A new poll released by Politico shows that Canadians' opinions of their Southern neighbour continue to sour, as close to a majority say the United States is the greatest threat to peace.The poll, released Thursday, shows that when asked who, between the US, Russia, China, and the EU, is the greater threat to global peace, 48% of Canadians chose the United States.This is compared to Russia (29%), China (10%), and the EU (2%), highlighting the recent shift in opinions of Canadians towards the US.The poll also shows that Canada seems to be an outlier, as when the same question was asked in the UK, France, and Germany, Russia came out as the overwhelming answer, with Canada being the only country that selected the United States..As the chart shows, a majority in each of Canada's European allies all view Russia as the greatest threat and the US as a distant second place.The poll also shows that Canadians are somewhat split down party lines on this issue, as, when asked if they agree or disagree that the United States is a reliable ally, 70% of Liberals and 62% of New Democrats said they disagree, while just 41% of Conservatives held this same sentiment..This divide may have to do with a sizeable proportion of Conservatives who agree with a lot of President Trump's policies, compared to Liberals and New Democrats who have positioned themselves firmly in the anti-Trump camp. .This fact is also shown in another question in which Canadians find themselves split by party affiliation, being asked if they feel if Trump is actively seeking conflicts with other countries unprovoked. The results show that while 69% of Canadians agree with this, only 57% of Conservatives agree, yet again contrasted with 84% of New Democrats and 77% of Liberals. .All these numbers highlight, not just how the overall Canadian opinion of their once closest ally has diminished, but how the Conservative Party remains divided on what direction to take regarding the Canada-US relations.As shown in the polls above, in both questions there seems to be a close to 50/50 or at least 60/40 split between Conservatives regarding opinions of the United States.This is contrasted with Liberals and New Democrats, who have, more or less, unanimously positioned themselves against the current American administration.The poll further shows that a majority of Canadians (57%) say it would be better to rely on China than on the United States under Trump.Partisan divides aside, this poll shows just how much attitudes towards the United States have shifted amongst Canadians.
