By Don McCormick
I am finding it quite interesting and revealing to watch the American reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic as compared to the Canadian reaction.
Some Americans have taken to the streets, rebelling against their governments’ direction for self-isolation, demanding a return to their normal lives in spite of suffering the greatest loss of lives to COVID-19 of any country in the world.
Most but not all Canadians, on the other hand, are largely heeding the call of their governments to self-isolate and are suffering much fewer infections and deaths. What could possibly account for this difference?
I have a theory for this. I acknowledge at the outset that this is probably an over-simplification but I believe, in concept, that this is a reasonable explanation.
We have to go back to the late 1600s through to the early 1800s when Britain, with the world’s most powerful navy, was expanding outwards and colonizing large parts of the world, including the future Canada and United States. This was the formation of the British Empire. These colonies were established to feed the wealth of those colonies back into the coffers of the British Crown. The British Empire remained dominant in the world until 1945.
In 1765, the British parliament imposed taxation on the Thirteen Colonies—the future United States—while allowing them no representation in the British parliament. The people of the Thirteen Colonies strenuously objected and this led to confrontations. The Tea Act of 1773 was the last straw and they rebelled. They took up arms and fought a war against the Brits—the American Revolution—and won, gaining their independence from Britain in 1783.
So, the United States was born out of a deep distrust of government that continues to this day. And, they won their personal liberties with their blood so they value their personal liberties above all else. This created a very individualistic society dedicated to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” with individual rights taking precedence over the common good. Most Americans tend to be more focused on themselves and less aware of the rest of the world.
It is their distrust of government and dedication to personal liberties that drives almost every aspect of their lives—the pursuit of wealth and power even at the expense of their fellow Americans, no nationally coordinated healthcare system, their gun laws, huge gaps in the quality of education, and so on.
Canada, on the other hand, had a very different birth. The process of becoming a fully independent nation was much more evolutionary. An early form of self-government was put in place as early as 1840. And, while Canada was established as a country in 1867 the transference of governance from Britain to a fully independent Canada evolved over the period from 1867 to 1982.
So Canada gained its independence from Britain relatively peacefully through an evolutionary process spread over quite a long time span. No war of independence against Britain. Relatively little blood spilt, very little violent demand for personal liberties, independence gained in an orderly and measured way. As result, Canadian society is more dedicated to “peace, order and good government”.
Following America’s establishment as a country separate from Britain, the Americans started a massive expansion outwards from the Thirteen Colonies. And the future Canada was in their sights as well. Americans made attempts to expand into Canada (the War of 1812) but they were repelled by combined British and local forces.
America, occupying the most bountiful part of North America with the most benign climate, grew and prospered, becoming the economic and cultural centre of the modern world. It was a place with ample opportunity for an individual to carve out their own destiny.
Canada, on the other hand, with its much smaller population spread out over a massive land mass and having a much more hostile climate, was less amenable to succeeding as an individual. Canadians had to work together, to depend on each other to succeed. In Canada, individual liberties had to work hand-in-hand with communal needs. And sometimes our individual liberties must give way to communal needs.
That’s why we can have a national government-coordinated medical system, high quality provincial government-coordinated education systems, national gun laws, and so on.
The aftermath of the Second World War left Europe, and Britain, in ruins. Insolvency and a rising anti-colonial movement caused the British government to adopt a policy of disengagement from its colonies.
In the post WWII era we have two separate countries—Canada and the US—with common roots and, in many ways, alike. But we’ve been shaped by different histories, different geographies, different climates, different needs.
Most Americans are more individualistic, more dedicated to protecting their liberties, and more suspicious of governments. While most Canadians also value their personal liberties they are prepared to accept limits when it is for the common good. And they are more trusting that their governments will act with their best interests in mind.
The Americans in the streets today see their government—which they distrust—infringing on their personal liberties by enforcing self-isolation to combat COVID-19 and they are rebelling.
Canadians, on the other hand, have more trust that their governments are looking out for their best interests and they are prepared to allow their personal liberties to be limited in the interests of our communal need to protect our health. So we self-isolate and allow the government to do what we see as “their job”.
But we are not naïve and we will also be watching very carefully for their strategy on the restoration of the economy. It’s a very delicate balancing act and, for the moment, we’re giving our trust to the governments and their scientific advisors to make the right decisions.
