Canadians prefer Obama to domestic politicians

Toronto, July 5 (ANI): US President Barack Obama is more popular with Canadians than any domestic politician, a new poll has found.

According to the Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey, nearly three-quarters of Canadians think that the U.S. President is doing an "excellent" or "good" job, while 16 percent said Obama was doing a fair job. Only four percent believe that he is doing a poor job.

Obama's Canadian counterparts have never generated such an extraordinary support.

The number may explain why Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has hitched important sections of the country's foreign and domestic policies to those of the new President without any of the public blowback that was in evidence when George W. Bush occupied the White House, the Globe and Mail reports.

Obama's popularity stretches across the country he proclaimed his love for during his trip to Ottawa in February.

Canadians think positively of Obama's handling of the economy and foreign affairs. Two-thirds of Canadians gave him a "good" or "excellent" rating on his approach to the economy, while 69 per cent of respondents said the same about how he has dealt with foreign affairs.

The survey suggests Canadians overwhelmingly think Obama has been good for Canada. Seventy-six per cent of Canadians say his brief tenure has been a good thing, while only 12 per cent think Mr. Obama has been bad for their country.

Harris-Decima vice-president Jeff Walker said the U.S. leader's popularity hasn't waned with Canadians since he took office.

"Even though President Obama has clearly had some difficult challenges over the first few months, at least from the Canadian perspective, he's still got the public with him," he said. (ANI)