Canada dropped out of the top 10 freest countries in the world, according to a new study released by Canada’s Fraser Institute and America’s Cato Institute. The last time Canada did not rank in the top 10 of the Human Freedom Index (HFI) was back in 2012.. Immigrant Canadian FlagLow Canadian GDP growth maskey by high immigration levels says TD report. .During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government limited Canadians' movements, freedom of expression and assembly, and other freedoms, according to Fraser Institute Fellow and co-author of this year’s HFI Fred McMahon..“During the pandemic, like other governments worldwide, governments in Canada restricted freedom of movement, expression, assembly, and other freedoms even more than had in previous years,” said McMahon..The HFI measures personal freedom across several factors, including “the rule of law, safety and security, identity and relationships (i.e. the freedom to choose your relationship partner), freedom of movement, speech, assembly, and religion … alongside economic freedom, the ability of individuals to make their own economic decisions.”.Canada ranks the 13th freest country in the world based on 2020 data, which was the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions, dropping from sixth in 2019..Switzerland maintained its top spot, followed by New Zealand, Estonia, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg..Egypt, Iran, Venezuela, Yemen, and Syria are the five least-freest countries.. Anti-lockdown protestMore than 1,000 protesters gathered outside the Saskatchewan Legislature in 2022 in solidarity with the Freedom Convoy, calling for an end to vaccine mandates among other public health orders. .The report said that from 2019 to 2020, 94.3% of the world lost freedoms. However, since the high point for human freedom in 2007 to 2019, the world’s seen a 79% drop in freedom..Other significant countries world rankings include Japan (16), Germany (18), the United Kingdom (20), the United States (23), South Korea (30), France (42), Argentina (74), South Africa (77), Brazil (80), India (112), Russia (119), Nigeria (124), and China (152)..Geographically, the highest levels of freedom are in Western Europe, North America (Canada and the United States), and Oceania, with the lowest levels in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa..The study found a connection between prosperity and freedom. For example, the top-quartile countries per-capita income was $48,644, compared to the least-free quartile at $11,566..Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity Director and HFI co-author Ian Vasquez said “when government limits the ability of people to move, assemble and speak freely, people are less able to live the lives they want to live.”