It will be interesting to see which of these strategies is the more successful in restoring the economy while, at the same time, subduing the COVID-19 virus.
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Debi Davis says
Excellent observations Don and a superb history lesson. Thank you.
It must be noted that the federal government has made some moves to entrench themselves as a be all and end all government. They must be mindful in this time of minority rule. Canadians are watching very carefully these days. Bad behaviour may not be so easily ignored.
Andy Hanna says
It’s an interesting theory. But don’t discount the fact that there are a lot more stupid Americans, or at least a lot more stupid American politicians.
Geraldine O’Meara says
Well said, Don!
Ray Vowels says
Very interesting history lesson and a very good explanation as to why there is a difference of opinion between Canadians and the folks of the U’S.
While I new our views on life in general was different I never thought of it in this way until now. I think this is a very good explanation of why we are different while being a lot the same.
Dave Wilkin says
An interesting discussion Don on historic/cultural perspectives /contrasts. I would caution though on conclusions on core factors driving COVID-19 death rates at this point.
That said, there are emerging trends visible if you dig into the details of COVID data. First, a more accurate metric for COVID-19 country comparisons is deaths per 1 Million population, not total deaths (otherwise, country population skews things seriously). On this measure, as of today, the US COVID-19 death rate sits at 161. Compare that to the worst hit countries in Europe: Belgium 597, Spain 490, Italy 436, France 341 and the UK 300. Canada sits at 62, still significantly better than the US, and much better than many European countries.
But looking closer at the US statistics reveals some patterns that should be understood. The NYC area (within-in roughly 250 KM’s of NYC center) is an extreme hot-zone for the virus, accounting for about 63% all US deaths. NY City’s COVID death rate was almost 20X that of the rest of the US average outside of this hot-zone. Exclude this small geographic area, and the US death rate drops down to about 70 per 1 Million, very similar to Canada’s rate. Here is another fascinating pattern: 80% of all US COVID-19 deaths are in just 10 states (most in the NE) & interestingly, 98% of the deaths in those states occurred in ones led by Democrat Governors.
The NY city tragedy likely has many contributing factors. It’s population density is the highest in the US. It’s a global air travel hub meaning the virus probably hit there earlier than most US areas. We also know New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was slow to respond (e.g. encouraging citizens to continue to go out on the town as late as March 5) well after the virus was spreading rapidly. The city, given its population size, was also medically ill prepared for the scope of the pandemic which likely worsened the outcome. Other factors like a higher % of population with underlying health conditions, poverty etc. may also be at play. Future analysis will have to be done to ensure a complete picture is built before important lessons can be drawn.
Here is a link that has all the latest US numbers, down to the county level.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/new-york-coronavirus-cases.html
Jim Logagianes says
Thanks Don, good article. I agree most Canadians have cooperated for the good of all compared to are neighbours to the south. Im sorry but when you alluded to the fact that we have confidence in our government, I couldn’t disagree more. Don’t confuse confidence with being cooperative. In Canada the Federal and Provincial Government”s have several reports pertaining to inadequacies in Healthcare that we’re ignored and are collecting dust somewhere. Canadians invested millions upon millions to obtain those results so that the shortcomings in healthcare and emergency preparedness were addressed. They were playing Russian roulette with the most vulnerable in society, how commendable. That does not instil any confidence in me I’m afraid. And I have not even touched on the economic impact.
I think we should eliminate indexed pensions to all current sitting MPs and MPPs. The blood of Canadians is on your hands. It’s the honourable thing to do under these circumstances you have destroyed so many lives.
Dave Wilkin says
A another thought on this very important topic. Don should be commended for prompting a discussion on what we have learned so far (some things are becoming clearer) and importantly, how and when to reopen economies, as his discussion raises. In this world that is so divided and rife with politics and flawed or wrong information, it can easily cause further poor government decisions to be made. The risks couldn’t be higher. If countries stay closed too much longer, the world risks enormous economic and other social/health damage, potentially far exceeding the damage already done.
Jim Logagianes says
There are several Reports on Healthcare that have been ignored time and time again here are just a few:
1) Learning from SARS 2002.Renewal of Public Health in Canada.
2) Romanow Report 2002 consisting of 47 recommendations.
3) Report on Pandemic Preparedness co author Dr Theresa Tam 2006.
