CTV News reports the way in which the foreign policy views of most Canadians may come into conflict this November with their economic interest in continuing free trade with America.
"On pocketbook issues, the sensible thing to do would be to hope for a McCain presidency," said Greg Anderson, a U.S. foreign policy expert at the University of Alberta's political science department.
Faced with an economic downturn and the Wall Street investment meltdown, a Democratic president would be more likely to build protectionist walls around the U.S. economy -- which would have dire effects on Canadian industry, Anderson told CTV.ca.
Anderson also notes Obama's energy adviser's attack on Alberta's oil sands and contrasts Obama's willingness to regulate industry more - likely forcing Canada to do the same - with McCain's "more resistant" approach to red tape.
However, the article notes that "many Canadians, including NDP Leader Jack Layton, have a blatant crush on presidential hopeful Barack Obama", and suggests foreign policy is the reason. Stephen Clarkson of the University of Toronto argues that Canadians should prefer the dovish Obama to the hawkish McCain:
"Somebody who is still pursuing a Bush approach to global affairs is going to continue the disaster, which affects Canada as well as everybody else."
