Canada-U.S. Relations: Why Can't We Be Friends?

This is not a litany of success for either side. In fact, it is a clear downward slope toward a deep freeze in relations that even now is setting in. Paul Martin promised to stop this trend but he has only delayed it briefly and, now, he is feeding its acceleration. It scarcely needs repeating that the economic relationship between these two nations is the largest in the world, and that they are friends with many common interests. Yet, there seems to be a serious disjunction between these platitudes and the course of events over much of the past decade or more. What is the problem? Why can't two similar countries with many common interests and values get along? The answer is not an economic one, it is social and cultural; the two countries are moving further apart. On almost every important social issue you can think of the U.S as a nation (not just its government) is, or has moved, to the right while Canada has not. Regional differences matter, but on major social issues the U.S is a more conservative, southern country than ever before. It is also taking a view of its role in the world that is both narrower (for us or against us) and broader (democratic evangelism) at the same time. The result of this disconnect is a much stronger distrust on both sides of the border. More Canadians regard the U.S. as the home of rabid fanatics and more Americans regard Canada as host to virtual pacifist socialism. This distrust has led to animosity in Canada against any intimation of American dominance or leadership and a knee-jerk anti-Americanism. It has also led to an increasing isolation of Canada in the corridors of power in Washington and a concomitant diminution of influence. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051220.wcomm1220/BNStory/Front/

Note: http://www.theglobeandm...