Americans Say, Canadians Say

Same item, appearing in two different newspapers, each with different captions. One reads "Safer for world if McCain wins, Americans say"; while the other reads "Canadians don't feel secure with McCain". Oops, whose election is this, anyway? Well, of course there's that, but there's also the undeniable reality that whoever is at the helm of governance in the United States makes decisions that very often impact deleteriously on the world at large.

Canada being the very close next-door neighbour of the United States, it's understandable that we're more than a little interested in the outcome of the presidential elections. We've a lot in common as neighbours in North America. We share a good many values, although there are certainly nuanced differences. Our priorities are occasionally similar. Our social attitudes share some great similarities, but shaded by "liberal" and "conservative" apprehensions.

Americans are more conservative than Canadians. Americans are most certainly more religiously inspired, more dedicated to religion, more church-going, more bible-abiding, than their Canadian counterparts. Canadians are less socially rigid than Americans. Americans are far more conspicuously patriotic than are Canadians. Canadians tend to be quietly patriotic, not given to the overt displays so characteristic of Americans.

Canadians have infinitely more knowledge of all things American, from their history to their culture, their politics to their social mores. Americans remain dismally but confidently ignorant of useful general knowledge of other countries of the world, including their neighbour, Canada. Canadians are genuinely interested in other countries. Americans seem to feel no need to be.

So here's that news item again, where the two populations view a particular item from opposite positions. Americans, by a slender margin appear to believe the world would be safer if Republican John McCain ascended to the presidency. There's an overt assumption that it is the United States' primary duty to police the world, ensure that it reflects American values and conditions of political life, it would appear.

A mere 24% of Canadians feel that Senator McCain would ensure a more peaceful world, as president of the U.S. In contrast, Senator McCain retains a slight majority of approval from Americans as leader, rather than Senators Clinton or Obama. America's traditional weight-throwing in the world makes Canadians slightly nervous. They relate far better to the foreign policy expressed by the Democrats.

Revealed through an Ipsos Reid survey conducted for Munk Debates, an international affairs debate series which plans to focus on the impact of the U.S. presidential campaign on international affairs.

As reported by Sheldon Alberts for Canwest News Service