by Brit Muscovite
We find it very important to know what do other people think about us. Do you agree? With this purpose I’d like to start today a new theme in this blog - attitude of russian people to different countries and nations. Before you go to Moscow, let you inform about.
Article by Petrova A. www.fom.ru
Canada - "a sporting country" and "nearly Russia"
Russians associate Canada mainly with sports, particularly with the Olympic games and hockey. Answering a question on what they think of first when they hear the word «Canada," 24% of respondents recalled "sporting events," "the NHL," and say Canada is "a sporting country."
Russians know that Canada is "a country with good living standards" (14%): "a thrifty country"; "life is paradise"; "calm and stability."
A tenth of those surveyed (11%) know that the climate and nature in Canada is similar to Russia, that there is "unlimited space, woods, pure air"; "a forest country like Karelia"; "birches"; "a climate like in Tyumen"; "It is very cold, like in Russia."
We should note that Canada is the only country discussed in our Geoproject whose national flag is well-known by Russians. 5% of those surveyed associate Canada with the maple leaf because it is represented on their national flag: "their flag with a leaf is very original"; "their symbol is a maple"; "there is a maple leaf on their state flag."
Few people (2%) mentioned Canadian goods that are exported to Russia: "grain"; "sheepskin coats, footwear," "tinned stewed meat."
Some respondents (1%) associate Canada with the USA, not only as a neighbor, but as a country that is subordinate to America: "This is America's 51st state."
1% of Russians recall our compatriots who immigrated to Canada and that this country pursues an open-door policy: "they invite immigrants"; "there is a large Russian diaspora there, and Ukrainians and Jews as well."
As for knowledge of political geography, only 24% of respondents know that Ottawa is the capital city of Canada; 7% think the main city of Canada is Toronto or Montreal, and 69% of those surveyed admitted they didn't know which city is the capital of this country.
Russians feel positive towards Canada: 64% consider it to be friendly towards Russia, and no negative opinions were expressed in the respondents' answers to the open-ended question concerning Canada.
Article by Atayan I.
Canada
Canada is a big and remote country in another part of the world that stays away from ideological wars, always in the shadow of its powerful neighbor – the USA – and is the country of hockey. Canada never posed a direct threat to Russia, as Germany did. A country from the «capitalist camp,» Canada was never an antagonist of the «socialist world» like the USA in Cold War times. Not a center of political attraction, Canada present little interest to the international community. What notions about Canada are widespread in the Russian mass consciousness?
Canada is a friendly state to Russia. This opinion is held by almost two-thirds of those surveyed (64%). This opinion is more widespread among people with higher social resources: residents of megapolises and large cities, educated people and those between 36-50 years of age (70% in each group, respectively), and well-off Russians (69%). Only 12% see Canada as unfriendly to Russia, with Zyuganov followers being most convinced of this (19%). Almost a fourth (24%) were unable to appraise the state of the Russian-Canadian relations. These were basically the people with weak social resources: poorly educated people (37%), and villagers and elderly people (30% each, respectively). Yet the optimism of those speaking about friendly relations between our countries is based more on expectations or superficial impressions than on weighted views: it appears most Russians have only a general notion about Canada.
So, only a few Russians know that the capital of Canada is Ottawa: only 24% could give a correct answer. These are basically university graduates (52%), men, who traditionally demonstrate a better knowledge of geography (the correct answer among men accounted for 32%, and only 17% among women), and residents of large cities (31%). For villagers and Zyuganov followers, this question was rather difficult (16% of correct answers in each group).
But even in general notions about Canada, we can see a certain vacuum. Among 38%, this country doesn't arise any associations, while the complex of notions available shows a fairly positive emotional background shaped in the absence of negative experience. The public's appraisals of Canada are mostly neutral. For 24%, Canada is a «sportive nation,» «powerful hockeyists,» «the Canadian hockey team,» «the NHL,» «the winter Olympic games.»
14% remembered that Canada is a rich country with high living standards, «one of the leading nations, a G-8 member,» «a country with high civilization.» The respondents also note «the country's welfare,» «stability,» that the Canadians «live better, not like we do,» and that on the whole, Canada is a «normal country, an example for Russia.»
