The world sees Canada not US as most positive player on global stage

Canada is the country viewed as the most positive leader on the world stage according to a new study from Ipsos’s Global Advisor, which was commissioned by the Halifax International Security Forum. 

In November 2024, the results of a survey that polled 22,989 people across 30 nations found Canada was the country viewed as the most positive player on the global stage. 

Despite the ongoing tensions between Canada and India at the time the survey was conducted (from September 20th to October 4th) Canada was still seen as a positive world leader. 

On average, 79% of respondents said Canada would have an overall positive influence on world affairs over the next decade, just one point lower than survey results in 2023.

Ipsos noted in a report on its findings that Canada has had the most positive ranking of any country since 2015 based on the average of the 20 countries first included in the firm’s polling since the inception of its survey for the Halifax Security Forum. 

Germany was the runner with 73% of survey respondents saying the nation would have a positive impact on the world over the next decade. However, the data showed a sharp decline in the third and fourth spots. 

The European Union took the third spot with 69% saying it would have a positive impact on the world while the United Nations and France vied for fourth and fifth place at 68%. 

Canada stood far above its allies and competitors despite the growing problems the country faces in terms of its declining military relevance. However, it's possible that people around the world still see Canada as a key player in international affairs despite its issues. 

Only 60% of those surveyed believed the United States would have a positive impact on world affairs over the next decade, 19 points lower than Canada. It is possible this figure could be even lower following the re-election of Donald Trump in November 2024. 

“The last time current President-elect Donald Trump won the keys to the White House in November 2016 America’s reputation on the world stage took a dive,” Ipsos explained. 

Following Trump’s first election, America slid by 11 points to just 55% of people thinking in 2017 that the United States would have a positive impact on world affairs and then hovered near 50% throughout Trump’s term based on Ipsos’ 20-country average. 

After Joe Biden was elected, the proportion of those who thought the U.S. would have a positive impact on global affairs jumped up to 63% in 2020 and then 64% in 2022. 

The Ipsos survey also found that there had been a 7-point drop (51%) in the perception that the United States was the most reliable leader for democratic nations. Only 47% of Canadians believed this about its southern neighbor. 

Iran was viewed as the country least likely to have a positive impact on world affairs with 25% of 2024 survey respondants believing so. 

Iran was followed by Pakistan, with 28% believing it would have a positive impact on world affairs over the next decade, and Israel at the same figure, though it dropped by 12% from Ipsos’ previous polling on the subject. 

While much hasn’t changed since the last time Ipsos released similar polling, a lot is different. While Canada may have remained a stalwart of global positive perception, Israel saw its numbers tank, and the very same thing could happen again to the U.S. 

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