Americans and Canadians are world’s most inclusive to immigrant citizens, study finds
However, the poll found that among left-wing voters, 29 per cent felt a Muslim could not be a real American, compared with 64 per cent of right-leaning voters
Amid the travel ban, the inhumane treatment of children at the US-Mexico border and ever-more divisive rhetoric around immigration from the White House, a survey has found that Canada and the United States are the two most tolerant and inclusive countries when it comes to who the population see as one of their own – that is, “a real American” or “a real Canadian”.
Polling company Ipsos surveyed 20,000 people across 27 countries, looking at questions of religion, immigration status, the origin country of someone’s parents, as well as sexuality, criminal background and extreme political views. It found that Canadians had the broadest acceptance of who was a “real Canadian”, and that the US was close behind in second place.
The results suggest most Americans are at odds with the nativist position of the current administration of US President Donald Trump.
The survey asked people in each country whether someone with a certain characteristic could be seen as a “real” national of that country. So, for example, people in Australia were asked whether someone who is LGBT is a real Australian, or people in Argentina were asked whether someone with immigrant parents is a real Argentinian.
The results were then compiled into an “Overall Inclusiveness Index” that aggregated different responses. After the two North American countries, South Africa, France, Australia and Chile were rated most inclusive. At the bottom of the list were Serbia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.