Over 40% of Canadian teens think America is "evil"

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2004-07-09 03:39pm

Arthur Weinreb, Associate Editor, Canada Free Press wrote:June 30, 2004

Can West News Services, owners of several Canadian newspapers including the National Post as well as the Global Television Network commissioned a series of polls to determine how young people feel about the issues that were facing the country’s voters. Dubbed "Youth Vote 2004", the polls, sponsored by the Dominion Institute and Navigator Ltd. were taken with a view to getting more young people involved in the political process.

In one telephone poll of teens between the ages of 14 and 18, over 40 per cent of the respondents described the United States as being "evil". That number rose to 64 per cent for French Canadian youth.

This being Canada, the amount of anti-Americanism that was found is not surprising. What is significant is the high number of teens who used the word "evil" to describe our southern neighbour. As Misty Harris pointed out in her column in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, evil is usually associated with serial killers and "kids who tear the legs off baby spiders." These teens appear to equate George W. Bush and Americans with Osama bin Laden and Hitler, although it is unknown if the teens polled would describe the latter two as being evil. Whether someone who orders planes to be flown into heavily populated buildings would fit that description would make a good subject for a future poll.

The Liberal government came into power in 1993 gushing anti-Americanism. Former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s communications director, Francoise Ducros, made headlines when she referred to President Bush as a moron. Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish was picked up on a boom microphone saying, "Damn Americans — I hate those bastards". Not only did Parrish not apologize for her remarks, but she later appeared on a television show hosted by alleged comedian Mike Bullard and laughed about the incident. Parrish played to the anti-Americanism of the youthful studio audience by saying that she couldn’t guarantee that she wouldn’t do it again.

Not only did then Prime Minister Jean Chrétien not take any action against his staff or caucus members, he himself engaged in America-bashing. The depth of his anti-Americanism surfaced shortly after the 9/11 attacks when he blamed the arrogance and greed of the West (read the United States) for those attacks.

When Paul Martin assumed office last December, the childish cheap shots ended but, if anything, anti-Americanism became stronger.

Anti-Americanism played a prominent role in the election strategy of the Liberals. Paul Martin portrayed himself as the saviour of Canadian medicare while saying that if Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party of Canada came to power they would introduce "American-style" health care. Martin was happy to take credit for cutting taxes and eliminating the deficit during the 1990s when he was Minister of Finance, but he referred to tax cuts included in the Conservative Party platform as being "American-style tax cuts". Canadians who favour lower taxes or the private delivery of health care services or smaller governments or anything similar to what is found in the United States were called "un-Canadian" by Paul Martin.

It is therefore not surprising that a high percentage of Canadian youth think that the United States is evil. Nor is it surprising that this feeling is more pronounced in Quebec where Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe said that he would rather live under the United Nations than the Stars and Stripes. The left wing Canadian political parties, aided by their supporters in the elite media don’t seem to be able to say anything positive about Canada without denigrating the United States in the process.

The poll results reflect that anti-Americanism will be solidly entrenched in future generations of Canadians. As well as listening to the propaganda espoused by their political leaders and the media, these kids have no experience with what constitutes real evil. They live in a country that much like pre-9/11 America, thinks that terrorist attacks are something that happens in other countries. And as the World War II veterans slowly die off, they have no conviction of the evil that the allies risked their lives to defeat.

With anti-Americanism playing such a prominent role in this past election campaign, it is no wonder that the United States was viewed in such a negative light.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-07-09 03:43pm

I find any poll of teenagers to be immediately suspect. This is not corroberated by any of the Canadians I actually know.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2004-07-09 03:45pm

What were the choices besides "evil"?

BlkbrryTheGreat · Post by **BlkbrryTheGreat** » 2004-07-09 03:46pm

If we were as evil as they think we are then Canada would be a US province by now and the Quebeese would be licking our conquering boot-heel.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-07-09 03:48pm

CanadaFreePress is about as objective as FauxNews, and this comes through quite clearly in the article you quoted. At least they don't really hide it; they bill themselves as "A Daily Canadian Conservative Website" right on the front page. Read their religious rant on the "Advent of the Soulless Society" at http://www.torontofreepress.com/2004/ed021604.htm to get an idea of what I'm talking about. Look at the following quote:

With the UN's relentless bid to force a godless religion on an unsuspecting world, Canada's federal government is the one that opened the door.

Sorry, anyone who prints something like that and claims to be journalism rather than a blog is full of shit, and I'm certainly not going to treat them with any more authority than I would any blog.

As for this particular piece of drivel you quoted, it doesn't even explain exactly what question these teens were asked.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » 2004-07-09 03:50pm

I'm Canadian and I don't think that anyone I know would consider the USA to be evil. Granted none of us are teenagers. The only problem I have is with the US government which I would consider foolish, but not evil.

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » 2004-07-09 03:51pm

What were the actual poll questions that were asked? If these were yes and no questions like that loaded American religious poll (something like "Do you think that religion is an antiquated old system that should be tossed out, or does religion have a major role to play in modern life?") then their poll is useless.