4) Auditor General 2009 Emergency Management and Public Safety Canada.
5) Report on The Impact of the H1N1 Pandemic on Canadian Hospitals 2010.
6) Report from Stats Canada, Emergency Preparedness in Canada 2014.
Dr Theresa Tam provided and extensive report to the federal government in 2006. Why did the Liberals put her in charge and not follow through on the recommendations in the Doctors report. How can they pretend they did not see this coming. The cost of ignoring the recommendations are evident now.
Canadians have been helping one another to overcome some of the challenges we are facing now. We are a great nation. But are leadership Ladies and Gentleman can be described in one word.
INCOMPETENT.
Peter Kear says
Don, a great historical overview as to why Canadians have generally preferred the more communal “Peace, Order, and Good Government” disposition over our American cousins’ more individualistic “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit Happiness” disposition.
It should be pointed out that in spite of the myth of the “undefended border,” there have been significant and profound challenges for our political leaders since the time of Sir John A. Macdonald and the coming of Confederation in the 1860s, to Justin Trudeau in this the era of Donald Trump, in navigating the economic, political, and ideological shoals while “sleeping with an elephant” (Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau in Washington, 1969) within the context of North America.
An informative overview of Canadian-American relations involving the prime ministers of Canadian and the presidents of the United States is a 1988 National Film Board documentary entitled “In Bed With an Elephant.”
https://www.nfb.ca/film/in_bed_with_elephant/
Anna-Lise Kear says
Just a reminder Mr. Logagianes, health is also under provincial jurisdiction and leadership. I suggest a look at what has been the focus of the Mike Harris years onward will tell yet another story of preparedness/unpreparedness, especially in the long term care and community health sectors. Yet another significant factor in your examination of government leadership in health care.
Terry McCaffery says
To quote the late, great comedian, Robin Williams: “You(Canada) are a big country. You are the kindest country in the world. You are like a really nice apartment over a meth lab!”
Erin Jones says
Having lived in both countries, I would say that your observations are correct, as far as they go. Some observations I would add is that Canada is more or less, one country–even in spite of the Quebecois insistence that we are “two solitudes”. Our Governor General said, at her investiture, that our time of separation has passed. I think she was correct. The girders of the bridging of that division are contained in the Napoleonic Code, which is a bedrock understanding in Quebec. It is much more communal than it is individualistic–and thus buffers the equally firmly-felt individualism which somewhat permeates English Canada. Sadly, there is no such powerful buffer of “Yankee Independence” in the U.S.A..
The United States is not now and never has been one country. There have always been deep divides. “America” exists as an idea and an ideal–and it captures their imagination. But, the “United States” (emphasis on the second half of the phrase) is the reality–and it is only unified when seeking to be so “under God”–especially in times of national distress. It was set up that way by the U.S. founding fathers. John Adams said that the Constitution and form of government was only fit for a moral people–that it absolutely would not work for any other kind of people. The country risks disintegration, as happened to ancient Israel, when God turns His back in disgust over immoral practices. The evil of slavery left deep scars–many of which have not healed to this day. The U.S. Civil War is just one example of a profound separation of people who should have been brothers. But Americans, after coming to the end of themselves, cried out to God. “IN GOD WE TRUST” first appeared on the two-cent coin near the end of the Civil War, in 1864.
There is much evil and chaos in their land today which, once again, threatens to tear the nation apart. Will they cry out to God again? I honestly don’t know. But, one of their Senators, Daniel Webster, said, in 1823, that if America did not, “…anarchy, misrule, degradation, and misery, corruption and darkness will reign without mitigation or end.” He was apparently speaking somewhat prophetically of the time of national upheaval which would visit the nation just a few decades later.
In many respects, Canadians are often left bewildered as a wise younger brother is left bewildered by the tragic rebellion of an older brother. I pray for America and I hope that Canadians of faith will too.
The Hon. Tony Clement says
Thanks Don for sharing your views. They are a variation of Professor Gad Horowitz’s “fragment” theories on “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” vs “peace, order and good government.” One additional aspect, according to Horowitz, was that Canada was permanently changed by the United Empire Loyalist migrations to Upper and Lower Canada. These refugees from the US War of Independence clearly had no stomach for American revolutionary ideas, and implanted their distrust in the new country to the north.
