A recent Pew Research Center survey of 14 advanced countries indicated that most people (a median of 73 percent) believe their country has done a good job of dealing with the coronavirus. Only in the UK and the US did most feel their country had done a bad job. The nations run by Boris Johnson and Donald Trump—what a surprise.

Canadians were among the most satisfied with their country’s performance, 88 percent saying we handled it well. The number for our great neighbour to the south was 47 percent handled it well, a failed grade.

On the question of whether their country was more or less divided than before the pandemic, the various publics split about 50-50 with 46 percent saying national unity was better, 48 percent saying worse. Again, the US bottomed out at only 18 percent saying the country is more unified. Over three-quarters of Americans said they are further divided. Over half of Canadians said our country is more united.

According to the survey, people’s attitudes about their country’s performance depended on trust in their fellow citizens and economic confidence in their nation. Apparently Canadians are both appropriately trusting and confident.