In any case, asking teens these questions seems like asking Brits survey questions. As a younger teen I'd fill out anonymous survey forms saying that I was a heavy drug user, had participated in felonies since the age of 13, and so on just to skew results.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-07-09 03:52pm

Bullshit wrote:Arthur Weinreb is an author, columnist and Associate Editor of Canada Free Press. His work as appeared on Newsmax.com, Men's News Daily, the Drudge Report, Foxnews.com and The Rant. He can be reached at cfp@canadafreepress.com

I think that says it all.

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2004-07-09 03:56pm

I don't agree with the article and what I know of Canada in general could fill a thimble. I just know it's north and covered in snow.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2004-07-09 03:58pm

If we're an evil Empire does that make Bush the Emperor? If so who's Vader?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » 2004-07-09 03:58pm

Galvatron wrote:I don't agree with the article and what I know of Canada in general could fill a thimble. I just know it's north and covered in snow.

The reports of our snow coverage are greatly exagerraated.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-07-09 03:59pm

Stravo wrote:If we're an evil Empire does that make Bush the Emperor? If so who's Vader?

Obviously, the cyborg Cheney.

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2004-07-09 04:07pm

Cpl Kendall wrote:The reports of our snow coverage are greatly exagerraated.

Really? When I saw the trailers for The Day After Tomorrow and they showed scenes of New York covered in snow I said to myself, "What's the big the deal? It just looks like Canada now."

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » 2004-07-09 04:15pm

Galvatron wrote: Really? When I saw the trailers for The Day After Tomorrow and they showed scenes of New York covered in snow I said to myself, "What's the big the deal? It just looks like Canada now."

Well with the exception of the Arctic, our snow disappears every spring. Although the majority of Canada has a greater amount of snowfall than the USA, it's not as bad as the media would have you believe.

Jalinth · Post by **Jalinth** » 2004-07-09 04:16pm

Based on personal experience, how the questions are phrased makes significant differences in the results. I wasn't doing political polls - primarily marketing surveys but same concepts apply. Quite a science and art exists to make useful polls that don't alter the pre-determined answer. (Although these days, many polls/marketing surveys are designed expressly to change your opinion rather than ask it)

Wasn't fun when our team's draft questions came back from the supervisor torn to shreds - and unfortunately, well deserved shreds at that. Our intended demographic and type of questions were fine, but our questions were all biased in one direction- they were looking for a neutral slant.

I could easily come up with two questions that boil down to the same question (was the US invasion of Iraq justified) but will really shift responses. These are seriously exaggerated, but doesn't require much to bias a poll. (Iraq war)
1) Do You Believe that the US was justified in removing the evil Saddam Hussein, who gassed and tortured his own people.
2) Do you Believe the US was justified in its unlawful invasion of Iraq, causing thousands of civilian deaths.

I wonder which question the Canadian teens were asked? I bet #2.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2004-07-09 04:16pm

Galvatron wrote:I don't agree with the article and what I know of Canada in general could fill a thimble. I just know it's north and covered in snow.

AND that they love hockey AND that they love beer AND that Mike Wong lives there.

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2004-07-09 04:23pm

alleged comedian Mike Bullard

Alleged? Is his comedian status suspect?

CrimsonRaine · Post by **CrimsonRaine** » 2004-07-09 04:24pm

Not to be a complete asshole here, but it's a survey on teenagers. That could be ages from 13-19, and unlike the teenagers we have here on SDN, not many are known for their in-depth research and wisdom-beyond-their-years. And I'm seconding this:

DPDarkPrimus wrote:What were the choices besides "evil"?

It was probably a very biased and loaded question. In other words, I think it's bullshit.

Raine

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2004-07-09 04:26pm

Stravo wrote:If we're an evil Empire does that make Bush the Emperor? If so who's Vader?

Colin Powell, of course. He's even black!

Marksist · Post by **Marksist** » 2004-07-09 05:02pm

Stravo wrote:If we're an evil Empire does that make Bush the Emperor? If so who's Vader?

Cheney has to be Vader, and of course Tarkin would be Rummy.

Setzer · Post by **Setzer** » 2004-07-09 06:45pm

Americans, Evil? You Canadians are trash, with your beady little eyes and flapping heads!

Guess where that quote is from...

Iceberg · Post by **Iceberg** » 2004-07-09 07:15pm

Xenophobe3691 wrote:
Stravo wrote:If we're an evil Empire does that make Bush the Emperor? If so who's Vader?
Colin Powell, of course. He's even black!

He just happens to be black, but he's openly white.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2004-07-09 09:26pm

He just happens to be black, but he's openly white.

You know, if someone reversed that and said that about a white guy, I'd be looking for white robes and a burning cross. Or a shaved head.

Do we really need to start slinging around Scotmens falicies based on race?

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2004-07-09 09:35pm

I think he's being sarcastic.

Skelron · Post by **Skelron** » 2004-07-09 09:38pm

Some things that immediatly came to mind reading over the article... The polls seem to be missing a section that should appear explaining how the Polls where taken etc. All I found was mention of a Telephone Poll...

Which makes me think it was likely one of those Worthless
'Do you think A.) Phone this Number if you think B.) then Phone this number polls.' Of course I may be wrong but without any more information on how the poll was carried out, the only conclusion that should be drawn is that one, because well it's safer that way, no basing theories etc on potential unsound information.

Anyway that was my main concern above that already mentioned.