Canadians, most especially French-speaking Canadians, are becoming increasingly anti-American, according to a national COMPAS poll conducted exclusively for Global Television News November 25-27, 2004.

The rise in anti-Americanism is fuelled by a major fall in regard for President George W. Bush from the very high esteem in which he was held by Canadians shortly after 9/11.

The decline in respect for the U.S. President is driven above all by disappointment with his management of the economy. Pundits criticize his seeming unilateralism in foreign policy and his war on terrorism. But the Canadian public gives him a good performance score for defense of American interests and a passable score for fighting terror.

Canadians are frustrated by his management of the economy, for which they give him a definite failing grade. Extensive statistical analysis reveals that negative public assessments of Bush’s economic skills are the main driver of negative public assessments of him as President and a major factor in the rise of anti-Americanism.

A by product of rising anti-Americanism is a decline in support for Canada-U.S. harmonization of anti-terrorism law, support for which is especially low among French-speakers.

A more than 2:1 majority of Canadians supports tougher immigration practices but this majority falls short of the more than 9:1 majority with this view in the aftermath of 9/11.