I’ve always been a bit dubious of Horowitz’s and by extension your thesis. It seems to overstate the case both ways: Americans love their freedom and don’t like government—until the next handout to farmers, oil tycoons or oligopolist. Moreover the US Civil War, won by the Union side, clearly illustrates the power of community over the “rights” of slave owners.
In Canada we cherish our democratic freedoms—we now have a charter of rights and freedoms after all— and people are yearning for life to “get back to normal.”
Perhaps we’ll discuss this further when our gym reopens!
The Hon. Tony Clement
Port Sydney
Lynn Bennett says
Thanks Don. To add to your history lesson our approach to settlement was different. Generally, in Canada the army went first establishing forts and bringing the white man’s approach to law and order. While in the US military forts and law moved out after settlers — hence the term “wild west”.
Evert McIlwain says
Great article Don…thanks for the history lesson and comparison. It helped make sense of what is going on at these times in these two countries.
Karen Wehrstein says
Interesting theories, Don. I follow American politics with great interest and have many American friends with whom I discuss these topics, and I’ve thought about and researched the differences. I think the differing origins of the two nations has something to do with it, but mostly in an abstract way… it was a long time ago now. The relatively-friendly climate south of the border might be behind it to some degree too, though there were other hostile factors the Americans faced in their westward expansion, including large areas of desert that made agriculture impossible, that required co-operation.
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I think you are leaving out two much more important factors, one current and one historical.
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The current one is Donald Trump and the American right wing (which by Canadian standards is an extreme right wing). These demonstrations were not organic: they were organized by right-wing groups connected to Betsy Devos, the mega-rich wife of one of the co-founders of Amway, whose job as Education Secretary seems mostly to be dismantling the public education system. Then Trump cheered these protesters on on Twitter, encouraging more.
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He (and surrogates including Sean Hannity at Fox “News”) also set the scene for them in the first place by ignoring the warnings, downplaying the danger and dismissing concerns all through January, February and the first part of March, which convinced his fact-challenged followers that Covid-19 was no worse than the flu. Trump has been pushing steadily for swift re-openings out of fear that recession or depression will endanger his re-election chances — which are more important to him than the lives of the people he has sworn to serve and represent. His insane suggestion last week that ingesting or injecting disinfectant might cure Covid-19 — forcing Lysol, Dettol and every doctor with a bullhorn to caution the public not to try it — is just the latest and most insane.
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Can you imagine this happening while Barack Obama was president, or if Hillary Clinton had been? Not a chance. Both of them would have listened to the intelligence reports in November and prepared… well, no, let’s go even further back. Neither would have fired the pandemic preparedness team in 2018 (Obama created it!), so the USA would have been much better prepared without the President lifting a finger. Now, Obama or Clinton would be following the guidance of Dr Fauci and other qualified people (that’s why you have them!), continually reminding Americans of the importance of the restrictions as well as offering comfort and positivity. And they’d give had an appropriate reaction to the protesters, probably much like Doug Ford who called them “yahoos” as well as “reckless, selfish and irresponsible,” which is the exact truth.
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The result would be an American public, I think, behaving very differently.
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The second major factor, the historical one, is something America undertook in a major way that Canada did only a little, which had effects on culture and society that we don’t even dream of: slavery. You might think that since that ended a long time ago, 160 years or so, it shouldn’t make a difference: but because it started around 1600, it was there for some 240 years (and in fact has much to do with the strength of the American economy to this day). The USA has been a slave-holding nation for much longer than it hasn’t been one.
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For this reason, the “ethic” of slavery is very very deeply ingrained in the culture. Central to it is a justification of slavery: black people, the story goes, are primitive and intellectually inferior, fit only to serve white people, therefore being held as white people’s property, forced to work in return for a poverty-stricken lifestyle, whipped, shot, lynched, raped, having their families ripped apart by selling, etc., is actually *good* for them. In the slave-holding era this idea was common “knowledge” and spoken quite freely.
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The upshot is a very, very deep streak of racism in American culture, which is stronger in the south but exists in the north as well, where historically there has been plenty of institutionalized racism. But there are other American cultural traits that it spawned as well.
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Telling oneself lies is one, as one must tell oneself lies to justify slavery; that makes a society more susceptible to being told lies. Note that justification of slavery is part of the history of the fundamentalist right-wing religious denominations in the USA that nakedly seek worldly political power. Racism along with sexism is in their culture. It’s no accident that there are white Evangelical churches and black Evangelical churches, and never the twain shall meet.
