Canadians for Obama, but Republicans for CanadaCanadians overwhelmingly favor Democrat Barack Obama for US president in Tuesday's election, but Canada would likely fare better economically with a Republican in the White House, analysts and diplomats say. Recent polls show Canadians would, if they could, vote for frontrunner Obama by a 72 to 12 margin over Republican hopeful John McCain For McCain's grandfather and father, see John S. McCain, Sr. and John S. McCain, Jr., respectively John Sidney McCain III (born August 29, 1936 in Panama Canal Zone) is an American politician, war veteran, and currently the Republican Senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. . The daily Globe and Mail said Friday: "The world needs US leadership. (But) it also needs a better leader. That is why (we) should hope that Barack Obama is elected president on Tuesday." "Generally, Canadians are more comfortable with Democrats in the White House because they also tend to be more multilateralists," said Michael Kergin Michael Kergin (born 26 April 1942) is a Canadian career diplomat, who has been a member of the foreign service in some capacity since 1967, when he joined the Department of External Affairs. , Canada's former ambassador to Washington, in an interview with AFP (1) (AppleTalk Filing Protocol) The file sharing protocol used in an AppleTalk network. In order for non-Apple networks to access data in an AppleShare server, their protocols must translate into the AFP language. See file sharing protocol. . "Political culture in Canada is more liberal, more social-democratic," explained Nelson Wiseman, a politics professor at the University of Toronto Research at the University of Toronto has been responsible for the world's first electronic heart pacemaker, artificial larynx, single-lung transplant, nerve transplant, artificial pancreas, chemical laser, G-suit, the first practical electron microscope, the first cloning of T-cells, . "On the other hand, Republicans tend to be more free traders," Kergin said. "This means easier access to the US market for Canadian goods and services In economics, economic output is divided into physical goods and intangible services. Consumption of goods and services is assumed to produce utility (unless the "good" is a "bad"). It is often used when referring to a Goods and Services Tax. ." McCain is believed to be more attuned at·tune tr.v. at·tuned, at·tun·ing, at·tunes 1. To bring into a harmonious or responsive relationship: an industry that is not attuned to market demands. 2. to Canadians' fears of disrupting the biggest trade relationship in the world, having conveyed this in a speech in Ottawa in June. Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, tighter Canada-US border security at Washington's insistence has weakened Canadian and US competitiveness, and stressed continental supply chains, lament business leaders. McCain is widely seen as stronger than his rival on security and so could ease border burdens without political retribution, if elected. Obama is said to have a more "sophisticated" plan to renew "creaky creak·y adj. creak·i·er, creak·i·est 1. Tending to creak. 2. Shaky or infirm, as with age; decrepit: creaky knee joints; a creaky regime. " transportation infrastructure to speed up traffic at crossings, said Kergin. But Obama's call for the North American Free Trade Agreement North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), accord establishing a free-trade zone in North America; it was signed in 1992 by Canada, Mexico, and the United States and took effect on Jan. 1, 1994. (NAFTA NAFTA in full North American Free Trade Agreement Trade pact signed by Canada, the U.S., and Mexico in 1992, which took effect in 1994. Inspired by the success of the European Community in reducing trade barriers among its members, NAFTA created the world's ) to be renegotiated to include environmental and labor standards is controversial in Canada. The 1994 trade pact A trade pact is a wide ranging tax, tariff and trade pact that often includes investment guarantees. Trade pacts are frequently politically contentious since they may change economic customs and deepen interdependence with trade partners. created the largest trading bloc in the world by eliminating import tariffs on goods circulating among partners Canada, the United States and Mexico. A whopping 1.5 billion dollars worth of goods cross the Canada-US border daily, according to US figures. Some fear renegotiating NAFTA could imperil im·per·il tr.v. im·per·iled or im·per·illed, im·per·il·ing or im·per·il·ling, im·per·ils To put into peril. See Synonyms at endanger. the pact, while others point out that Obama's tough NAFTA talk is aimed at Mexico, not Canada, and that the US Congress, not the president, is ultimately responsible for ratifying trade pacts. That said, Democrats, with the backing of US labor unions, have tended to be overall more protectionist than Republicans, and the Democrats are likely to control Congress after Tuesday's vote, according to polls. Paul Cellucci, former US ambassador to Ottawa, in a keynote address to the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute The Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute is a Calgary, Alberta-based Canadian lobbying organization. Corporate donors to the organization currently include ENMAX and General Dynamics, the sixth largest defense contractor in the world [1]. on October 27 spoke of a "danger for Canada" if the Democrats rule Washington, echoing McCain's warnings. "There will be pressure on Barack Obama to ... open up NAFTA and make significant changes. I don't think that's in US interests. I don't think that's in Canadian interests," said the former Massachusetts governor. Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said, and McCain took note, that the United States' privileged energy relationship with Canada could be jeopardized if the United States insists on re-opening NAFTA. Canada is the largest supplier of oil to the United States. On the environment, Obama and McCain are "of the same mind," said Kergin. Both want to curb US greenhouse gas emissions to 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. Harper, seen as weak on climate change, said Thursday he favors a continental approach to CO2 reductions. Environmentalists say Canada would "face pressure" to catch up to US efforts to cut carbon emissions. But Harper spokesman Dimitri Soudas insisted in an email Canada's target of 20 percent below 2006 levels by 2020 is "almost the same" as the US proposals. On this and other policy areas, Harper "would prefer a Republican" in the White House who is closer ideologically with his Conservatives, opined Wiseman. But Harper is also at the helm of a minority government, and thus he must be sensitive to the electorate's preference for Obama in his decision-making. Where the Canada-US relationship is most likely to become awkward is over Afghanistan, if Obama wins. Obama has called for allied reinforcements, while Harper, at the instance of the Canadian people, announced a 2011 troop withdrawal. 
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