We’re No. 2! Canada ranked second best country in world

Rated just behind Germany, Canada is praised for its diversity, resources and high standard of living.

Thestar.com
Jan. 20, 2016
By Jim Coyle

The annual schmooze-fest of the rich, powerful, famous and their courtiers in Davos, Switzerland, has already produced splendid news for Canada: we’re No. 2 in a new ranking of the best countries in the world.

Released at the World Economic Forum, the survey rated 60 countries across 24 categories.

Germany was first, Canada second, the United Kingdom third, the United States fourth and Sweden fifth.

The survey was prepared by U.S. News and World Report, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of business and global brand consultants BAV Consulting

Canada, the survey said, welcomes immigrants and celebrates diversity, draws some of its national identity from its expansive wilderness, has produced a long list of accomplished writers and artists, and is a high-tech industrial society with a high standard of living.

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney will be pleased to see a nod to the trade agreements of the ’80s and ’90s that the survey said dramatically bolstered trade with the United States.

“While the service sector is Canada’s biggest economic driver, the country is a significant exporter of energy, food and minerals,” it said. “Canada ranks third in the world in proven oil reserves and is the world’s fifth largest oil producer.”

Canadian challenges, it said, are “the concerns of indigenous people” and the perennial matter of relations between Quebec and the rest of the country.

“While constitutional guarantees allow the province wide-ranging cultural and linguistic autonomy, movements for complete independence come in waves.”

Mortimer B. Zuckerman, chair and editor-in-chief of U.S. News and World Report, said in a statement that, just as the magazine has done for universities, hospitals and other institutions, “our Best Countries portal will be a global homepage for stories and data to help citizens, business leaders and governments evaluate performance in a rapidly changing world.”

While everyone from legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi to former U.S. president Richard Nixon have deemed finishing second in anything as worthless, it’s not without its virtues.

One of the more famous advertising campaigns ever launched was Avis car rental’s 1962 rejoinder to its second-place status to Hertz.

“We’re No. 2. We try harder.”

In a year, Avis went from losing $3.2 million to turning a profit of $1.2 million, it’s first in 13 years. And “we try harder” was it’s slogan for 50 years.

And did you know that Justin Bieber finished second at age 12 in a local singing competition called Stratford Idol?

A couple of years back, a British survey named Ultravox’s 1981 hit “Vienna” as the greatest No. 2 single of all time. And, finishing second on the list of well-known also-rans? The Pogues Fairy Tale of New York, which also peaked out in second place on the pop charts despite being widely regarded as the best Christmas song of all time.

Other beloved No. 2s included “Waterloo Sunset” by The Kinks, Madonna’s “Material Girl,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,”and, somewhat paradoxically, Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”

It might even be said that second-place finishes, if done repeatedly or under odd circumstances, create a kind of abiding fondess for the runner-up.

For instance, the NFL’s Buffalo Bills have made it to the Super Bow four times. And four times, they’ve lost, most famously on the immortal Scott Norwood’s 1991 missed field goal, which would have given Buffalo a much needed championship.

More recently, there was the gold-medal cock-up at the Miss Universe contest when the emcee inadvertently pronounced Miss Colombia the winner, only to recant, pluck from her the sash and tiara and place it on Miss Philippines.

To celebrate the triumph of finishing second, the minor-league baseball team, the Frisco Rough Riders, plan to hold a runner-up night in April to which they’ve invited Miss Colombia, survivors of the Buffalo Bills losses and other accomplished folks who finished second at one time or another.

These include Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, Carrie Underwood, Michelle Obama, Al Gore and Mitt Romney.

Those who attend the game will be entered in a contest that will upgrade the winner to the “second-best seat in the house” and there will be a host of other games.

Prizes going, naturally, “to the second-place finisher.”

So be proud, Canada! We’re No. 2. And we’re in good company.