Canadians more confident about economy than Americans, Brits

It's been a good week for the 'dynamic duo' of Stephen Harper and Jim Flaherty.

On Wednesday, Angus Reid released the results from an online survey showing that 63 per cent of Canadians rate the current economic conditions in their country as "very good" or "good."

By contrast, only 20 per cent of Americans surveyed had a positive feeling about that country's economic conditions, while the level of confidence in Britain was found to be at a paltry 9 per cent.

The pollster also asked residents of the three countries how they felt about their personal financial situation. Again, Canadians were the most confident: 61 per cent of Canucks surveyed rate their own personal finances as "very good" or "good", while 55 per cent of the British and 53 per cent of the Americans queried said that their personal financial situation was "bad" or "very bad."

[ Related: Canada now an 'overachiever' economy ]

The numbers bode well for the Harper Conservatives, given that poll after poll suggests that the number one issue on Canadians' minds is the economy.

The Angus Reid report was the second piece of good news in that regard for Harper and Flaherty this week.

As pointed out by David Akin of QMI Agency, page 69 of the IMF's Global Economic Outlook, released Monday, shows that Canada's economic output has been ahead of the United States, Japan and the Eurozone every quarter since 2008. And while the IMF predicts a bleaker worldwide economy in the years ahead, Canada is still expected to have a steady rate of growth at about 2.0 per cent in 2013.

Certainly, there are challenges in our economy such as a struggling manufacturing sector, slumping exports, elevated housing prices and a higher than expected deficit. And, Harper and Flaherty do have to give some credit to the Chretien/Martin regime for cutting spending and keeping our banks highly regulated.

[ Related: Teenage Nova Scotians and Quebecers are the happiest Canadians ]

But under Harper and Flaherty's watch, Canada has done — and is doing — relatively well.

And, I'm sure the Tories won't let us forget that.