The wrong way to pick the right candidate

By Florence Bienvenu, October 24th, 2012

If you had temporarily shelved your citizenship when you backed Romney around the dinner table or cheered on Obama in front of the television set, you're not alone. Political strategist Derek Burney has observed that Canadians tend to form an opinion of U.S. presidential candidates as if they themselves were American, rather than on the basis of what would be best for Canada.
Many Canadians have watched Obama's speeches and discussed Romney's latest faux-pas, but too few know or care about where each candidate stands on the issues that impact our country.
Yet they should, now more than ever. In a recent article published by The Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, Burney argues that Obama has all but abandoned Canadian interests during his first term in office - “time and again”, he writes, “the United States had jilted its northern neighbor”. According to Burney, who once served as Canada's ambassador to the United States, the Canada-U.S. relationship is at its lowest point in decades.
Among the current President's notable failings vis-à-vis Canada, Burney notes Obama's role in delaying the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, his support of protectionist Buy American provisions, and a lack of appreciation for Canada's significant military contribution in both Lybia and Afghanistan. And yet Barack Obama's popularity among Canadians endures: according to a recent Angus Reid poll, a whopping 60 percent of us think he's been good for Canada!
Mitt Romney has had no such luck in the Great White North. He may be a worthy opponent on American turf, but no more than nine percent of Canadians say they would cast a ballot for him. This is not surprising. Romney is a Republican, an affiliation Canadians have never much liked in US presidential candidates.
But not so fast, Canadians. While Obama has let Congress pass a stimulus bill that will exclude Canadian firms from U.S. infrastructure projects, Romney has put forward a plan that is expected to bring more than 150,000 jobs to Canada, according to Reed College economist Kimberly Clausing.
It's time for Canadians to rethink their presidential preferences. We must start thinking less like Americans, and more like citizens of the energy producing, peacekeeping, environment-loving, self-interested trading partner that Canada is to its neighbor. n