Which Republican candidate would be best for Canada?

Since there is only one serious candidate in the Republican contest for the nomination, Governor Mitt Romney would have to be identified as the candidate who would be “best” for Canada.

Although there is a lot of mythology about whether a Democratic or Republican President is better for Canada, post-War history (ie. post-FDR) indicates that the US deals with Canada on an issue-by-issue basis…basically, there’s a bipartisan approach to US-Canada relations. Canada from the US perspective is partly domestic, partly international..”intermestic” in other words.

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In American elections, the old saw has it, Canadians always vote Democrat, so it is likely that Canadians will be plumping for Barack Obama regardless of who wins the Republican nomination. While it is not clear which of the candidates in the rapidly shrinking Republican fieldwill be left standing by the time the GOP gathers in Tampa in August, the Republican candidate that would be “best for Canada” is clearly Mitt Romney. Yes, Romney has taken the lead in the race primarily because he has embraced most of the Tea Party movement’s positions, and Canadians would be right to wonder whether he would actually pursue Tea Party policies were he to be elected. But Romney’s political instincts are centrist: as governor of Massachusetts, arguably the most Canadian-like state in the Union, Romney pursued a range of centrist (and very “Canadian”) policies, such as the introduction of universal health care and the tightening of gun laws. Moreover, growing up in Michigan and vacationing in Ontario as a youth, Romney has a far better acquaintance with Canada than any other GOP candidate

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As a proud new Canadian citizen, I will suggest that the best Republican for Canada’s interests is Mitt Romney, by a furlong.  Any of the Republicans will be better than President Obama–or any other Democrat–on trade.  And any of them will be pro-energy development and, compared with Obama or any other Democrat, more relaxed about environmental issues–indeed too relaxed, if  significant progress is to be made on limiting greenhouse gases and other environmental concerns.  There is not much to choose among them on these issues.

Neither Ron Paul nor Jon Huntsman need detain us, as neither is a remotely plausible prospect to win the nomination.  

Where Romney differs from the other plausible candidates (Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Rick Perry) is that, however much he denies it during the nomination campaign, he is more moderate.  He will be better able to work with Democrats in Congress, and more able to contemplate realistic, balanced policies for dealing with the country’s long-term fiscal problems.  These abilities are important to Canada because Canada needs the U.S. to remain–or become again–a going concern.

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Let’s think outside the box for a minute. Maybe the best candidate for Canada would be the most extreme and non-mainstream of the Republican candidates (Rick Santorum? Ron Paul?)— because this will assure an Obama victory! Although the Republicans have always been more pro-free trade, the current obsession of elements of the party with isolationism, resistance to any tax increases (which are needed to start moving the US toward deficit reduction, which in turn will lead to a healthier economy), not to mention many of the other odd ideas emanating from the Tea Party, mean that any Republican occupant of the White House, even a “moderate” like Romney, will not be able to ignore the influence of this powerful faction. Any President beholden to fringe elements is a dangerous proposition for any of the neighbours of the US, especially its closest neighbour. Barack Obama is not a particular “friend” of Canada (no surprise, Canadians don’t vote down there), but he offers a more moderate, balanced and incremental approach to economic recovery, military engagement, and environmental issues/resource development that in the long term will be more sustainable and benefit not only the US ship of state but “all who sail in her”.

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