New Montreal States
Contents
The New Montreal States
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| Flag of New Montreal States | |
| Motto: Those who mess with us probably aren't very nice people | |
| none available yet | |
| Region | The Kingdom of the Midlands |
|---|---|
| Capital | New Montreal |
| Official Language(s) | french, english |
| Leader | Chief Paladin Frog |
| Population | 1.44 billion |
| Currency | the ounce of marijuana, at 1.8 to the dollar |
| NS Sunset XML | |
The Silver Paladinate of the New Montreal States is a politically free, civil rights intensive nation. Its one moment of glory was finishing 4th in World Cup 11. It is a member of The Kingdom of the Midlands and tends to align with Euroslavia and Nanakaland when dealing with the outside world.
History
The founders of the New Montreal States have been lost to time. For as long as its history has been recorded, it has been a form of confederation, with the primary balance of power being between the leaders of the component provinces and a central monarch.
After co-operating with Nanakaland on a series of operations against terrorists, the States were invited to join The Kingdom of the Midlands. It accepted and has remained a part of this region ever since.
The NMS joined the UN, but has left as a result of disagreements over several resolutions they consider to be overly restrictive both to their citizens and their governement. They do not object to Euroslavia's goal of turning the region into a power in the U.N., they just don't want to be a part of it.
The head of state of the NMS wields extensive power, and it was the excesses of one of their leasers that caused the state to collapse into anarchy and ruin. It has recently been revived by the mysterious general (now Chief Paladin) Frog, who has managed to return the economy to its former riches and is now attempting to build up NMS's influence in the foreign arena.
After the falling out between Nanakaland and Euroslavia, the NMS is trying to strike a balance between its two oldest and best allies. One of Frog's primary goals is to protect his nation and people from any armed conflict between these two nations.
The one great moment in NMS history came in the field of sports, when the NMS football team, composed entirely of high school students, finished fourth in World Cup 11.
Current Events
The southern border is about to come under attack by a renegade government in Intelligent Neighbors, a fellow member of The Kingdom of the Midlands. An official state of war exists after IN fighters attacked NMS anti-air facilities along the border.
The Paladins football squad is about to begin qualifiers for World Cup 24, hosted by Druida and Krytenia. The Paladins are in Group 3, a group that has been plagued by fighting between established power Total n Utter Insanity and the newer nation of Shearers Heaven.
Politics
Legislative
The Council of Paladins
The Council of Paladins consists of one Paladin from each province. They may serve an unlimited number of six-year terms, but must retire at the end of their term if they are older than 80. The method of selecting a Paladin is up to the provinces. Currently there are 37 Paladins on the council. Frog has a tie-breaking vote.
Bills can be passed by a simple majority. Treaties with any foreign power require a 2/3rds majority to pass.
The Common Council
There is also a lower house, The Common Council. It has very little power. Bills passed by the Paladins are not subject to any review or amendment by the Council. The Council can force the Paladins to vote on a bill submitted in the Council simply by passing it.
Council seats are appportioned by population. Elections for these seats are held every two years. Reapportionment of seats is ordered by the Paladins, and usually occurs every 8 to 10 years.
Executive
Executive power in the New Montreal States is wielded by the Right Honorable Chief Paladin Frog. After reunifying the States, he was appointed to the post by the Council of Paladins and can be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Council of Paladins or a simple majority of the popular vote in a recall election.
Bills passed by the Paladins must be approved by Frog. A 3/4th majority of the Paladins can make a bill law if Frog does not approve of it. Treaties must have Frog's approval before they become law.
Frog's appointed successor is Martin Cloutier, a senior diplomat currently on assignment as ambassador to Euroslavia. He is thirty years older than Frog, however, and is widely viewed as a stop-gap appointee until a better successor can be found.
Religion
The primary religion of the NMS is Orthodox Christianity, with about 80% of the population adhering to the faith. Despite this, the government retains a strong secular streak. Freedom of conscience is guarenteed, and the rights of other religions to prosletize has never been restricted. About 7% of the population is atheist or agnostic. 4% are Protestant, with the great majority of these coming from the traditional denominations. 2% of the population is Catholic, and the remainder follow a great variety of religions, some quite esoteric in nature.
The NMS Orthodox Church
The NMS Orthodox Church is an autocephalous part of the wider Orthodox Christian Community, and is currently in communion with all major parts of the wider Community. The Church represents about 95% of Orthodox Christians in the States (with outside churches catering mainly to immigrants taking up the remaining part). The currently Patriarch is Vlacheslav I, based at St. John's Cathedral in New Montreal.
The Flying Spaghetti Monster
The church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) has recently established itself in the NMS. It is estimated that about 2% of the population now follows the orders of its prophet, Bobby Henderson. It draws most of its support from the atheist and agnostic community, with a small amount being drawn from practicioners of the other religions.
Jehovah's Witnesses
The sect has come on hard times after a ban on door-to-door evangelising was imposed by several large cities. Many other cities, glad to be rid of an annoyance, have followed suit. The Witnesses brought out their top-notch legal team to fight the bans, but were undone when a group of Witnesses accidentally came calling at the house of the presiding judge after he had a rough day. The case went down to overwhelming defeat and is currently on appeal.
Sport
The main sport in the States is football (soccer), although ice hockey also has a large following. The States have participated in World Cups 10 and 11, in each Cup earning themselves a bit of glory. In World Cup 10 they defeated then 4th-ranked Bedistan in qualifying, creating a rivalry between the two nations. In World Cup 11 they advanced to the finals before losing twice to finish 4th overall. The States also participated in the Supercup after failing to qualify in WC10, but finished second to last ahead of only Cockbill Street.
The NMS World Cup Team
In World Cup 10, the States appointed a professional team to represent them. The team began by losing seven straight games in the qualifiers. After that, the Ministry of Morale sacked the entire team and replaced them with selected high school squads from across the States. The high school teams responded with seven wins in 10 games, including one over world power Bedistan. The Ministry has kept sending high school teams to football tourneys ever since, with generally positive results.
