How the American Dream Moved to Canada

As the land of the free, the home of the brave, the United States of America is well known as a beacon of opportunity. It is a country famed for its ability to turn rags to riches. Inscribed on their Declaration of Independence from Britain is the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." This simple yet powerful line has been the catalyst for guiding millions through Ellis Island in the hopes that they will find work for the betterment of themselves and their families. 240 years after it's signing, does the American Dream still hold true?

The numbers

America once stood at the top tier of their class, but others have begin to surpass them -- chief among them, Canada. Canadians are on average recorded to live 2.5 years later than the average American and six times less likely to be incarcerated. While America stands at the 13th happiest place in the world, Canadians stand at the 6th. It would appear that the American Dream has migrated North. In the United States, 46% of the population obtains college degrees; here in Canada, it stands at 59%. We have 4% better employment rate, 5% home ownership rates, work 80 hours less per year, and have an extra three days for vacation.

In terms of actual freedom, it would appear that Americans lag behind there as well. The Cato Institute’s Human Freedom Index marks Canadians as the sixth freest people in the world. America? 23rd, right behind Poland. American's own Heritage Foundation based in Washington ranks Canada and the U.S. as 7th and 27th, respectively, for economic freedom. When it comes to free speech, Reporters Without Borders mark Canada as the 18th in the world for press freedom. With the First Amendment in place, you would think America would hold a high position on the ranking board; instead, it sits at the 41st.

If ignoring the part where it says "all men," America's Constitution also sets a standard for equality. It promises a place -- even if you start at the bottom, if you are determined and work hard, you can reach the highest levels of success. This may not be true any longer. Canada's "Gini Coefficient," a measurement of economic inequality, currently stands that in Canada you are two times as likely to move from the poorest percentile of the population to the wealthiest. In addition to that, the link between the income of a child and a parent is twice as strong in Canada.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

As we can see, Canada has clearly surpassed the United States in the "American Dream" conquest, and people are beginning to notice. With the recent events unfurling in the United States, many refugees and asylees are now fleeing to Canada with the hopes of receiving fair immigration treatment. In Latin America, there are reports of people immigrating to United States only to keep moving North. Across the seas, ESLstudents are increasingly choosing Canada over the U.S. as well.

Whether it's a response to the recent election held in the United States, or another deeper rooted problem, the fact is, the American Dream has undoubtedly moved far North.