Poll: Canadians Prefer Obama To Their Own Leaders

A new poll suggests Canadians would prefer to vote for Barack Obama rather cast a ballot for their own political leaders, while 45 per cent of Americans envy Canada's health care system.

The bi-national survey, conducted by the Strategic Counsel for CTV and The Globe and Mail, showed that here in Canada, Obama was more admired than Prime Minister Stephen Harper -- or any other national leader.

"Some would read (the results) as an indictment of our political leaders," the Strategic Counsel's Peter Donolo told CTV.ca. "Others would say it's an acknowledgement of the phenomenal nature of Obama's appeal. He really is a prototype of his own; he's broken the mold."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[XME]

Can't say I blame them!

[CharlieMarlowe]

Same continent: different worlds.

Generally speaing, the motto of the USA is "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" Sounds hedonistic and not the kind of place where faith plays such an important part of the political process. The motto for Canada is "Peace, order and good government" which sounds like a right-wingers dream state, yet Canada is perceived as being very liberal. So, in the US religion influencing politics could be argued as a form of liberty-the freeedom to express one's belief. In Canada, universal health care could be argued as being part of good government-taking care of its citizenry. Both countries value freedom and liberty, we just interpret and express those values differently.

[S1m0n]

Stephen Harper is a profoundly unlikeable politician. That he's polling below Barack Obama should startle no one.

[tel8034]

Canadians would vote for Obama, so would Europeans, Asians, Africans, South Americans, Central Ameircans, Pacific Islanders, the Caribbean and everywhere else you can think of.

They are all still wondering how Americans ruined their economy and world standing by voting for George Bush, and why would they want more of the same with McCain.

But they can't cast a vote for Obama, so it's up to Americans to to the right thing, and keep McSame out of the White House.

[alienufo]

"They're not even a real country anyway"

[headstrong]

Yup - Canada sure does love socialism ... yuk yuk. Left wing, legal dope smoking, pinko commies everyone!!
They're coming to take away your guns, force you to have free health care, stop you from moronic wars. and generally keep you from destroying the world we all have to live in. Maybe teach you a little civilized behaviour (doubtful) while they're at it.
Sounds like a good deal to me - best you're gonna get, trust me.

[OhCanada]

Hahahah. Thanks head. I was going to argue why I love Canada but your Chris Kellyesque sarcasm will suffice. Oh, and don't forget we pay our teachers $60,000-$70,000 per year. Need 5 years of university to teach. Educated teachers, educated children. Oh, and like many other Canadians have said with these posts, no religion for us eh?

[thankulord13]

We are so lucky... pass the Kool Aid!

[dentuso]

I heard a great quote last week.

"When you're having a conversation with someone and want to know if they're truly a low-information voter with no intelligent comments to make - simply listen for them to say "Kool Aid" when they come to the realization that they're in an argument that's over their head.

[4wehttam]

Ohh great one! I'm going to use that the next time someone talks about kool aid.

[almoguy]

Nice retort dentuso...you are being spot on today in all your comments on this tread.

[ChristiB]

Canada, like almost every country in the rest of the world, prefers Obama. Why? Because the whole world is MUCH WORSE off than it was 8 years ago. The U.S. is the world's super-power - with great power comes great responsibility! Bush/Cheney have screwed the world. Like it or not, the election is not just about the US anymore, its about the world.

Besides, Canadian politics are boring. One good thing about Canadian politics is that its over in a couple months - none of this 2 year stuff.

[dentuso]

And if you happen to elect a gonad, you can dump him overnight. I love the fact that Canada runs their country like a well-oiled corporation. When the shareholders aren't happy with the CEO - they can fire him.

Beautiful.

[hudsuckerproxy]

Speaking as a Canadian, I don't understand why the gap between Obama and Bush Lite Harper isn't considerably wider.

[Pquilson]

I frankly do not care if Canadians prefer Obama, or McCain, or Castro, or whomever. They have their country, we have ours. We will have our election, and they can have theirs.

[happypup]

Wow! You really said it like it is! Who cares if our next President is respected and admired around the world!

[PeterTheChanter]

that kind of incuriousness is precisely the problem--of course, i'm sure you don't care.

[CharlieMarlowe]

Obama's popularity in Canada will greatly diminsih if he maintains his commitment to faith-based initiatives. Such things do not appeal to Canadians much. Recently, in the Ontario provincial election, the Conservative leader promised public funding for faith-based schools. He lost.

[dentuso]

Agreed. This is one area where he would get slaughtered. Canada is, like most of Europe, a non-religious country. Tying state support to anything faith-based would flop faster than Enron stock. That said, I don't think it would be humanly possible for O to win here without some support of the medium-right - which includes faith and always will.

[thankulord13]

Who cares what Canada or any other nation thinks!

[almoguy]

Obama's brilliance is his willingness to be all-inclusive. He is willing to make a place at the table for all constituencies including faith-based groups. Acknowledging their existence without prejudice is the mark of a substantial and intriguing mind. This is why he has the worlds respect.

[Ged2012]

Why don't you read the entirety of what Obama said before jumping to such a conclusion?

[aturner18]

then they can have them!

[MariaHopeful]

And they would take him but who wants John McCain?
Where are you going to send him?

[EuroPreacher]

I like the newly elected leader in French-speaking Quebec but he is not an O though...

[dentuso]

I haven't been following. I'll google it. I assume, however, that he's not a redux of the early 90's separatists?

[richardgordon]

Yes, its true. I think Canadians really are exited about the prospect of Obama.

[UnbiasView]

Why wouldn't they, Canada loves socialism.

[newgeneration]

So I guess if the entire world is exited about Obama....which they are.. that means they are all socialist?

[AndrewInToronto]

Which is why we have the last hold-out government supporting Bush. I don't think so. Canada has never had socialism at all; we have had welfare capitalism which is totally different -- and even that is being undercut in terms of universal healthcare and employment insurance accessibility.

[UnbiasView]

So socialized health care? Putting people on trial because of things they write or say?

[kamenwati]

Now that we've heard from the local village idiot perhaps us grown folks can get back to the discussion.

Most Canadians obviously recognize and value Obama's leadership qualities. Too bad some Americans remain clueless.

[CharlieMarlowe]

I guess that is why david Frum felt the need to leave.

[LittleSanityLeft]

We love democracy here. We don't love torture. We don't love pre-emptive wars. we don't love eaves dropping on our citizens. We love universal health care. We love our marijuana laws. we love our multicultural and diverse nation. We love the fact that we're loved all around the world. We love the fact that lesbian and gays can get married here with no fuss, no muss. We love the fact that we don't have a history of political assassination and that we are far more socially progressive then our American cousins.

We love many things about our country but socialism isn't even a part of a general vocabulary when describing our country. Why is it Canadians know so much about the US but the US knows so little about Canada?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seYUbVa7L7w