I’ve been fond of Canada since forever. I’ve been there six times- twice to Quebec, twice to Toronto, twice to Vancouver.
Most Americans don’t follow the news in Canada, but I do. I look at the headlines at both the Montreal Gazette, and the Toronto global mail every day, via Apple News+.
President Trump has been a wild lunatic on a number of international matters since he was sworn in this year, but Let’s focus on Canada here.
Trump has claimed that Canada has not properly secured its border with the US, allowing ( non Canadian ) illegals to sneak in to the US. He has also claimed that Canada is allowing fentanyl to be produced in Canada, and smuggled into the US over the northern border.
Both issues are fair to raise but Trump grossly exaggerates the extent of the problem as respects Canada.
Trump was about to impose a 25% tariff on most Canadian goods coming into the US, because Canada was supposedly doing nothing to stop the drugs and the illegals- but then, at the last minute he paused Tariff implementation, because PM Trudeau agreed to devote more security at their side of the border.
What Trump did not tell us That Trudeau had -already- reached The same deal with President Biden In December 2024. The screaming and roaring on the US side was about nothing.
Canada has been a good neighbor and ally of the US for as long as our two nations have been around. Trump has seriously harmed that relationship. Not only by his inept “ negotiating “, but by his disrespectful Comments about the Canadian nation, his comments about making Canada the 51st state, all The asinine comments that no real president would ever make.
It has long been the tradition that The anthems of both the USA and Canada are played before NHL hockey games involving teams from the two countries. Recently, we have seen Canadian fans boo the US anthem, and In return we have seen US fans in some cities booing the Canadian anthem.
I expect the trade and security issues between the nations to be resolved shortly. But damage has been done.
Americans will forget this affair shortly, Canadians won’t.
Je me souviens.
