Brexit reality hitting close to home for expats in the Maritimes

Nova Scotia’s New Scotland roots mean its ties to the United Kingdom run deep. Across the Maritimes, expats are wondering what Britain’s landmark vote to leave the European Union will mean for them and their families back at home.

According to statistics from the United Nations, more than 600,000 people from the United Kingdom called Canada home in 2015. Expats in the Maritimes are reacting to the Brexit news with shock and worry, but also with their famous British stoicism.

Fear of a splintering United Kingdom

The breakdown of Brexit votes showed voters in Northern Ireland and Scotland voted to remain in the European Union — but they are now part of the United Kingdom that as a whole will leave the union.

The difference in wills is emboldening separatists in the two countries.

READ MORE: Brexit hangover: Some Leave voters rethinking what they did last night

In Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein is calling on the two Irelands to unite as one country. In the meantime, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon is suggesting she will hold another referendum on Scottish independence.

Irishman Jack Hanratty, from the Republic of Ireland, says he’s worried the political rhetoric will “spark tensions” between Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.

“The biggest thing for Ireland to work [well] over the last few years is that there’s been stability in the United Kingdom — and this [the Brexit] certainly means that there is not,” Hanratty said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The biggest thing for Ireland to work [well] over the last few years is that there's been stability in the United Kingdom — and this [the Brexit] certainly means that there is not," Hanratty said.

For at least one British citizen, the prospect of the United Kingdom facing more instability is unsettling.

“We should have stayed in,” Denis Dineen said.

“What comes next as you can see is that Scotland may have a referendum, Northern Ireland might do the same.”

“Keep Calm and Carry On”

Echoing Britain’s popular Second World War slogan “keep calm and carry on,” expat Bex Saunders, now living in Nova Scotia, said that with so much uncertainty and so many unknowns, the “scaremongering” in unhelpful.

“Unless the country wants to go into a massive state of panic everybody needs to just take a little step back,”  Saunders said.

“Keep calm and carry on, because we just cannot predict what’s around the corner.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Keep calm and carry on, because we just cannot predict what's around the corner."

She says she understands the worries about the impact on the financial markets and economy, but she says she thinks only the history books will tell the United Kingdom whether it made the right choice on Thursday.