oceanMDX

Canada was judged as having the most positive/least negative influence of any country in the world in the latest BBC survey:

http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pi...s_Mar07_pr.pdf

Steve_P

Different slant on the same survey.

From today's Calgary Herald.

Canada liked, but likely ignored

Don Butler, CanWest News Service

Published: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
OTTAWA - A new poll that ranks Canada first in terms of its positive influence in the world is more a reflection of the world's ignorance of Canada than widespread approval of its foreign policy, says the firm that conducted the survey.

oceanMDX

On the other hand, the article you quote goes on to say, ".... Canada receives particularly positive ratings from people in Australia, Germany, Great Britain and the United States, where two-thirds or more say its influence is mainly positive."

So the countries that know us the best have a positive view. Countries like Egypt - who have little knowledge about Canada - have more negative views.

I'll give more weight to the views of peoples who are most knowledgeable of Canada than to those who know little about the country.

dingbat

But we're foreigners. What do we know?

oceanMDX

You know what you know.... btw, thanks for putting us over the top dingbat.

Butch Cassidy

Why the Freak would Australia and Germany be more knowledgable of Canada than Mexico, China, India or the Philipines? These countries provide far more immigrants and temporary workers!!

I would doubt that the majority of Australians or Germans could give a flying FOOK what was happening in Ottawa. In fact the Germans are probably more concerned with whats happening next door to you.

MikeUK

Canada liked, but likely ignored


Yep sad reality...

I think this is becasue the 'world' has a view of Canada that i'm afraid is a long way away from reality..

If they knew the 'regional' red-necks, oil sand alberta, and industrial Ontario.. and the limited world prepective most Canadains have they may have put us much closer to the US..

Don't foget that in a lot of these countries they percive Canada as a wholesome "green" country.... when the nearest we get to the Kyoto accord is an opposition minsters dog

Daedra

Your post is very deppresing and makes me want to slash my wrists I came to the UK a happy go lucky Canadian and now its all doom & gloom BS 3 years on... j/k *lol*

oceanMDX

The language for the vast majority in Mexico is Spanish... so they don't have access to our media in a language they can understand, plus they are consumed with US policy. Language is an issue here, so Australia has that advantage. Lots of Germans can speak/read English, and parts of Canada were predominantly German until recently - Kitchener/Waterloo is an example. Culturally, Canadian society has much more in common with Australia and Germany (cultural connection is long standing, and broad) than with Mexico (virturally no cultural connection), China (cultural connection is weak and ghettoized), India (cultural connection is recent, weak and ghettoized), and the Philipines - insignificant cultural connection.

Proportionally (per capita), I rather doubt that China or India provide any more immigrants/temporary workers than Australia. Germany has seen significant emigration to Canada in decades past.... such as after WWII... many were called "DPs" or displaces persons".

I agree that the majority likely don't, but lots of them - in the case of Germany - appear not to like our failures regarding Kyoto, and policy regarding sealing.... and then we are allies in NATO and had bases in Germany until recently. Australians often see Canadians as North American analogs of themselves.... so they can't help but love us.

oceanMDX

Your view is as bigoted and as stereotypical as any I have ever come across... and I lived in Ontario for 25 years, and Alberta for 15 years.

Most of Canada is "green"... it's just the places where people live that pose a problem.

dbd33

He's not wrong though, is he?

oceanMDX

Of course he is wrong because Canada has a much more innocuous foreign policy than the US... Iraq is just one example of this.

dbd33

I don't think Canada's foreign policy is much more innocous than that of the US, I think Canada moves in lockstep, but that's not what he's saying. I think the point here is that the world's impression of Canada has been shaped by Pierre Trudeau, people think of Canada as being green, friendly and international. If people actually visited they'd find that it's more like their perception of the US; parochial and wasteful of energy. As it happens I think that impression of the US is also wrong and that, in truth, there are as many Canadians who resemble Rod Steiger in In the Heat of the Night as there are Americans. (as a proportion of population, I know that in absolute terms there are more fat, sweaty, redneck Americans than Canadians just as in absolute terms there are more pedantic and humourless Americans than there are Canadians)

oceanMDX

In lockstep with the US?.... then there is Iraq and Cuba, just to name two counties that define US vs. Canadian policy - very different policies. Generally, 'mericans aren't even permitted to visit Cuba or do business there, Canada has no such general restrictions. Then as you should know, Canada wasn't involved with the US/British invasion of Iraq, even though the Bush admin. but a lot of pressure on Canada... we just told them no thanks!

I could go on and on about the differences, but I won't.

iaink

Oh look, its a Canadian getting all upset because an outsider has dared to say Canada isn't all that different to the US in most respects.


Much as I agree that Canada takes a far less aggressive line than the US in some areas , I have to agree, based on postings here if nothing else, that most people with no direct experience seem to have a view of Canada , how shall I put this ... not entirely grounded in reality, based on pictures of mounties and pristine looking mountains and lakes.