In this time of unprecedented crisis, a lot of American ideals are starting to unravel.
The problems within American society –from police brutality to gun violence to our broken healthcare system, or to the rapist carrot in the White House–have become evident in the last few months. In 2018, it was reported that 2,000 more Americans than average upped and moved to the holy mecca that is Canada–and for good reason. With a drinking age that makes sense, universal healthcare, and the metric system, Canadians have a lot more to be proud of than Americans these days.
Canada Has an Amazing International Reputation
In 2013, an international survey was conducted that asked 27,000 people around the world to share their thoughts on safety, public policy, and other attributes across 50 countries. In those rankings, Canada came out on top in almost every category, even beating out Sweden.
In a separate survey, people across 36 countries ranked their general satisfaction with life in their country. Canadians, in general, were revealed to be some of the happiest people around, coming in third out of all nations. Canadians are so positive that their polite poise and cheerful demeanor are often satirized around the world. A possible reason for this relentless optimism is that Canadians feel relatively safe, with only 1.31% of Canadians reported having been assaulted in the past year.
Universal. Healthcare.
A Canadian born today has a life expectancy of around 81 years, and while their healthcare system is actually not that much better than Americans' single-payer one, it is publicly funded and their short lead in life span is ultimately due to the fact that their healthcare system applies to all–which is, of course, a meager standard to set.
They are reported to have longer wait times than Americans, but Canada overall pays significantly less for healthcare than the U.S.
Canadian Kids are Smarter Than American Kids
Canadian students are among some of the world's smartest. The Programme of International Student Assessment, which tests kids' reading, science, and math capabilities in 44 countries, ranked Canadians as the fifth most intelligent students internationally. From McGill to McMaster, The University of Toronto to The University of British Columbia, Canadians' academic prestige competes with that of America.
Canada Has Significantly Less Pollution
According to W.H.O., air pollution directly contributed to an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths around the world in 2016. Canada was surprisingly ranked to have some of the cleanest air in the world in 2020, which is reassuring for those afraid of COVID-19. The average large city in Canada, such as Toronto, actually has a lower number of toxic air pollutants than most large American cities.
They Have Less Income Disparity
While the U.S. has some of the largest income disparity in the world, Canadians actually treat their people better. Between 1966 and 2011, "the average inflation-adjusted income of the bottom 90 percent of American workers grew by a negligible $59" according to one study. During that same time period, our northern neighbors thrived financially, with 10 percent of workers' inflation-adjusted income exploding by $116,071. Canada overall is ranked 12th out of 34 countries in terms of income.
Canadian Music Is Just Better
From Drake, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, and Carly Rae Jepsen to Celine Dion, and Alanis Morrissette, Canada has owned the Billboard charts for decades. Let's not forget Avril Lavigne, Nelly Furtado, Michael Buble, Sarah McLaughlin, Shania Twain, Neil Young, and Shawn Mendes. Need I say more? Ok, fine, they did birth Nickelback, but no country is perfect.
