The Enemy Next Door

Canada has been America’s neighbor, trading partner, and military ally for generations. So why the hostility now?

International border follows forest ridgeline between the USA and Canada

Why is Washington picking a fight with Canada? Before accepting the idea that our northern neighbor is ripping us off or threatening us, Americans should look at what Canada actually contributes to our economy, security, and daily lives.

As the son of a Newfoundland-born mother growing up in Central Maine, Canada was a very tangible part of my childhood, as it is for the millions of Americans who have familial, business, and social ties. Canada was not a faraway place but rather a neighbor with which we had more in common than with a resident of the US southwest. Indeed, when cable television finally reached Bangor, our new channel lineup included Canadian stations, which exposed us to ads for businesses in exotic locations like Halifax, Nova Scotia. At summer camp, we paddled canoes on the St John River (separating Maine and New Brunswick) and often slept on the Canadian side of the river without a moment’s thought that we had somehow crossed enemy lines.

Due to my familial ties, as well as my many interactions with Canadian officials while employed in both the public and private sectors, I have found President Trump’s characterization of Canada jarring. Canadian officials defend their national interests as robustly as any government representative, but they do so with characteristic “niceness.” As Trump further ratchets up the rhetoric – absurdly renaming one of the Great Lakes, among other things - I wondered about the cause for the latest expressions of anger and vitriol toward our northern neighbor.

The answer seems to be distraction. With the Iran war in a stalemate, gas prices higher than a year ago, inflation untamed, and with no apparent plan to address affordability, Trump again seeks to divert his followers’ attention by creating an enemy around which they can rally. Using the breakdown of trade negotiations as justification, Trump has again focused on Canada. Somewhat alarmingly, this attention is impacting public opinion. A recent Economist/YouGov poll revealed that 22% of Americans view Canada as unfriendly or as an enemy, a new high since 2016. Moreover, 38% of Republicans view Canada in this fashion, the highest level in a decade.

I wonder, though, how many of those who view Canada as unfriendly or as an enemy could explain how Canada has “ripped us off” or why the president’s response is warranted.

It is, of course, not just the president who has demonstrated little knowledge about Canada. Transportation Secretary Duffy recently claimed that Canada has no military, while Defense Secretary Hegseth belittled members of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets. I wonder if they or others who have a negative view of Canada know that Canadian soldiers fought alongside Americans on D-Day? Or that it was Canada that first advocated for NATO to invoke Article V after the 9/11 attacks? And speaking of 9/11, how many Trump supporters know about Canadians opening their homes to stranded passengers returning from overseas only to find U.S. airspace closed? (The musical “Come From Away” would be a true eye-opener.) Secretary Hegseth may also be surprised to discover that NORAD is the world’s only fully integrated binational military command.

But the U.S. – Canada relationship extends far beyond familial ties or shared combat operations (though there are many instances of both). Indeed, the most impactful aspect of our bilateral relationship for most Americans is trade. Canada is the #1 purchaser of U.S.-made products, and the U.S. is Canada’s #1 trading partner. So, despite claims to the contrary, we do indeed need access to Canada’s markets and to Canadian products. We manufacture together, and we export to the world. This is both the promise and the reality of 30+ years of North American integration.

Trade encompasses more than manufacturing, however. Residents of states along the U.S. – Canada borders rely on Canadian electricity to power their homes, especially in New York and New England, but even in California. We also import crude oil, petroleum, and natural gas. (Remember the Keystone pipeline?) Canada can also provide access to critical minerals, an extremely significant factor given potential Chinese interference with global supply.

Trade also includes the provision of service. For businesses in border states like Maine, the decrease in Canadian license plates visible in coastal towns and in Walmart parking lots is palpable and has a significant negative impact on Maine’s economy.

Those who view Canada as a free-loader or a weak country should take careful note of Canadians’ reaction to the attacks from the White House and the Trump Administration. While known for being “nice,” Canadians are not pushovers. In fact, Trump has probably done more to strengthen Canada’s national identity than any public figure in decades.

More importantly, however, those listening to Trump’s comments should ask themselves why the president is attacking one of our closest allies with which we share the world’s longest undefended border instead of addressing the challenges we face on a daily basis. They should ask themselves how raising prices on Canadian products helps improve affordability and how renaming lakes strengthens our national security.

Canada is not our enemy but merely another effort to distract from our president’s self-inflicted damage.

A former foreign service officer and civil servant in the International Trade Administration, Andrew I. Rudman is a senior associate in the Center for Strategic and International Studies Americas Program in Washington, D.C. He is also a member of The Steady State. He holds a BA from Colby College and an MA in Latin American Studies from Tulane University. He is a Bangor, Maine native.

Founded in 2016, The Steady State is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization of more than 400 former senior national security professionals. Our membership includes former officials from the CIA, FBI, Department of State, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security. Drawing on deep expertise across national security disciplines, including intelligence, diplomacy, military affairs, and law, we advocate for constitutional democracy, the rule of law, and the preservation of America’s national security institutions.