In January 2017, Donald Trump signed an government order that banned immigration to the US from seven Muslim-majority international locations. Amid the turmoil that ensued, Justin Trudeau posted a message to Twitter.
“To these fleeing persecution, terror & struggle, Canadians will welcome you, no matter your religion,” he wrote. “Range is our energy #WelcomeToCanada.”
Trudeau’s tweet was thought of comparatively provocative on the time. And later, when asylum seekers started arriving at Roxham Street in bigger numbers, the traditional knowledge grew to become that the prime minister’s message was a gaffe. He had both invited the inflow of individuals or the problem of coping with that wave of newcomers had proven his tweet to be simplistic virtue-signalling.
However haggling over the tactical worth of the message dangers lacking the essential precept that was being conveyed: Canada doesn’t discriminate in opposition to these trying to immigrate to this nation on the idea of faith.
The return of Donald Trump — and his jokes, if that is what they’re, concerning the 51st state — will doubtless present new alternatives for Canada to determine how a lot and the way loudly it needs to distinguish itself from its neighbour. Within the course of, may Trump additionally find yourself recharging Canadian patriotism or nationalism?
Trudeau was predictably requested about Trump’s 51st state feedback throughout his two latest interviews with American media retailers. Unsurprisingly, Trudeau deemed the thought a non-starter.
WATCH | Trudeau speaks on CNN about 51st state feedback:
Trudeau tells Individuals Trump’s 51st state is ‘not going to happen’
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed again in opposition to president-elect Donald Trump’s threats in a CNN interview, saying if he does usher in tariffs, Canada could be pressured to retaliate. Opposition chief Pierre Poilievre referred to as on the federal government to be extra forceful with the U.S.
“Canadians are extremely pleased with being Canadian,” he instructed CNN. “One of many methods we outline ourselves most simply is, ‘nicely, we’re not American.’ There’s such a depth of satisfaction that that is not likely a difficulty.”
It could arguably be an issue if not being American was the whole foundation for Canada’s self picture. Nevertheless it’s not a horrible place to begin — and has been, to some extent or one other, for so long as Canada has existed. And it may be significantly helpful now.
The large variations between Canada and the U.S.
As a lot as Canadians would possibly perceive that they reside in a definite and sovereign nation, it is price highlighting a few of the variations.
Contemplate, as an example, Canadians’ views of the latest U.S. presidential election. Help for Trump in Canada has elevated during the last 4 years, however Environics discovered final fall that 60 per cent of Canadians nonetheless supported Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, in comparison with 21 per cent for Trump. (If Canada was a state it might be the most secure Democratic state by a large margin, surpassing Vermont, which Harris received by 32 factors.)
Two years in the past, Environics additionally requested Canadians and Individuals about a lot of social and political questions to check responses. These surveys discovered some notable variations.
Seventy-seven per cent of Canadians strongly or considerably agreed the federal government ought to act to scale back the earnings disparity between the wealthy and poor, in comparison with 58 per cent of Individuals. Eighty-two per cent of Canadians strongly or considerably agreed that each woman who needs an abortion ought to be capable to have one, in comparison with 62 per cent of Individuals. Sixty-one per cent of Canadians agreed it must be unlawful for civilians to personal handguns — simply 29 per cent of Individuals agreed.
WATCH | How ought to Canada reply to Trump’s threats?: 
At Difficulty | Canada’s response to Trump’s threats
At Difficulty this week: The prime minister goes on American TV to push again on Donald Trump’s intensifying threats in opposition to Canada. Liberals jockey to take Justin Trudeau’s spot as chief. And rising considerations about international election interference.
No matter Trump’s fondness for annexation memes, a vanishingly small variety of Canadians are eager about becoming a member of the US. In 2022, Environics discovered that 83 per cent of Canadians strongly disagreed with the thought and one other seven per cent considerably disagreed. A brand new ballot from the Angus Reid Institute, carried out earlier this month, equally discovered that simply 10 per cent of Canadians supported the thought.
That is maybe unsurprising when you take into account a few of Environics’s different findings. Eighty-three per cent of Canadians had a beneficial opinion of the US in 1983, however that had fallen to 47 per cent by 2024. And as Andrew Parkin of Environics wrote this week, when Canadians have been requested in 2021 to check the 2 international locations, massive majorities of Canadians thought their nation did higher when it got here to well being care, high quality of life, schooling, social safety, authorities, particular person rights and each racial and gender equality. (The U.S. received when it got here to productiveness and expertise.)
