CALGARY -- Dean Kasner says it's not difficult to summarize U.S. president Donald Trump’s first term in office.

"In my perception, the last four years have been a bit of an embarrassment for the United States to the world," said Kasner, secretary for the Calgary chapter of Democrats Abroad. "Everybody is looking at things now and really hoping for a better future."

Kasner was born in the USA but has lived in Calgary for a decade and holds dual citizenship. He says many of his friends south of the border are anxious for Joe Biden to take control of the White House.

"With the Biden-Harris team, I feel like there’s the chance to things back to square one, and move forward."

While a recent Leger poll found 72 per cent of Canadians would prefer Joe Biden in the White House to Donald Trump, support in Alberta was more subdued. The slight variance — only two-thirds of Albertans saying they prefer the democratic candidate —may be partially due to Biden's vow to kill the Keystone XL pipeline, an Alberta-based project winding its way through the United States while carrying a $1.5 billion investment from the UCP government.

Still, according to University of Calgary economist Eugene Beaulieu, Trump may not be any better for Alberta’s bottom line, or Canada's, at least when it comes to trade.

"(His) administration is not willing to listen to rules and laws," Beaulieu told participants in a recent School of Public Policy webinar discussing the coming election. "Our disputes are not going to end so what is important to us is to have an appropriate dispute resolution system."

Steve Finley moved to Calgary from Chicago in 2008 when his wife got a job in the oil and gas sector.

He's also a supporter of the Democrat party but says the job of president will be especially daunting at this time in history, no matter who is elected.

"Regardless of who wins, everyone has to govern," said Finley. "We still have issues of COVID, health care, competing in the world, stagnant wages. You still have to deal with it regardless of who is elected."