eastern tribes such as the Beothuk (extinct tribe from Newfoundland) and Mi'kmaq (from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula)

Solution: Have the island join the DPRK instead. We'll build a gas station, supermarkets, and they'll be able to connect to the rest of the DPRK if we build an airport and have Air Koryo flights to Pyongyang daily. Not to mention the DPRK has universal healthcare and taxes have been abolished here since 1974. If they don't want to be American, then I'm sure they'll be willing to support a nation that stands their ground against the US and put my smiling face all over the place.

[Dr_Larken]

I just came across this channel clearly this is my first video of yours that I watched! The fact that you pack your suitcase, the way you did in the video “I know it’s not legit” but tossing the dog into it that was awesome!

[pacificostudios]

7:00 - A Canadian mom would still birth a U.S. citizen, if she gave birth in Maine. Just to make sure people don't get the wrong idea with the park ranger saying "Back Then..."

[jackfishcampbell]

People generally don't want to switch countries just because they live in an geographically odd place . Both countries should sit down and discuss how they can make situations like this seamless as possible.