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So how recent infectious optimism and hope for the presidential candidate, Barak Obama, in the coming USA’s election was felt in Canada? Put it in another way, what sorts of political, social and ideological impacts, if any, his possible victory would entail? There is a little dispute now over the occurrence of the fever pitch. The noted phenomenon swept with unmatched enthusiasm in many parts of the globe spawning legions of punditocracy and fans completely armed with all sorts of nitty-gritty campaign kits in the wake. Believe or not, as friend of mine and consummate supporter of Obama put it, there is even a talk of a newly emerging academic field nowadays called Obamalogy. Situation of the northern neighbour and closest trade partner of America is not much different. Therefore, it is simply a matter of legitimate question for one to ponder how the general public and other deeply entrenched Canadian elites perceive the issue and the winning prospect.
 
Well, it is safe to say for now that while a victory outcome for Barak Obama in November would entail little changes in the fundamentals of Canadian system per se, however, that is not to say it will not affect some secondary issues with respect to the government’s international and domestic policies for obvious reasons. For a start, Canada is a not completely independent nation in the conventional sense: it exists and thrives under the glaring sphere of the American influence including a virtual hegemony over cultural, politico and socio-economic related issues. A popular cliché of ‘whenever Americans catch cold or cough, Canadians sneeze’ encapsulates the true picture of the match. Such metaphor is most revealing when it comes to the nature of often the unequal but truly symbiotic relationship between the neighbourly cousins, whereby the US often leads of the way while Canada grudgingly remains content with mere auxiliary roles in the Weltanschauung and other pressing international affairs. America acts as a mentor and big brother with big-sized ego and all that while Canada blessed with political instinct of fulfilling the opposite role. Imagine folks in the Horn region acting the same manner instead of playing devious and proxy of political robots that perpetually hold roughshod on each other is future. But that is another topic for another day.
 
Nothing has changed over the centuries. Besides of having close geographical proximity and kinship, Canadians are now increasingly live in the shadows of the giant republic of the South of the border since the early days of the BNA Act (British N. American.) For example, much of the Canadian politics, cultural identity, military and ideological stripes, nothing to say of the cross-border trade and economic links that account one-third of the GNP and 85% of its exports, are closely intertwined and synchronized with the American side with few exceptions. A parliamentary versus presidential system and fair progressive social policy of universal health care and modest social safety net are among the most prominent domestic features of contrast. 
 
As for the Canadians’ view on Obama, it is extremely favourable one so far except for minority of elitist segments lead by far rightwing populist politicians and other vested-interest groups. You may wonder reasons behind all of these empathies. The charged rhetoric of the ‘war on terror’ front and its military involvement in Afghanistan mission (note that Canada suffered substantial loss in the battlefield) is an important issue that comes into mind. Despite relentless push and exploitation by handful politicians, and biased media to some degree, much of the public support on the issue has been lugging for a while and with good reason: A vast number of citizens are still as much sceptical about the noted mission and its purported objectives as they were at the beginning of the engagement. Anything that can reverse current state of entanglement, including an overnight winning magic formula of the war, will amount to a tremendous sigh of relief for most Canadians, but few expect these sorts of policies forthcoming from the republican’s victory in November.
 
Another worrisome issue is the recent economic downturn in the USA that could easily morph into widespread of continental recession. The said fear was compounded by the collapse of the so-called global financial juggernauts at the Wall Street. As it turned out, the supposedly trustworthy and financial mega-institutions are proved to be little more than Ponzi schemes and ‘capitalist cartels’ with a minimum of business ethics on global scale. Though Canada is doing just fine for the time being, any further economic slide in the US will have serious repercussions down the road since most of the economy and export sector of the nation heavily depend on the American performance. All this happened under the watch of the Bush’s leadership and the much-vaunted laissez-faire economic policy touted by the neoconservative colleagues in Washington. Most people would rather prefer to see the democrats and Obama’s leadership platform in action sooner than later to avert an impending economic disaster.
 
One more reason others, at least for moderates and left leaning ones, would like to see regime change in the White House is the fast eroding progressive Canadian social policy over the last decades. This was done, intentionally or not, in the name of ever creeping influence of privatization sermons and other catch-phrases of business efficiency mantras emanating from the south of the border. Sloganeering of like “unfettered market forces make wonders” or “regulation by the state is anything but ultimate curse” and so on has increasingly become favourite topics. These trends have something to do with the major interest of the US’s prevailing political and corporate culture: a notion of Darwinian social policy venerated lately by the neocon intellects & com — the epitome of greed and advocates of free-market fundamentalism ideology in Washington. There are a growing number of clones on this side of border for this kind of policy approach. These folks are mainly after the potential business spin-off from the deregulation path. Average Canadians presume that a change of the current administration in Washington would inadvertently arrest, or at least slow down, the noted corrosive social trend. The hope is now indirectly pinned on the Obama’s vision and his winning prospect of the office in November.
 
Few people are also aware of the fact that Canada is in the middle of parliamentary election. This event was overshadowed and triggered as well by the election drama unfolding in the US, according to some analysts. Prominent journalists even described the election as being nothing more than “incrementalism politics” and there is some truth into that. Even one of the candidates publicly argued to pay attention on the national issues instead of watching events on the CNN. Neither major issue nor is policy vision at stake, not mention of lacking personality charisma or other leadership quality of like Obama. Current Prime Minister (a far right politician and mimic of Bush Doctrine) made the snap election call. The sole raison d’etere of the move was all about gaining more seats in the parliament by his ruling conservative party, which stuck in precarious minority position for the last three years. Other major parties almost toppled through legislative motions few times. If the party gains more, it will stay in power for few more years. So, the whole exercise was a political ploy to grab extra seats in the Parliament to pre-empty against a looming recession that would repel public mood at once. Also, the hardcore rights leadership has every reason to worry about the wind of change blowing from the South that would have some trickling effects, in way or another, on the ideological pursuit on the ground.
 
In short, the recent USA’s presidential contest and Obama’s bide for the top job, in particular, stirred unparallel phenomenon of enthusiasm in the US and across others nations in the world. Canadians are not different. They have closest ties in terms commerce, identity, politics, culture and border with. Perhaps much of the heightened sense of expectation and perception on the issue, virtual or not, has to do with few factors and among others: it could be a historical thing as the first ever coloured person could become the next American President. More significantly, it is all about the fear of America’s idealism and moral leadership decline over the world in the past decade or so. It is due to Bush and cohort’s blatant disregard for international rules, human rights and democratic principles — a renowned core value of Pax Americana. This regime has turned every single of these same tenets in its head and in a cheap and self-serving fashion whenever opportunity presents. No look further what is happening in the Horn African region. Add to that with a fear of looming depression and inevitability of America’s economic leadership slide compared to China and other industrialized peers. On the personal level, I think American idealism is a thing of the past and that, regardless of Barak Obama’s win or not, status quo is here to stay but who knows what the future holds.
 
Mindful all of these factors, Canadian public are less optimistic about the future and pinning much of their hope on the Obama’s victory prospect for credible change. The main preoccupation is not only what he might do right or wrong if elected to the office, but rather what he might do differently to reverse the current situation.
 
 
Mohamed A. Awale
Moe-awale@hotmail.com