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mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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 Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:40 am Post subject: Canadians prefer Obama over own leaders |
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http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080629/poll_us_canada_080629/20080629?hub=TopStories
Even Hillary Clinton is right up there too, so it's not just a simple fascination with Obama alone. Our leaders right now are sufficient for the time being, just a bit blah.
Stephane Dion is the leader of the Liberal Party, the one that governed Canada for about 12 years straight during the 90s. Only points above McCain, and one point below the leader of the Bloc Quebecois. Ouch.
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* Barack Obama: 26 per cent
* Stephen Harper: 21 per cent
* Hillary Clinton: 16 per cent
* Jack Layton: 9 per cent
* Gilles Duceppe: 6 per cent
* Stephane Dion: 5 per cent
* John McCain: 3 per cent
Obama appealed to people across Canada's political spectrum, with 24 per cent of conservative-minded voters choosing him and 28 per cent of liberal thinkers.
"I think there's a sense in Canada that we're in a rut with our political situation, and I think there's a fatigue with the nature of politics in Ottawa as we watch it through question period -- the very cranky, minority-government style politics. There's a little more envy than usual south of the border," said Donolo.
This recent poll by The Strategic Counsel surveyed 1,000 Canadians and 1,000 people in the United States.
When it came to health care, 45 per cent of Americans felt Canada had a superior system, while 42 per cent thought the United States should stick with its own.
Meanwhile, the vast majority of Canadians, 91 per cent, felt that Canada's health care system was better than the United States. |
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Beej
Joined: 05 Mar 2005
Location: Eungam Loop
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:23 am Post subject: |
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| I wonder what Americans think about Canadian leaders? |
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supernick
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:15 am Post subject: |
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| I wonder what Americans think about Canadian leaders? |
Not too much, nor do they care about any other country's leaders. The difference is, is that not many world leaders as individuals have much power, and I'm sure Americans like it that way.
If the U.S. wants to remain influential on the world stage, it aint gonna happen if another Bush is elected. In fact it's not so much about which person is elected, as many in the world feel that it's not just the president that is the problem. |
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mises
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:25 am Post subject: |
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From the National Post:
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Green with envy over America's black messiah
The recent Iowa and New Hampshire diversity-themed presidential primaries were Canadian pundits' favourite reality show: Would Mormonism be voted off the Republican island? Would it be gender or race dictating the ultimate Democratic Survivor?
Diversity is the liberal media's catnip. Canadian observers are particularly excited that finally both a black man and a woman have an excellent shot at the presidency. Yet one senses competitive frustration. They beat us to it! After all, Canadians 'R Diversity! Theoretically we're sooooo ready for a woman, a black, an aboriginal, a Jew, a gay, a Musl�, um, or a gay as PM. But while we talk the talk, those chutzpadik Americans seem to be walking the walk.
Canadian candidates for party leadership are invariably middle-aged heterosexual white guys of Euro-Christian descent, and the only modern "identity" issue is who speaks the other official language better. American politics were similarly undiversified (JFK was Catholic, big deal, we've been there, done that), but this American breakthrough surge -- colour! -- is an embarrassment to politically correct Canadian politicos.
Wistfully, they contemplate the easy journalistic pickings across the border. Is Obama black enough? Is Hillary manly enough? These questions excite them. Check out a beaming Obama on the cover of Maclean's this week, and the awestruck five-page tribute within.
Or take veteran political commentator Lawrence Martin, who is normally a cool and detached Canadian journalist. His Globe & Mail column
of last Thursday was a giddy political love letter to Obama's image: "Mr Obama at 46, somehow makes [48-year old Stephen Harper] appear much older."
As if looking older (and -- implied -- so much paler!) weren't crime enough, Mr. Harper is also a nationalist. What a fogey! Indeed, another nationalist "dinosaur," John McCain, makes Martin laugh (literally: Martin attended one of his speeches): "[McCain] said -- this is not made up -- that the disparate band of Islamic terrorists represent the greatest threat to America in its history." Martin means this to read as funny -- man, these old Commie-fighters are so 2002 -- except, of course, Mc-Cain is right.
But the really unnerving heart of the column is the mighty exertion Martin expends on appropriating Obama as a kind of honorary Canadian. He offers us a misty vision of Obama as Canada's alter ego: "Young Canada, like him, is diverse, cosmopolitan, internationalist, multi-ethnic, multilateralist, less ideological, more anti-war."
Note the word order: "diverse" above all. Note the lack of specificity: "Multi-ethnic" and "anti-war" are not policies. Note the failure to consult Canadian history: The Parti Quebecois thought Andre Boisclair was "Young Quebec," so to speak, and elected him leader for exactly the Obama-esque qualities Martin cites (and of course his gayness, another ace in the diversity deck) rather than experience and policies, and look where that got them: third place in the last Quebec election.
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If you dumped an American in Canada today, he would be asked the "is America ready for a black man" question by every Canadian he clawed past during the run to the border. |
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mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:32 am Post subject: |
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| Beej wrote: |
| I wonder what Americans think about Canadian leaders? |
I follow Canadian politics every day and even I'm having trouble staying interested this year. Americans don't stand a chance against this tedious crop we have.
The biggest problem is that Canadian leaders first have to become leaders of their parties, and that means more time spent with party members and leaders, and less time spent with average voters. It's impossible to fire up the average voter to run as an independent for PM in Canada; the best you can get as an independent is a single seat in Parliament. |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I am not going to complain so much. I mean Canada has a good economy, Chretien kept Canada out of the Iraq War.... Obama is charismatic. Harper and Dion are not, but that doesn't really matter.
I think the qualifications are very important to look at. |
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