Canada 2006

Canadian politics say something important about the U.S. relationship with Canada, and they will likely have two important effects on American policy-making.

     1) This election proved first of all that Canadians are not anti-American enough to re-elect a government perceived as corrupt. With their party suffering from scandals and its future hanging in the balance, Canada's ruling Liberal Party aggressively played the anti-American card that has previously worked well for endangered leaders in France and Germany. In one late ad for Prime Minister Paul Martin (L), a female voice stated that a Conservative victory "will put a smile on George W. Bush's face," and added, "At least someone will be happy." Another ad hinted darkly that right-wing groups in the U.S. funded Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper's rise to power.

     2) The Conservative Party's failure to secure an absolute majority in Parliament was disappointing considering the negative campaigning by and scandals of the Liberals. It also shows that Canadians are considerably to the left of their American neighbors.

     3) The victory by Harper yesterday will have two major ramifications for Americans: First, it will change Canada's famously loose asylum and immigration policies. Second, it makes possible cooperation with the U.S. on missile defense, something Martin had refused.

     4) The U.S. is becoming rather lonely in this hemisphere, now that Bolivia has joined the list of Latin American countries electing leftist regimes. It always helps to have an ally in the region, and for the moment, there are at least Mexico, Colombia, and Canada.