For 11% of those surveyed, Canada brings forth images of nature and geography, quite comparable with Russian ones: «the north sea,» «a country of lakes,» «marshes,» «the Canadian cedar,» «waterfalls,» «vast territory, woods, pure air,» «almost like Russia – on the same latitude, a similar climate,» «cold like in Russia.»
This is virtually all Russians know about Canada. For 5%, Canada is just «one of the world's countries,» «a country like many others.» Another 5% note its original state symbol: «a flag with a leaf, quite original,» «a maple-leaf on the flag.»
2% named Canadian products: «yogurt,» «canned meat,» «bread,» «leather coats, footwear,» «grain.»
1% each fell on associations of Canada with the United States («the 51st US state»), emigration («the diaspora of Russians, Ukrainians and Jews») and personal experiences («a normal country, my neighbor's daughter lives in Canada»).
And, finally, we encounter responses where Canada is appraised as a «friendly state,» whose citizens «feel good about us» (1%): this is a «marvelous country» that Russians «feel positive» towards (1%).
WILL YOU PLEASE TELL US, WHAT IS THE CAPITAL CITY OF CANADA?
OPEN-ENDED QUESTION: WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD «CANADA,» WHAT DOES IT BRING TO YOUR MIND?
Sports
«Skiing»; «football»; «the Canadian national hockey team»; «skates»; «hockey matches with Russia»; «mountain-skiing»; «pugnacious hockey players»; «strong and powerful hockey players»; «good sportsmen»; «a county that is into sports»; «associations with sport»; «there are boxers and hockey players there»; «sporting events»; «National Hockey League»; «winter Olympics.»
Rich, prosperous country with high living standards
«They have a good life, not like we do»; «welfare»; «a rich country»; «economically strong country»; «a prospering country»; «one of the G-8 countries»; «high salaries»; «a very prosperous country»; «financial affluence»; «economically developed country»; «peace and stability»; «well-being, a good country»; «paradise-like life»; «people live well there»; «a highly civilized country, and rich»; «a prosperous country with high living standards»; «good life»; «high living standards»; «life without problems.»
Nature, climate, geographic position
«The northern sea»; «almost Russia - the same latitude, the same climate»; «it gets cold there, like in Russia»; «a climate like Russia's»; «a country of lakes»; «the same climate as in the Tyumen region»; «a green country»; «birch»; «environmentally clean country»; «swampy»; «forest, north»; «nature»; «a country of forests, like Karelia»; «the climate and nature are the same as here»; «lakes»; «waterfalls»; «endless land, forests, clean air»; «beautiful nature»; «Canadian cedar»; «it is colder there than here.»
A different country
«A foreign country»; «one of the countries of the world»; «a different country»; «there is such a country»; «just a country»; «a state»; «a country like many others.»
Associations related to state symbols
«The Canadian flag»; «a flag with a maple leaf - very original»; «a flag with a maple leaf»; «a maple leaf, the symbol of this country's flag»; «with an emblem»; «emblem and flag bearing a maple leaf»; «their symbol is a maple leaf»; «maple leaf»; «its flag bears a maple leaf.»
Canadian-made goods
«Yogurt»; «canned meat»; «bread»; «fur coats, footwear»; «grain.»
U.S.-related associations
«America, President Clinton»; «the 51st U.S. state»; «a U.S. state, I can say.»
Emigration
«Population migration to Canada»; «many Russian emigrants»; «Ukraine - there are many immigrants from Ukraine there»; «there are many Russians there»; «it accepts immigrants»; «there are well-developed Russian, Ukrainian, and Jewish diasporas»; «something connected with immigrants.»
General positive emotions
«I like the country»; «wonderful»; «I am positive about it»; «a good country»; one of the world's positive countries»; «positive emotions»; «a wonderful country»; «there are positive emotions.»
Friendly country
«A friendly country»; «a friendly state»; «cooperation, friendship»; «warn relations»; «it is positive about us.»
Associations related to personal experience
«My friend's sister lives there»; «a normal country: my neighbors' daughter is living in Canada»; «I remember my acquaintances who went to Canada to live»; «I worked with Canadian polyethylene.»
Other
«War»; «Indians, Quebec»; «people pleasant by nature»; «a tourist country»; «drug problems.»
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