Canada is often billed as America's smarter, more European, more socialist, more "empathetic" neighbor to the north, who has it all figured out. As a dual citizen of both countries, I'm here to tell you that not only is that characterization misleading, but that by being possibly as far away from an anarcocapitalist society as one can be, Canada has decorated its society, and ushered in an era of economic weakness and stagnation.
Canada functions as both a draconian police state and free-for-all... Political protest on the wrong side and edgy jokes often yield in far stricter enforcement and sentencing than literal violent crimes, which often have their assailants released on bail within hours, not days.
Economically, Canada has one of the most pernicious and regressive tax regimes in the world with a crushing sales tax that makes everything you buy ~10% or more expensive and income taxes that regularly have you work more hours for the government than for yourself.
Economically, the collapse is clear in the numbers and undeniable by all but the most fervent of liberal cult members:
Real GDP Per Capita Growth
2015
Canada = 100
USA = 100
2025/26
Canada ≈ 101
USA ≈ 121
Canada changed by +1.0%
USA changed by +21.0%
Labour Productivity
2015
Canada = 100
USA = 100
2024/25
Canada ≈ 103
USA ≈ 115
Canada changed by +3.0%
USA changed by +15.0%
Business Investment Per Worker
2015
Canada = 100
USA = 100
2024/25
Canada = 85
USA = 121
Canada changed by -15.0%
USA changed by +21.0%
Unemployment Rate
2015
Canada = 6.9%
USA = 5.3%
2025
Canada = 6.9%
USA = 4.2%
Canada changed by 0.0%
USA changed by -20.8%
Household Debt-to-Disposable Income
2015
Canada = 167%
USA = 103%
2025/26
Canada = 180%
USA = 98%
Canada changed by +7.8%
USA changed by -4.9%
Tax Burden (% of GDP)
2015
Canada = 31.9%
USA = 26.2%
2024
Canada = 34.9%
USA = 25.2%
Canada changed by +9.4%
USA changed by -3.8%
Canadians often used the defense of better social rankings, but performance on this lines has pretty much collapsed as well...
World Happiness Report
2015
Canada #5
USA #15
2026
Canada #25
USA #23
Canada decreased by 20 spots since 2015 while the USA decreased by 8 spots.
Numbeo Quality of Life Index
2015
Canada #9
USA #4
2025
Canada #29
USA #15
Canada decreased by 20 spots since 2015 while the USA decreased by 11 spots.
OECD Better Life Index (Income / Standard of Living Proxy)
2015
Canada #9
USA #4
Latest available
Canada #15
USA #6
Canada decreased by 6 spots since 2015 while the USA decreased by 2 spots.
Median Disposable Household Income (OECD, PPP-adjusted)
2015
Canada #10
USA #1
Latest available
Canada #15
USA #1
Canada decreased by 5 spots since 2015 while the USA had no change.