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Canadian island offers refuge from Trump

Jessica Hartogs, special to CNBC
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Canadian island offers Americans refuge from Trump
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Canadian island offers Americans refuge from Trump

If the idea of Donald Trump becoming the next U.S. president is your biggest fear, then fear no more as a Canadian island is offering you shelter.

Cape Breton, just off the coast of Maine, is opening its arms to Americans who want to leave the States if billionaire Trump wins the 2016 elections.

In fact, the island's website even urges you not to wait that long:

"Don't wait until Donald Trump is elected president to find somewhere else to live! Start now, that way, on election day, you just hop on a bus to start your new life in Cape Breton, where women can get abortions, Muslim people can roam freely, and the only 'walls' are holding up the roofs of our extremely affordable houses."

To entice new residents, Cape Breton, which is about the same size as the Big Island of Hawaii, brags about regularly featuring on lists of the world's most beautiful islands, along with its free healthcare, its open embrace of diversity, friendly neighbors and "nobody has a hand gun!"


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The website also touts its affordable housing:

"How much would it cost for a three bedroom lakeside home in your state? About a jillion dollars? You would need to BE Donald Trump to afford a place like that. But in Cape Breton, we have the most affordable housing in North America!"

A search of a local real estate site shows properties ranging from 17,900-350,000 Canadian dollars ($13,000-$255,000).

The island has a university, a Celtic festival week, seafood and even offers a program for "Ladies who code."

If this sounds too good to be true, there are a few hurdles.

First and foremost, the immigration issue - however, the FAQ page of Cape Breton's website optimistically states, "The process has changed, some people say it is much less complex."

Then, the island is apparently experiencing a bit of a population problem at the moment, hence the need for people.

Under the FAQs, the question 'Why are you doing this?' is met with, "Our population is shrinking. A slow economy, in combination with out-migration has us on an unsustainable path."

And finally, the employment issue - "It is true, unemployment is high here, but some areas are growing, and some skilled workers are in demand!"

So if you're still tempted… and if Donald Trump wins the U.S. elections, the Cape Breton website can point you in the direction of both the Canadian government's immigration page as well as the island's job board, which shows opportunities for positions including mechanic, cook and care assistant.

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