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Canada's influence fading in the world, poll finds

Negative record on the environment and climate change has damaged Canada's image on the global stage.

Ottawa (15 Feb. 2010) - A massive international poll conducted for the BBC finds that Canada's influence is fading in the world – mainly because of the Harper government's dismal record on climate change.

The poll of 20,176 people in 20 countries is worrisome because it is much harder to regain an international reputation than to lose one, says Doug Miller, chairman of GlobeScan, the company commissioned to conduct the poll.

"What countries have found is that it's extremely hard work to regain trust," Miller says.

Bob Johnson, a senior adviser for the Canadian International Conference, a non-partisan foreign policy research group, says Canada has been hurt by its environmental record.

"I think all (the poll) means is that the one thing people have noticed about Canada more recently is our failure to move aggressively on climate change," Johnson told CBC News.

If Canada wants to improve its influence abroad, he added, it must "show a real willingness to move ahead on a variety of actions [relating to climate change] without dithering and waiting for the U.S."

Canada's positive ratings dropped most markedly in China, where only 54% of respondents said Canada's influence in the world remains 'mainly positive' - a drop of 21% since last year. Significant declines also occurred among U.S. residents (dropping to 67% from 82%) and Britain (down to 62% from 74%).

Perceptions of Canada in France were unchanged (at 79%) and they improved in a few countries, notably Germany (up nine points to 73%).

The poll measured the influence of 15 countries around the world. So far only the results for Canada have been released, a decision timed to coincide with the Winter Olympics. Results for other countries will be made public in April.

Miller said Canada cannot rely on a good Olympics to restore its lustre. Despite the "stellar success" of the Beijing Summer Olympics two years ago, China continues to have a negative global image because of issues such as media censorship and its treatment of Tibet, he noted.

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