The United States vs Canada

The elephant

and the mouse

The Elephant and the Mouse

United States
Geography: 9,826,630 sq km

Canada

9,984,670 sq km Canada has 1.6% more total area.

33,390,141

Population: 301,139,947 US has 9.0 times more people. GDP: USD $13.458 trillion

$1.287 trillion

US has 11.0 times greater GDP.

IMD World Competitiveness rating: 1st 10th

Historical and Political Differences

Commonwealth country Multi-party political system Strong ties to England. Municipal, provincial, federal, Prime Minister

USA is a constitutional Republic Two party system State, Senate, Congress and President

Cultural Differences
The USA Canada

Melting Pot

Mosaic/Patchwork Quilt

Geert Hofstede Cultural Values

Power Distance Index (PDI) Level of inequality in groups 2. Individualism (IDV) Degree of integration into groups 3. Masculinity (MAS) Importance of women's values 4. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) Comfort in unstructured situations 5. Long-Term Orientation (LTO) Versus short-term orientation
1.
http://www.geert-hofstede.com/

Canada vs The USA

More inequalities More group-oriented Greater women's values Less comfortable in unstructured situations Lower long-term orientation

(Source Geert Hofsteade)

Pierre Elliot Trudeau

15th prime minister of Canada
Birth October 18, 1919 Death September 28, 2000
Political Party Liberal Terms 1968-1979 1980-1984 Significant Acts

Reformed Canadian divorce laws and liberalized laws on abortion and homosexuality Oversaw passage of the Official Languages Act of 1969, making English and French the official languages for all government institutions Officially recognized the People's Republic of China

Oversaw passage of the Constitution Act of 1982, which made Canada independent of Britain and included a Charter of Rights and Freedoms guaranteeing basic democratic rights

Ronald Reagan
40th president of the United States Birth February 6, 1911 Death June 5, 2004 Home State California Party Republican Terms In Office 1981-1985 1985-1989 Vice President George H. W. Bush Significant Acts

Vigorously pursued tax and budget cuts, an economic policy that came to be known as 'Reaganomics.' Ordered an invasion of Grenada in 1983 to break up a Marxist coup. Launched air strikes on Libya in 1986 in response to Libyan support of terrorism. Signed the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with the Soviet Union in 1987.

US versus Canadian Negotiators

U.S. negotiators have a distinctive style: Forceful Explicit Legalistic Urgent results-oriented Canadian negotiators are less distinctive: Less forceful Less explicit Less legalistic Less urgent Less results-oriented

Global Negotiation Positioning

United States

Canada

Preeminent international power (the new Roman Empire) Often seen as imperialist power

Resource based economy Highly dependent upon US market Not seen unless negotiating a trade deal More possibly comfortable with silence More likely to notice body language Tiny global position

Substantial and multifaceted resources

Uncomfortable with silence and ignore body language