Canada's new Trump-averse "Buy Canada" Mantra

"It's shocking that our view of the U.S. is now veering closer to how we feel about Russia, a country that is viewed very unfavourably." 

"In 25 years of polling I don't recall it ever being this low. And to see the United States viewed only a little more positive than say China, with whom we've had problems, shows how much damage has been done to a relationship with a country that has long seen us as its closest ally."

Jack Jedwab, president, Association for Canadian Studies, Montreal

A new poll by Leger suggests Canadians are divided on whether they see the U.S. as an an ally, a neutral country or an enemy. Photo by iStock

A historic 'realignment' regarding the countries that the Canadian population view as their main allies has become sharply evident in the very short reign to date of American President Donald J. Trump. Mr. Trump's hostility toward Canada has reshaped public opinion in Canada to a degree never before countenanced in reaction to his economic and sovereignty threats against Canada. Although he himself signed a trade agreement (Canada-Mexico-United States -- or CUSMA) he has now unilaterally negated it with his imposition of massive tariffs on goods imported into the United States from his North American neighbours.

 

With that imposition of tariffs, interrupting the flow of manufactured and raw materials in a continent-wide intertwined economy in production, has come a warning from the man himself that his more malign intention is to impact Canada's economy to an extent that his invitation for Canada to fold itself into the United States as its 51st state will find favour with a population he has beggared. His conceit of himself as a great 'negotiator' is to go for the jugular and he has done this with gusto, leaving former friends and allies dazed at the swiftness of their inter-relationship's demise.

 

Canadians now look to the European Union and United Kingdom as the countries most likely to remain their friends, allies and trading partners. The wreckage of the Canada-Mexico-U.S. free trade relationship will lead both Canada and Mexico to search out other countries with which business can be conducted on a trustworthy basis. There is now scant-to-none left with the United States whose moves can be characterized as dishonourable.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after signing an executive order in the White House, on February 10, 2025. Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Some two-thirds of Canadians feel that Mr. Trump's "expressed interest to make Canada the 51st American State" must be taken "very seriously", with a slim majority of respondents to the Leger poll commissioned by the Association for Canadian Studies going on to state that they are personally willing to defend Canada should the situation turn into a military threat of invasion. The historical view by Canadians of Americans has been one of deep friendship, trade and military alliance aside. That has now dwindled remarkably.

 

Positive opinions of various countries from June to the present day had been tracked by the survey, with the sole country's opinion on a steep downward trend in Canadian eyes being the United States. The current survey of 1,548 respondents indicates positive opinion of the United States remains most common among young respondents, 25 to 34, a 42 percent. Among an older demographic, 55 upward, it is 27 percent. Asked the same question relating to the American people, rather than their government, positive numbers leap, still reaching overall just 50 percent.

"While the 50 percent is low compared to past surveys, it still shows that a distinction is being made between our views of Americans and our view of their current government."

"Clearly for the time being, President Trump has soured our relationship."

Jack Jedwab 

Over the past year, all other countries' favourability rating remain stable, moving no more than two percentage points: Ukraine at 66 percent, Israel at 36 percent, China at 30 percent, Iran at 17 and Russia at 18. Young Canadians, 18 to 24 appear fairly negative about Israel, just 25 percent with a positive opinion in comparison to 46 percent of people over 65 years of age. Young people on the other hand, are relatively positive on China, at 38 percent, compared to just 28 percent older than 65.

 

Interestingly enough, the young in Canada appear quite a bit more interested on Iran and Russia in comparison with older people, at 30 percent of those age 18 to 24 holding positive opinions of both. Those over 65 are just 12 percent positive on Iran and nine percent on Russia. Men appear more positively disposed than women to the U.S., Israel and Russia. The split is 12 points for Israel with between 42 percent of men with a positive view as compared to 30 percent of women.

 

As for defending their country, fully 38 percent of those 18 to 34, would do so, in comparison to respondents older than 55 seeing 17 percent commitment. Two thirds of Canadians overall agree a travel boycott is an effective response, while among young people that falls to 56 percent. Among those older than 55, 78 percent agree on a travel boycott. "Buy Canada" has become a popular message. 

Graphic assembled by The Maple staff using photo of the American flag by Charles "Duck" Unitas via Unsplash and official presidential portraits via Wikiepdia.