With respect to Canadian politics there are a handful of issues that are of utmost importance to the people of Canada.
In 2009, there are five issues dominate political discoursein the country.
These issues are seen as important by most people in virtually all parts of the great white north.
Here are the top five issues in Canadian politics: Healthcare Canadians love their healthcare.
A common joke is that you would have to pry a Canucks' health care from his cold dead hands.
82% of Canadians preferred their healthcare system to the United States' according to a 2009 Harris/Decima poll.
While CDN citizens know their system needs improvements especially when it comes to wait times, they overwhelmingly support the system as a public entity.
Debate on the issue revolves around the degree of privatization of different healthcare and healthcare-related services.
When CDN's had a vote on who the greatest Canuck of all time was, they selected Tommy Douglas, the "father of Medicare".
Economy/Taxes Taxes are a big topic in Canada just as they are in virtually all countries.
Canada has a national sales tax of 5% with the average provincial tax rate at 7.
85%.
Canada pays relatively low taxes compared to western Europe.
Naturally, the debate on taxes centers around the level of both personal and corporate taxes.
The most conservative province, Alberta, has no provincial sales tax.
Several provinces have a value-added tax called the harmonized sales tax (HST) which combines the federal tax (GST) and the provincial tax (GST) into one.
British Columbia will implement the HST in 2010 and is facing heavy opposition from its people.
Environment Canada has a large proportion of people who consider the environment to be one of the top issues.
Canada has one political party mostly devoted to environmental issues, the Green party.
The Greens are currently polling at around 10% support.
Most of the political parties campaign with strong pro-environment platforms, but the country nevertheless has not exactly walked the walk when it comes to addressing climate change.
Canadians' opinions on the environment differ in their belief of global warming's existence and the value that the environment should take vis-a-vis society's needs and wishes.
Afghanistan Canada has roughly 2800 troops in the intensely violent and dangerous Kandahar region in south Afghanistan.
The military mission will end in 2011 although it was recently announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper that a small amount of troops will remain beyond 2011 for an undetermined amount of time.
Canadian support for the mission is waning just like in the U.
S.
Canadian's have seen more than 100 of their soldiers die, a high proportion of the casualties suffered by the allies.
Some Canadians oppose the war outright.
Others are skeptical that the war can be won at all.
Still some believe that we need to be resolved and ramp up our efforts, possibly expanding the mission.
Canada's future in the country might depend on whether Barack Obama increases the U.
S.
's efforts and troops levels as well.
Quebec The only french-speaking province in Canada.
The eastern province has had two referendums on sovereignty in the last thirty years (1980, 1995).
Both failed although the 1995 referendum was extremely close, 50.
6% to 49.
4%.
While the issue is somewhat "sleeping" right now with Quebec sovereignty supporters unwilling to push the issue, it is by no means "dead".
Expect the debate on sovereignty to come back to life in the near future.
It is an issue in the back of every Quebecer's mind and it won't go away any time soon.
There you have it, I hope this was informative to both Canadians and to those around the world!