Congratulations to the True North Strong and Free.
A recent report by The Reputation Institute, a corporation with offices in Boston and Copenhagen, ranked the top countries in the world based on how the rest of the world perceives them. They considered such factors as natural beauty, the populace’s outlook and attitude towards their homeland, domestic safety and security, and the competence of the government.
Canada came out on top, followed by Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Australia.
The U.S. didn’t make the top 20, which seems to suggest what the rest of the world thinks of Donald Trump and his policies.
An enthusiastic Canadian at Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Here’s the top 20, with total points.
Canada, 78.81
Norway, 77.81
Sweden, 76.6
Switzerland, 76.4
Australia, 76.3
Finland, 75.1
New Zealand, 75.0
Denmark, 74.5
Netherlands, 73.7
Belgium, 72.3
Ireland, 72.0
Austria, 71.2
United Kingdom, 69.5
Italy, 69.4
Germany, 69.o
Japan, 69.0
Spain, 67.8
Portugal, 64.4
France, 64.4
Singapore, 61.1
