In the world today, there are not many neighbours that are as significant on the world stage, and as similar to one another as the United States of America and Canada. Sharing similar histories, demographics, geography, culture, and ideas, the United States and Canada have followed parallel yet differing paths in their respective attempts to navigate nationhood. Today, the former is widely accepted as the globe’s dominant hegemonic force, bearing its leading economy as well as its most capable military following the culmination of World War II. Meanwhile, the latter is often overshadowed by its neighbour, although possessing its own strong economy, sovereign relations, and being the second-largest nation by area on Earth. The two neighbours, although possessing eminently similar characteristics, find themselves in considerably different positions, with the underlying question being what inherently sets them apart.
In order to properly understand the relationship between these two countries, one has to understand why they are two countries in the first place. The beginnings of both states were intertwined, dually settled by Western European powers, and consisting of the same people groups. Initially, they were essentially one and the same, as there was no border separating the two; rather there was only the border separating British and French claims which traversed what is now both the US and Canada. What did eventually create two unique entities was the American Revolution – the ideas that fostered revolution were only present on the American side, with British sentiment not wavering as much as today’s Canada. The Americans favoured classically liberal principles such as a limited government and a free market, whilst the Canadians remained loyal to the British crown and the more classically conservative administration already in place.
The contention can be made that this divergence in ideology is the most predominant difference between the United States and Canada – the United States being classically liberal and Canada being classically conservative. As liberalism values the granting of individual freedoms and rights that foster prosperity and innovation, conservatism allows for this through the advancement of the community as a whole by means of maintaining order and structure within it. The United States has made its name upon the values of liberty and individuality, however, Canada has placed more importance on the collective, prioritizing community over individual interests to a higher extent than its neighbour. This fundamental discrepancy can be seen in the certain political, social, and economic variations between the US and Canada, and further can be used to predict trends regarding the forthcoming events in each nations’ future.
Since the American Revolution, in the writing of the original U.S. Constitution, certain classically liberal ideas were at the forefront of America’s identity as a nation. It stressed heavily the importance of a decentralized government, in which equal representation, individual liberties, and the economy could not have their integrity threatened by any overbearing authority. This translated into a highly dynamic society that reflected the common interests of the population and was influenced by the pursuit of money. By way of this, the United States grew exponentially – taking advantage of the world market and transforming itself into a melting pot for innovation and immigration, coining the term ‘The American Dream’. After World War II, it became the face of capitalism and democracy, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it would emerge as the world’s only superpower.
Canada, although a largely successful nation today, has never come close to the status the US has enjoyed, especially in recent decades. The nation’s history is shorter, and in many ways, less dramatic. It began as a Dominion in 1867 and remained heavily Anglicized, holding on to many of its colonial dimensions – to this day, the Queen of England is technically the head of state. The most notable movements and dilemmas the country has faced include its expansion, Anglo-French relations, and immigration. There have been limited major movements, and Canada’s politics are based largely on the actions of Washington. The country’s beginnings lie in tradition and the values of community and caution have persisted throughout its history. As a result, Canada has been subject to taking a passenger seat role with regards to the strides the US has made in the so-called Age of Progress. This fact, however, is changing, as many Canadians are shifting their focus from traditionalism to modernity and the gap between Canadian and American cultures is decreasing.
It would not be wholly correct, nonetheless, in assuming that the two neighbours will follow similar paths in the coming decades. The politics of each country differ substantially, with Canada being more ‘left’ on today’s political spectrum, albeit retaining many classically conservative principles and vice versa for the United States. While the Canadian population has already shifted towards more progressive principles, such as universal healthcare and pro-choice legislation, the United States seems to be in a deadlock with itself regarding its own legislation.
The Republican Party, for the most part, aims to conserve the nation’s classically liberal ideas and retain a free market, however, limiting certain individual liberties such as immigration and the right to an abortion at the same time. Conversely, the Democratic Party vies for more classically conservative policies including higher government spending in areas such as health care, education, and housing but promotes individual liberties such as gender and race equality for all. The current political climate in the US prevents the movement from one party to another and discourages new ideologies from gaining much momentum. Such a conundrum, coupled with the lack of a strong central authority that can overcome competing interests, banes the country from moving forward in the manner that it was able to in the past.
It can be inferred, then, that Canada will come into its own because of its centralized government and classically conservative nature, and the US will fall subject to its own institutions and succumb to its current political gridlock. The argument can be made, per contra, that this is how it has been all along. Canada, with its emphasis on community and solidarity, has formed its own unique bubble outside of the United States’ leverage. It has developed parallel, yet independently from the US and has formed its own institutions based on its unique goals and interests. Similarly, the United States has not drifted far from its original foundation but instead grew out of its very groundwork, expressed through the complex intertwining of individual liberties and an open economy which have seen its transformation from a largely agrarian state to what many deem as the most powerful empire in history.
Today, the United States and Canada act somewhat like brothers on the world stage. Canada looks to the larger, more powerful United States in matters of foreign relations and international economics, and the two remain staunch allies militarily. The merging of cultures and ideas between them is substantial, yet it is often the US that influences Canada, and less frequently the other way around. Lastly, while their differences may be apparent, the nations make an effort not to let them come in between the bigger picture as it relates to what defines the relationship between the United States and Canada.
In summation, these two neighbours, while eerily similar, have had inherently differences shape their contrasting histories as North America’s most dominant forces. Canada, although the less paramount of the two, reinforces the position it encompasses, and by retaining its core principles, demonstrates as a nation that it is content in the way things are. Furthermore, the United States embraces its role as a decentralized hegemony through its subconscious limitation of legislation pertaining to the contrary. Through the phenomena observed, the contention can be made that both nations will continue to grow in their respective fashions while maintaining the precarious distinctions that, in fact, make them two individual states.
Santhindu Wijesooriya is a second-year student at McGill University. He is pursuing a major in Honours International Development Studies and minors in both Political Science and Social Entrepreneurship. Santhindu is currently a Team Coordinator and Staff Writer for Catalyst and looks to grow his knowledge and experience in International Development through his experience with us.