New Democrat MP Leah Gazan likely thought she was just speaking to a small group of Canadian NDP supporters when she introduced a complicated acronym during a press conference in Ottawa earlier this month.
In reality, she had stepped into the whirlwind of American culture war politics.
Her mention of “MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+” – which many Canadians would probably also find confusing – quickly became a topic for laughter on Fox News and was ridiculed throughout the MAGA community. Everyone from Elon Musk to Ted Cruz weighed in with their opinions on the issue.
This incident highlighted how much things have shifted; a casual comment from an opposition backbencher at an inconsequential Ottawa news conference could suddenly go viral in the U. S.
The old saying that Americans know nothing about Canadian politics and care even less is not as accurate as it used to be – at least, not regarding the second part.
If Canadians ever felt frustrated by their issues being overlooked by their larger neighbor to the south, they now have a chance to see what it’s like when the U. S. takes notice.
They might end up longing for those quieter days of relative anonymity.
A protester waves an upside down Canadian flag in front of Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 28, 2022. The trucker convoy caught the interest of President Donald Trump and rapidly became a hot topic for MAGA. (CBC/Radio-Canada)
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CFIA employees in hazmat suits and ostriches are seen near a cull enclosure in Edgewood, B. C., after the Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear an appeal by Universal Ostrich Farms against an order to cull more than 300 birds last November. (Aaron Hemens/The Canadian Press)
Patrick Lennox, a former RCMP intelligence manager and author of At Home and Abroad: The Canada-U. S. Relationship and Canada’s Place in the World, says it’s become routine for prominent U. S. politicians to comment on these Canadian stories.
“[U. S. Commerce Secretary Howard] Lutnick was discussing Canada this week,” Lennox told . “You’re seeing more instances like this because Canada contrasts sharply with what’s happening right now in the United States.”
But while Canada serves as a convenient foil for right-wing politicians across America, Lennox notes it’s not viewed as foreign or fundamentally different.
“I think they see us as somewhat like a blue state,” he suggested. “We get treated similarly to [Gov.] Gavin Newsom does over California. We’ve become part of what could be seen as ‘the resistance.’
(Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via The Associated Press) “During his European trip that same week Vance talked with Germany’s Af D leader-a party skeptical about liberal policies-and previous Homeland Security secretaries actively campaigned during Poland’s elections pushing voters towards candidates who align with Trump,” Welsh added.
This aligns with apparent preferences shown towards UK figures too; London Mayor Sadiq Khan regularly gets targeted by MAGA supporters including Trump himself who backs Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage.”
“It’s all part of broader attacks on U. S. allies,” Welsh stated.
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Could Vance or others try campaigning directly within Alberta aiming at separatist sentiments? Welsh isn’t dismissing any possibilities.”We should consider visits made by Vance alongside senior officials-asking ourselves whether actions could indeed lead somewhere-we shouldn’t rule anything out given current circumstances surrounding that referendum.”
..(Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)
The Truckers Caught America’s Attention
The trucker convoy in early 2022 may signal the start of significant U. S. interest in Canadian domestic politics, drawing attention from President Donald Trump and quickly becoming a rallying point for MAGA supporters. “Even before the trucker convoy, there was some U. S. interest in how Canadian governments handled lockdowns and vaccinations,” said Aengus Bridgman, director of Mc Gill University’s Media Ecosystem Observatory. Americans were facing similar debates over public health versus personal freedom within their own states. The convoy gained traction online, inspiring donations from Americans and sparking comments from Trump and other MAGA figures in what had been an unusual instance of American emotional involvement in Canadian political matters. Once that interest was sparked, it didn’t wane, says Bridgman. “We recently saw it around the ostrich farm as well,” he explained. “When something happens in Canada that can be used politically or mobilized – we notice it with Indigenous issues sometimes, we see it with [medical assistance in dying], we see it regarding drug access – those moments get picked up and spread very quickly.”A Woke, Weak Version of Canada
In certain right-wing circles online, Canada is often depicted as weakened by political correctness-a nation overtaken by Chinese influence and Indian immigration-where free speech is stifled and Albertans-painted as hardworking ranchers-are eager to flee south into America’s arms. Jennifer Welsh, head of Mc Gill’s Max Bell School of Public Policy, argues that this portrayal aligns closely with how U. S national security strategy views allies like Canada; they’re seen through lenses that suggest ideas harmful to Western civilization from far-right perspectives here at home. “This concern about our supposed shift toward progressive agendas is just one piece within broader discussions,” Welsh explained. Welsh adds that Washington has aggressively promoted this worldview abroad; she noted Vice-President JD Vance’s recent trip to Hungary where he openly supported Viktor Orban’s pro-Moscow stance despite violating diplomatic norms.(Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via The Associated Press) “During his European trip that same week Vance talked with Germany’s Af D leader-a party skeptical about liberal policies-and previous Homeland Security secretaries actively campaigned during Poland’s elections pushing voters towards candidates who align with Trump,” Welsh added.
This aligns with apparent preferences shown towards UK figures too; London Mayor Sadiq Khan regularly gets targeted by MAGA supporters including Trump himself who backs Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage.”
“It’s all part of broader attacks on U. S. allies,” Welsh stated.
Buckle Up For More Interference In Alberta
The global far-right media scene operates without borders,” Lennox remarked. “They’re using successes they’ve achieved elsewhere worldwide-even if unsuccessful-to fuel movements here.” If Hungary didn’t yield expected results post-Vance intervention-as Orban suffered declines-they weren’t alone either according to Lennox. “Trump’s posts on Truth Social were equally blatant-interfering openly into another nation’s domestic affairs-is something we can expect here too. As Alberta separatism gains momentum during summer months-we will definitely witness such actions.”.
Could Vance or others try campaigning directly within Alberta aiming at separatist sentiments? Welsh isn’t dismissing any possibilities.”We should consider visits made by Vance alongside senior officials-asking ourselves whether actions could indeed lead somewhere-we shouldn’t rule anything out given current circumstances surrounding that referendum.”..
