21 Jul Oh Canada!!

Although excessive pride can be a negative attribute, a little bit can make us feel better about ourselves, or in this case, about our country, as compared to what is touted to be the greatest, most powerful country on earth, our neighbour to the south.

Maclean’s magazine recently published an article comparing Canada to the U.S. in a number of different areas.  Here are some excerpts from the article…

Average Life Expectancy     Canada = 81.1 years    U.S. 78.2 years

According the the Better Life Index, we have an overall better quality of life scoring 8.8 out of 10 versus 7.5 for the U.S.

We have a lower rate of infant mortality….  5.1/1000 births versus 6.1 in the U.S.

Our average health care cost per person is $4,445 versus $8,233 in the U.S.

Maternity leave in Canada is 50 weeks versus 12 unpaid weeks in the U.S.

48.3% of Canadians have a post-secondary degree versus 40.3% in the U.S.

35.9% of Americans are classed as obese versus 24.2% in Canada.

Canada’s average household net worth is $363,000 vs $320,000 in the U.S.

According to Bloomberg’s bank ratings 4 of the top 10 banks in the world are Canadian.  All scored higher than the top U.S. bank, which was 9th.

Our corporate taxes are lower.  Canada is ranked 8th out of 185 countries for it’s advantageous tax structure.  The U.S. is ranked 69th.

7 of the 10 North American cities with the most people taking transit to work are Canadian.

America has no mandated paid holidays or vacation time, so 23% of U.S. workers get no paid time off.  Canadian workers get at least 2 weeks and 9 paid public holidays.

Our festivals rule!! TIFF is by far North America’s most important film festival, and the world’s second biggest next to Cannes.  Hot Docs is North America’s biggest documentary festival.  Just for Laughs is the biggest comedy festival  Montreal’s Jazz Festival is the largest.

The Royal St. John Regatta is North America’s oldest annual sporting event

The Queen’s Plate is the oldest continuously run stakes race on the continent

In 2012, Canadians took close to 10 million trips abroad to countries other than the U.S.  With almost 10 times our population, Americans made only 30 million trips abroad.

65% of Canadians hold valid passports vs 35% of Americans

Americans watch an average of 34 hours of t.v. every week vs. 30 for Canadians

Canada has an average of 60 tornados annually compared to 1,200 in the U.S., the most of any country in the world

Canada has 243,000 kms of shoreline compared to 153,000 kms. for the U.S.

Canada is ranked 8th for most peaceful country in the world vs. 99th for the U.S.

Only 3 Canadian politicians have been assassinated vs 44 for the U.S., including 4 sitting Presidents.

Canada attracts 5.65/1000 immigrants vs 3.64/1000 for the U.S.

61% of Canadians accept evolution vs only 30% of Americans

In 2012 there were 38,700 people in prison in Canada, or 114/100,000 citizens.  The rate in the U.S. is 761 for every 100,000 citizens, the highest incarceration rate in the world.  Canada ranks 132nd.

The homicide rate in Canada is 1.73 per 100,000 people.  The U.S. is 4.7 per 100,000

Canada’s robbery rate is 86 per 100,000 vs 114 per 100,000 in the U.S.

In 2012 Canada was ranked #1 by the Reputation Institute based on people’s trust, admiration and affinity for them.  America’s reputation ranked 23rd