Again, in Canada there is a very high level of awareness of the interdependent nature of our economies. Part of this sense of the importance of the relationship is focused not just on the fact that we think Americans are our best friends, but on a real politic understanding of the maturing business opportunities that go along with this.
As for American society on the levels of awareness, no. For example, we've tested whether Americans know that Canada is their strongest trading partner. No. It would rank sixth or seventh, well down the list. Do they understand the value-added process whereby goods flow back and forth across the border? No, they don't.
But what is interesting is that Americans, unlike their neighbours to the north, think Canadians are just like them, and they would consider that a compliment. They think Canadians are “just like us”, that they're a little different, that they're up north and a little colder, but basically they're just like Americans and therefore they don't have to worry about us that much. They would think that would be saying a good thing. Canadians would bridle at that, as I pointed out at the beginning of my presentation, and would say no, we're really quite different, and we shouldn't be reduced to being just like Americans, even if on many issues we are just like Americans.
By the way, the pattern of ignorance in the American public about what's going on in Canada, which is perhaps much more of a concern in the elite portions of American society, can be a mixed blessing. For example, we tested at one point whether Americans were aware that Canada was fighting alongside their soldiers in Afghanistan. No, they weren't, for the most part, or they had limited awareness. When you told them, they said that was a good thing and it made them feel a little more favourable. Interestingly enough, in the same survey we asked if Canadians were fighting alongside Americans in Iraq, and they replied yes, they were. So raising public fluency could be a mixed bag here. Let's be careful.
I'm also not a strong believer in American public opinion, which is very favourable to Canada. It's a pretty difficult beast to move. It's pretty inert. The idea that some kind of a rational discourse will raise this fluency and therefore everything will be fine is a bit of a mug's game. I believe that we have to be much more focused and strategic.