Canada

IN TERMS OF LANDMASS, Canada is the secondlargest country in the world after Russia. It has vast wildernesses, huge expanses of farmland, enviable hydroelectric power potential that is just beginning to be tapped as an export industry, and rich mineral resources. From a right-wing perspective, the left is so entrenched in Canadian politics that truly right-wing candidates have little chance of being elected.

An irony is that Canada traditionally adheres to a broad spectrum of right-wing policies, including a weak central government with broad provincial autonomy, unfettered international trade, and free market economics. The Liberals have stayed in power and seem to dominate the broad middle of the Canadian spectrum by utilizing patronage effectively and keeping the budget balanced and maintaining a healthy economy—both of which ordinarily would be considered right-wing policies. Conversely, in terms of social policies such as universal healthcare, Canada's Conservative Party is considerably left of center by U.S. standards.

In 2004, after a series of scandals surrounding liberal politicians, the electorate seemed in the mood to throw the Liberals out of office. Canada's Conservative Party seemed to be putting together a viable coalition of Quebec separatists and splinter candidates from the far right. When it came time to go to the polls, however, the liberals remained in power, seemingly because far too many Canadians feared that Canada's conservatives, if put into power, would emulate Great Britain's Margaret Thatcher, swerving to the hard right. Despite public rhetoric, polls indicated there was actually little support for privatizing the national healthcare system, banning abortions, repealing gun control, or sending Canadian troops to intervene in the Middle East alongside their American cousins.

Unlike their American neighbor to the south, Canada remained a British colony until 1867 when it became self-governing, but retained ties to the British crown. Officially Canada's chief of state is the British monarch, represented by a governor general, who is appointed by England's king or queen on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term. However, the true head of Canada's government is the prime minister, who takes office following nationwide legislative elections. The leader of whichever party gains or retains a clear majority in the House of Commons is prime minister. In the event that no party has a majority, a coalition is formed of minority parties. That coalition then elects a prime minister.

Economically and technologically, Canada has developed in parallel with the United States and is an equal member of the exclusive industrialized Group of Seven (G7) major powers with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States. In [Page 570]terms of economic philosophy, Canada is quite “right wing” in terms of its market-oriented economic system, local autonomy enjoyed by the provincial governments, and high living standards. Since World War II, the free market has empowered impressive growth in manufacturing, mining, and the service sectors, transforming Canada from a largely rural economy into an industrial world leader. Canada claims to be the second-most decentralized nation in the world after Switzerland. It is that very decentralization that poses Canada's greatest ongoing challenge: the possibility that the province of Québec with its French-speaking residents and unique culture might secede and form a separate nation, splitting Canada in two with the Atlantic provinces separated from the rest of the nation. However, it is the local autonomy afforded Québec that has kept it from pulling out of the national federation.

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