It’s cool to be anti-American

Canada’s Fraser Institute continues to chart the progress of Americanism into Canada

by Thomas Feakins

Gas prices aside, Hurricane Katrina is still making an impact north of the US border. The natural disaste—or Act of God, as Pat Robertson would like us to believe—resulted in Vice President Dick Cheney canceling a planned meeting and fundraiser in Calgary, Alberta. The private event ($5,000 -$10,000 a plate) was scheduled for September 8 th at one of Calgary’s finer hotels, and sponsored by the Fraser Institute. Equally of note was Cheney’s itinerary for the following day, as the Vice President was to tour the Alberta tar sands, a huge oil project in the north of the province. Apparently the Lord was not ready to have the Vice President inspect his oil reserves.

Cheney has not visited Calgary since 2000, when at that time he spoke on behalf of (surprise) Halliburton at the World Petroleum Congress. Protests had been scheduled in cities across Canada in order to “welcome” the very unpopular politician with signs, songs and “Wanted” posters. In typically Canadian fashion, even with the planned demonstrations, there was no shortage of federal and provincial officials scrambling to take credit for the invitation.

One of Canada’s more prolific conservative think-tanks, the Fraser Institute was formed in 1974 and has branches in Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto. The outgoing Executive Director of the institute is Michael Walker, a personal friend of the Cheneys, and a man responsible for some notable studies. In the powerful documentary The Corporation, Walker’s comments were also responsible for groans and shrieks in the audience. With their hands in many issues, the institute is best known for these few things:

Tax Freedom Day : A formula that apparently calculates when in the calendar year each Canadian stops paying the government all their wages. I was informed that my personal Tax Freedom Day in 2005 was Wednesday, July 6.

The Economic Freedom report: Ranking nations by their open markets, defence of private property, size of governments and extent of their regulations. Hong Kong, by the way, is ranked at the top in 2005, with the US 3 rd, Canada 7 th, and Myanmar bringing up the rear.

The Fraser Institute advocates for health care competition, decreased regulations, school choice and lower taxes, while questioning firearm registration, global warming science and a host of other items. Studies and recommendations of the Fraser Institute have increasingly found their way into mainstream publications in Canada. And for a mere $45.00 (Cdn) you can own an Adam Smith silk necktie or scarf, exclusive to the Fraser Institute.

On the surface one might guess that Canadians are becoming more wary and disapproving of our southern neighbours. Polling of 500 Canadians completed by Pew Research (with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright co-chairing) found that 60% find Americans greedy, violent and rude and less than half feel Americans are honest.

Friends of America, however, polled 1,000 Canadians in November 2004 and their findings indicated the following: 71% see the US as their closest friend; Canadians with higher incomes are more likely to see the US as a close friend; 66% don’t feel that “it’s cool to dislike Americans,” and 60% have overall positive feelings toward the US.

Despite the widespread unpopularity of the Cheney/Bush administration, the similarities between Canada and the US are very evident. Everyday observation tells us that Canada is traveling down the same path as the USA.

Look at the evidence:

Voting trends: There is a lower number of young voters, and an overall decline in the general population going to the polls in the past 25 years, from 75% to 60% in last year’s federal election.

Health care changes: There are new challenges to the Canada Health Act that promote the provision of private services. Some provinces—such as Alberta—are much further along in this area.

Child poverty rates: Statistics Canada shows an increase to nearly 16% of Canadian children living under the poverty line. (Not surprisingly, the Fraser Institute questions the reliability of this figure). Canada sits in the bottom 3 rd of OECD nations in this area. 40% of foodbank clients are now children.

Increases in military spending: The 2005 federal budget calls for the largest increase in military expenditure in over 20 years. Some on the right side of the political spectrum call for even greater amounts.

Obesity in adults and children: Statistics Canada reports that the obesity rate for teens has tripled in 25 years, while the number of obese adults has steadily increased to 23% of the population.

Canada’s new Ambassador to the United States: Frank McKenna is a perfect illustration of the relationship between the two countries. A former provincial Premier, McKenna is on the advisory board of the infamous Carlyle Group, and has strong ties to the Republican Party, the Bush family and the weapons industry. These connections were not publicly discussed prior to his appointment and are clearly relevant, particularly when considering the controversial Missile Defense Project.

Contrary to Friends of America, I think it is cool to say that Bush is an idiot; unfortunately this amounts to little more than posturing by Canadians, as we surely can’t define ourselves by our sayings. The more concrete measures listed above are much more indicative of our loyalties and priorities.

Canadians have developed a kind of arrogance when discussing our neighbours to the south. It seems that we fall back on a catchphrase like “well at least we’re not like the Americans,” or wear t-shirts with an image of the President and the words “International Terrorist,” yet as a nation we’re becoming more like Michael Walker and less like Michael Moore. It’s as if Canadians live under a cloud of cognitive dissonance, quick to point out crude or backward elements of the American Empire, then lining up at border crossings to visit outlet strip malls with discount clothing and decent exchange rates.

One of Canada’s more colorful political figures, the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, remarked famously that “living next to you [Americans] is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant; no matter how friendly or even-tempered is the beast, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.” It seems that Canadians are getting used to the elephant, with only the occasional complaint over the sounds and smells.

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