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The obsession of Americans with guns, especially military-style ones designed for mowing down people, not for hunting, is also at least in part a result of slavery, I think, as guns were instrumental in keeping the slaves in line. Slavery always involves fear on the part of the slave-owners that the slaves (who outnumber them) will revolt, and that has translated culturally into a sense that one is not safe without a gun. Canada never had 240 years of history in which it was standard for ordinary citizens, not just soldiers, to need and to carry firearms meant for shooting *people*. This is why some of the Covid-19 protesters went heavily armed and waving Confederate flags; these issues all intersect for them.
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Finally, the acceptability of exploitation of one’s fellow humans is another cultural trait rooted in slavery, I would argue. It’s not that big a step from enslaving another race to make money from them to engaging in wage slavery of your own race. Inequality of income decreased massively in the USA during the early to mid 20th Century due to the labour movement, the Great Depression and WWII, but has insidiously crept back up to obscene levels starting 40 years ago with Ronald Reagan’s administration. I think acceptability of exploitation is why corporations so oppose healthcare like ours, as it would end the threat they hold over their workers of losing health insurance if they lose their jobs. (Opposition among average white people, I have been told by many Americans, comes from resentment that people of colour would also get it. Don’t forget, a majority of white Americans, even the women, voted for Trump, despite — or because of — his obvious racism.)
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How does this relate to distrust of government? Simple: the only thing standing between the rich abusing their power over the poor is democratic government. With one vote per person, it is inherently egalitarian and therefore inherently opposed to exploitation. Accordingly, many wealthy Americans and in fact wealthy non-Americans have worked to corrupt the American government as much as they can, while at the same time borrowing the American principles of individualism and freedom to whip up distrust of specifically *democratic* government through media they own (e.g. Fox “News”, Sinclair Broadcasting, right-wing talk radio, etc.). Putin’s interference in the 2016 election was merely the logical extension of Australian-born Rupert Murdoch’s ownership of Fox; they spout the same talking points. The result is not only public distrust of government, but a weakened government, less able to lessen the impact of a pandemic. It is no accident that the USA, with 4% of the world’s population, has a third of its Covid-19 cases and more than a quarter of its deaths (as of this writing).
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Where the historical and current factors intersect: the residues of slavery in all these ways and others result in deep internal divisions within the American population which Trump has whipped up partly in a calculated way, I think and partly just by being his vicious, hateful self.
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Here in Canada, we don’t have those residues (and thus most people are innocent of them). Blessedly, we also don’t have a Trump as Prime Minister. Whatever critiques you might make of Trudeau’s response, he certainly is not telling provinces they can find their own PPE, ventilators, etc., so that they have to bid against each other, driving up the expense. Nor is Trudeau confiscating these supplies from provinces that have duly purchased them so that the provinces have to *smuggle* them in, or giving more aid to provinces that vote Liberal and less to those that vote Tory, or insulting Premiers of Tory provinces, or trying to set up his companies to make a killing, so to speak, on a drug he’s touting as a Covid cure. All these travesties and plenty more that I don’t have time to add are happening or have happened stateside.
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I’ve written about some very ugly things and some hidden history here, to be sure, but you don’t get ugly realities without ugly causes, and hiding them doesn’t make them any less ugly, or pernicious.
Marni Hill says
I appreciate your intellectual conversation and delving into the past. But, our problem is here and now in the Huntsville and surrounding cottage country. Please use all your wise thoughts and words to let the powers that be understand the importance of finding a way to convince cottagers they have a moral obligation to society to stay in their primary residence. Tony, there will be no ‘back to normal’ when they come in droves May 24. And come they will. It’s too early to open up.
Don McCormick says
Thank you to all of you who have responded to my modest attempt at explaining the difference in the responses of Canada and the US to the covid pandemic. They have certainly added to my understanding of the differences. We also lived in the US for awhile and was struck by how regional Americans were. They were only interested in what was happening in there immediate area and were quite ignorant of what was happening in the rest of the country much less the rest of the world. It’s hard to build a country based on this way of thinking. And, the American friends we had while living there (southern California) were constantly amazed at how much we Canadians knew about the US and the world and at how much of the US we had visited.