Such findings may be contrasted with latest worries that Canadians are feeling much less satisfaction in their very own nation.
Does Canadian patriotism want a lift?
Blame for that decline is usually positioned on Justin Trudeau — the idea being that the prime minister has spent an excessive amount of time dwelling on Canada’s faults and never sufficient effort towards enthusing about Canada’s successes.
However that narrative is difficult by a few of the accessible knowledge. In response to Environics, probably the most important drop in satisfaction has occurred amongst Conservative voters, whereas the extent of satisfaction amongst Liberal voters has been constant. Parkin has additionally instructed the decline is said to pessimism about Canada’s financial scenario.
Regardless, possibly Canadian patriotism may nonetheless use a shot within the arm — and possibly that explains the constructive response on-line to Jean Chrétien’s latest pep speak within the pages of the Globe and Mail.
“To Donald Trump, from one outdated man to a different: Give your head a shake!” he wrote. “What may make you suppose that Canadians would ever surrender the very best nation on this planet — and make no mistake, that’s what we’re — to hitch the US?”
Within the house of 1,100 phrases, he used 5 exclamation factors.
WATCH | A more in-depth take a look at Trump’s commerce deficit feedback: 
Is Trump proper concerning the U.S. ‘subsidizing’ Canada? | About That
Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed the US is ‘subsidizing’ Canada ‘to the tune of $100B.’ The place does that quantity come from? And is Canada actually getting a free trip from the U.S.? Andrew Chang dives into the maths, the cash and the politics of the Canada-U.S. commerce relationship to uncover how a lot — if any — of what Trump says is definitely true.
Pictures gathered from Reuters, Getty Pictures, and The Canadian Press.
On the event of his 91st birthday, Chrétien was a paean to the nation he led for a decade — highlighting lots of the issues that Canadians imagine their nation does higher than the US. However he additionally referred to as on at this time’s leaders to construct a fair stronger and extra resilient nation within the face of threats from the south.
Trudeau’s closing remarks on the finish of Wednesday’s first ministers’ assembly appeared to choose up on Chrétien’s vibe.
“Canada is a welcoming, inclusive, progressive and impressive place. It’s dwelling to bountiful assets, breathtaking magnificence and a proud individuals who have come from each nook of the globe to forge a nation with a novel identification price embracing and celebrating,” he stated. “And price preventing for.”
The return of worrying about American affect?
The truth of a Trumpian America may, as Chrétien suggests, drive Canadian leaders to interrupt down interprovincial commerce obstacles, broaden east-west electrical energy ties and reinforce the Canadian army’s presence within the Arctic. And it might be motivation to strengthen the establishments and values that set Canada aside from its neighbour — together with Canada’s parliamentary democracy.
May it additionally lead Canadians to fret extra — or relatively, once more — about American financial or cultural affect?
In an essay within the New York Occasions in 1974 — entitled “Canada needs out (of the US)” — Robert Fulford defined to Individuals that “resistance to American domination, and assertion of a Canadian identification,” had “change into essential components within the lifetime of Canada.” These emotions or worries have arguably dissipated during the last 30 years — Environics has discovered that assist for the North American Free Commerce Settlement has really elevated over time.
However may Trump revive that spirit? Maybe Ontario Premier Doug Ford exhibiting as much as Wednesday’s first ministers’ assembly in a “Canada just isn’t on the market” hat is an indication of issues to return.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford arrives for a primary ministers’ assembly in Ottawa on Wednesday, Jan.15, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Nationalism is a fraught philosophy. It could possibly curdle into isolationism, jingoism and exclusion. In Canada’s case, aspiring to be merely higher or extra righteous than the US may additionally breed complacency.
In Canada Alone, revealed in 2023, Kim Nossal, the international coverage scholar at Queen’s College, speculated that Canada may have to fret a couple of additional improve within the cross-border motion of Trumpism’s concepts. In response to occasions in the US, Nossal added, Canada may additionally see an increase in anti-Americanism, which may additional complicate relations between the 2 international locations.
But when American democracy continues down a darkish path, not being American may be greater than an argument in opposition to annexation. In that case, as Rob Goodman, an creator and professor of politics and public administration at Toronto Metropolitan College, has written, “Canadian distinctiveness” may be not a “self-importance object,” however an “important safeguard of Canadian democracy.”
