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Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand, has a notable following in Canada. Several Canadians have contributed to the development of Objectivism and the Objectivist movement, including Leonard Peikoff, Nathaniel Branden, Barbara Branden, Onkar Ghate, Stephen Hicks, John Ridpath, and Paul McKeever.
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Ayn Rand Institute Canada
The Ayn Rand Institute (ARI) established the Ayn Rand Institute Canada in Burnaby, British Columbia, to help promote Objectivism in Canada.
ARI has also helped establish Objectivist clubs at Canadian universities.
Leonard Peikoff, the founder of ARI, is from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He originally attended the University of Manitoba but then transferred to New York University after his early discussions with Ayn Rand, where he stayed for the rest of his postsecondary education. He founded ARI in 1985, three years after Rand's death, in southern California.
Onkar Ghate, a senior fellow at ARI, is also from Canada. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy from the University of Toronto in 1990, and he received of Master's degree and a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Calgary in 1992 and 1998, respectively.
Influence in politics
Rand disliked politics independent of philosophy. She stated, "I do not join or endorse any political group or movement." However, many have cited Rand as an influence in their political and economic views.
Freedom Party of Canada
Paul McKeever is the current leader of the Freedom Party of Canada and the Freedom Party of Ontario, minor political parties that advocate for laissez-faire capitalism and cite Rand's Objectivism as an influence.
Other
The Canadian rock band Rush has Objectivist influence in their music, especially in their 1976 album 2112.
Several of Rand's books, including The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, have been translated into French since their publication.