Why do Americans consider Canada to be a left wing country?

Page 1 of 14 [ 215 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 14  Next

ironpony
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 3 Nov 2015
Age: 39
Posts: 5,590
Location: canada

07 May 2020, 2:27 pm

I'm Canadian, and I'm not insulted or offended by it at all, I just often hear Americans online call Canada, a more left wing country than the US is, but that makes me think why do you think that?

The government has less freedoms on things in Canada and more restrictions on things compared to the US, so I've always thought of Canada as more right wing, compared to the US, so I wonder why Americans think that, just out of shear curiosity, if anyone knows?



magz
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator

User avatar

Joined: 1 Jun 2017
Age: 39
Gender: Female
Posts: 16,283
Location: Poland

07 May 2020, 2:33 pm

More social security network - healthcare, education, etc. - from what I gather.
Less importance of radical religions.
But I'm Atlantic away, I might not know well enough.


_________________
Let's not confuse being normal with being mentally healthy.

<not moderating PPR stuff concerning East Europe>


HacKING
Pileated woodpecker
Pileated woodpecker

User avatar

Joined: 16 Nov 2019
Age: 4
Gender: Male
Posts: 180
Location: port 3128

07 May 2020, 2:48 pm

Yes, it is more left wing. The Canadian prime minister recently banned "assault weapons". There is socialized healthcare. The more left wing party is in power. You can more easily get in legal trouble just for saying things deemed offensive. All of these things are, at least in American politics- left wing positions.



ironpony
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 3 Nov 2015
Age: 39
Posts: 5,590
Location: canada

07 May 2020, 2:57 pm

Well the thing, I don't understand is, is that left wing means people wanting equality and freedoms, and more rights. Or that is what I read.

Where as things like more severe gun control, and not having freedom of speech as much, is not freedom and equality. So therefore, wouldn't that make it more right, if there is less freedom and equality there?



magz
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator

User avatar

Joined: 1 Jun 2017
Age: 39
Gender: Female
Posts: 16,283
Location: Poland

07 May 2020, 3:03 pm

Then, that's the difference of what one considers "right" or "left".
It varies locally. Generally, I think, the Left is more progressive and the Right is more conservative. But, as countries have different histories, being "progressive" and "conservative" may mean different postulates in different parts of the world.


_________________
Let's not confuse being normal with being mentally healthy.

<not moderating PPR stuff concerning East Europe>


Karamazov
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Mar 2012
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,979
Location: Rural England

07 May 2020, 3:11 pm

Conservatism in particular can be highly variable from country to country, and across time.

In C19th Britain it was the conservatives who made it legal for the poorest classes to vote.
But that was after a long period of conservative governments using armed force to repress their political movements.
Changed their minds in the course of a generation.



ironpony
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 3 Nov 2015
Age: 39
Posts: 5,590
Location: canada

07 May 2020, 3:11 pm

Oh okay, well I am quoting a wikipedia page, and here is what it says:

"Generally, the left-wing is characterized by an emphasis on "ideas such as freedom, equality, fraternity, rights, progress, reform and internationalism" while the right-wing is characterized by an emphasis on "notions such as authority, hierarchy, order, duty, tradition, reaction and nationalism"

But if that's true, it seems Canada is right wing, since bringing in new severe gun control, and less freedom of speech is authority and hierarcy, isn't it?



I love belko61
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 3 Feb 2020
Age: 58
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,781
Location: Ontario

07 May 2020, 3:28 pm

Left. We take away or limit rights to the few, and benefit the many.



TheRobotLives
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 7 Dec 2019
Gender: Female
Posts: 2,092
Location: Quiet, Dark, Comfy Spot

07 May 2020, 3:30 pm

Some Americans can make a lot of money, and pay low taxes because of deductions.

Canadians don't appear to have many deductions.


_________________
Then a hero comes along, with the strength to carry on, and you cast your fears aside, and you know you can survive.

Be the hero of your life.


kraftiekortie
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 4 Feb 2014
Gender: Male
Posts: 87,510
Location: Queens, NYC

07 May 2020, 3:33 pm

Why must people own assault weapons?



ironpony
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 3 Nov 2015
Age: 39
Posts: 5,590
Location: canada

07 May 2020, 3:34 pm

I love belko61 wrote:
Left. We take away or limit rights to the few, and benefit the many.


Oh okay I don't see how things like more strict gun control now, and less freedom of speech, benefit the many. It seems to restrict the many or so I thought.



Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 May 2008
Age: 67
Gender: Male
Posts: 59,841
Location: Stendec

07 May 2020, 3:38 pm

ironpony wrote:
... The government has less freedoms on things in Canada and more restrictions on things compared to the US, so I've always thought of Canada as more right wing, compared to the US, so I wonder why Americans think that, just out of shear curiosity, if anyone knows?
Because the Canadian government has less freedoms on things in Canada and more restrictions on things compared to the US, plus having more social welfare programs than the U.S.

That's pretty much a working definition of a Socialist State.


_________________
 
No love for Hamas, Hezbollah, Iranian Leadership, Islamic Jihad, other Islamic terrorist groups, OR their supporters and sympathizers.


magz
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator

User avatar

Joined: 1 Jun 2017
Age: 39
Gender: Female
Posts: 16,283
Location: Poland

07 May 2020, 3:41 pm

From what I see now, in America, the right wing puts more emphasis on individual freedom and the left wing puts more emphasis on cooperation and responsibility for environment, so those lists of values are not really precise.

I think in the US, there is a freedom vs equality thing, with the (local) left opting on equality first and the (local) right opting for freedom first.


_________________
Let's not confuse being normal with being mentally healthy.

<not moderating PPR stuff concerning East Europe>


Mountain Goat
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 13 May 2019
Gender: Male
Posts: 14,202
Location: .

07 May 2020, 3:48 pm

Is it because Canada has left hand drive cars?


_________________
.


I love belko61
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 3 Feb 2020
Age: 58
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,781
Location: Ontario

07 May 2020, 3:50 pm

Fnord wrote:
ironpony wrote:
... The government has less freedoms on things in Canada and more restrictions on things compared to the US, so I've always thought of Canada as more right wing, compared to the US, so I wonder why Americans think that, just out of shear curiosity, if anyone knows?
Because the Canadian government has less freedoms on things in Canada and more restrictions on things compared to the US, plus having more social welfare programs than the U.S.

That's pretty much a working definition of a Socialist State.


I'd die before I became a socialist. We are not socialists! Yes to capitalism and haves and have-nots. We just try not to have disparity extremes here.



Karamazov
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 2 Mar 2012
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,979
Location: Rural England

07 May 2020, 4:08 pm

Mountain Goat wrote:
Is it because Canada has left hand drive cars?

I hear you can get left-handed scissors there too.