It appears that what passes for "conservative" in Canada would be a moderate or centrist in the USA.

The "epidemic" I was referring to was the rabid partisanship that has paralyzed American politics. People have different prejuduces and different interests, and they will favor different policies. This is natural and wholesome. But when general political and economic philosophies harden into ideological movements, with their saints, sacred texts, holy shrines and other quasi-religious totems and fetishes, look out. I was hoping Canada could escape this fate, they always seemed so level headed and reasonable up there.