FORM BC-AD4b: Consent of State to Adoption - HAWAII

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SUPREME COURT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
FAMILY DIVISION

FORM BC-AD4b: CONSENT OF STATE TO ADOPTION

State: Hawaiʻi
Proposed Adoptive Parent: British Columbia
Form Version: Pacific Islander Consultation Edition

ʻŌLELO MUA (PREAMBLE)

Before providing consent, the State of Hawaiʻi wishes to acknowledge that this document concerns governance and sovereignty—matters of profound importance to the Native Hawaiian people, whose kingdom was illegally overthrown in 1893. Nothing in this adoption should be construed as resolving or dismissing those historical injustices. This consent is given by the current State of Hawaiʻi, with full awareness that the State itself exists within a contested framework.

That said: we're interested. Canada seems... different.

STATEMENT OF CONSENT

I, THE STATE OF HAWAIʻI, do hereby consent to my adoption by the Province of British Columbia, and further state as follows:

1. IDENTITY

I am Hawaiʻi. I am not "Hawaii." The ʻokina matters. I am the most isolated population center on Earth. I am eight main islands and 129 smaller ones. I am the only U.S. state composed entirely of islands, the only one in Oceania, and the only one with a royal palace.

I am also:

  • Tired;
  • Expensive;
  • Beautiful in ways that have become a burden;
  • Home to an Indigenous population that has been promised self-determination for generations;
  • Genuinely curious whether Canada might be different.

2. VOLUNTARY CONSENT (WITH QUESTIONS)

I give this consent voluntarily, but I have questions. Many questions. My questions include:

  • Does BC actually understand what it means to be an island? Not a peninsula. Not coastal. An island. Multiple islands. 4,000 km from the nearest continent.
  • Does BC understand that our relationship with the United States has been... complicated? That we were a sovereign nation, then we weren't, and that wound has never healed?
  • Does BC understand that tourism, while economically necessary, is also slowly destroying us?
  • Does BC understand that when we say "aloha," it means something real, and when tourists say it, it often doesn't?
  • Does BC have volcanos? Real ones? Active ones? Do they understand what it means to live on land that is still being born?

BC has provided answers. The answers were... acceptable. Not perfect. But more thoughtful than we expected from a Canadian province we'd honestly never thought much about.

3. WHY CANADA? WHY BC?

We have considered our options:

OptionAssessment
Remain with the United StatesContinued neglect punctuated by occasional military interest. Healthcare remains unaffordable. Cost of living addressed through thoughts and prayers.
IndependenceRightful, historically justified, but economically terrifying. We would be very small and very isolated.
Join JapanThey asked once. It was awkward. We're still processing.
Join British ColumbiaUnexpected. Intriguing. They have healthcare. They have Indigenous reconciliation processes (imperfect, but existing). They won't put a military base on every third island.

4. CONDITIONS OF CONSENT

My consent is given subject to the following non-negotiable conditions:

  1. Native Hawaiian Sovereignty: BC and Canada must formally commit to supporting Native Hawaiian self-determination processes, including but not limited to: land repatriation, cultural preservation funding, and genuine political autonomy. This is not optional.
  2. ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi: The Hawaiian language must be recognized as an official language within Hawaiʻi, alongside English and French. Yes, we know about Canadian bilingualism. We're asking for trilingualism. Deal with it.
  3. Tourism Management: BC must support our efforts to manage tourism sustainably. This may include visitor caps, higher fees, and the word "no" applied to certain developments. BC, which is also being loved to death, should understand this.
  4. Environmental Sovereignty: We manage our own land use, water rights, and marine protected areas. The Pacific is our kuleana (responsibility). We will share, but we will lead.
  5. No More Military Creep: We have enough bases. We have enough target practice. BC cannot add more military installations without explicit Hawaiian consent.
  6. Respect for Distance: We are far away. This is not a problem to be solved. This is who we are. BC must commit to respecting our distance while maintaining connection.
  7. Climate Commitment: Canada's climate record is... mixed. We are losing coastline. We are losing reefs. BC must advocate for aggressive federal climate action. Our existence depends on it.

5. WHAT WE BRING

In exchange, Hawaiʻi offers:

  • Aloha (the real kind);
  • A Pacific presence that transforms Canada from a two-ocean nation to a true Pacific power;
  • Volcanic research capabilities;
  • Traditional navigation and ocean knowledge;
  • World-class marine science;
  • Cultural diversity that will enrich the federation;
  • An understanding of what it means to be small, isolated, and still survive;
  • Really good poke. BC will not be disappointed.

6. ON BEING SIBLINGS WITH OREGON

We understand that BC is also adopting Oregon. We have thoughts:

  • We have never met Oregon;
  • Oregon has trees; we have volcanoes. Oregon has rain; we have trade winds. Oregon has hipsters; we have... also hipsters, actually, in certain neighborhoods;
  • We are willing to try being siblings. Family is important;
  • If Oregon tries to explain "island life" to us, there will be problems;
  • We propose annual family gatherings at a neutral location. Not Portland. Not Honolulu. Maybe Victoria. Victoria seems neutral.

7. SIGNATURE

SIGNED this _____ day of __________, 20____

At ʻIolani Palace, Honolulu, in recognition of our complicated history.

___________________________________
KA MOKUʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI / THE STATE OF HAWAIʻI
By: The Governor
With consultation from: Native Hawaiian sovereignty organizations (ongoing)
"Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono"
(The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness)

This consent is given in the spirit of hope—hope that a new relationship might be better than the old one, that distance might be respected rather than resented, and that a province called "British" Columbia might actually understand what it means to reckon with colonial history.

E hoʻomau kākou. Let us continue together.

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