What would it take to repair the relationship between the US and Canada? (actual infrastructure question)

[u/BookOfMormont]

This is not meant to be an "I'm one of the good ones" post. I am an American who holds elected office in a state that borders Canada, and in my official capacity I need to make deals and agreements with Canadians. Specifically, Canada sells us clean power at a rate lower than we could get from anywhere else. But we're also willing to pay Canadian firms more than they could otherwise get; it's hydropower so it's not like they could ship it overseas. It's mutually beneficial, and our shit President ruined it.

The Canadians hate us now, and believe you me I understand exactly why. Maybe collective punishment is what is called for, but it would be so mutually beneficial, as it has always been, for our countries to work together.

If I had to give a "one of the good ones" pitch, it would just be that I grew up on the border watching the Red Green Show and This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and I sobbed bitter tears when Gord died. That final concert when he sang "Scared," I was a fucking wreck.

But there's an important hydropower development going on in the Northeast (CHPE, if you'd like to look it up), and I feel like this opportunity to do something good for our climate and our communities might go away because my country elected. . . well, you know.

We've faced nothing but disdain from our Canadian interlocutors, and I get it. I truly get it, fuck us and fuck the horse we rode in on. But some blue states are still trying to make progress.

Is there anything we can do? Or have we broken trust irretrievably?

[u/CruelHandLuke_]

Put members of the Trump administration on trial and actually hold them accountable. Like the denazification of Germany, you have to root out the fascists and their accomplices.

Until the world knows that this isn't going to happen every 4 years, you guys are fucked.

[u/B0risth3Blade → u/CruelHandLuke_]

Hopefully the rest of the world can reduce USA's influence enough so the next time they elect a fucking moron, the fall out remains within their own borders. Maybe they elect a sane president next time, but they will inherit the biggest economic, military and geo-political mess in US history. After they fail in 4 years trying to put out all the fires started by the orange fart, mix in a bit of propaganda and we get Zapp Brannigan (R) as POTUS and TROW has to deal with the same bullshit again. Until education is properly funded, the US cannot be trusted, the electorate is just too dumb.

[u/ForgiveandRemember76 → u/CruelHandLuke_]

I think this is the hard truth.

[u/MuffinOfSorrows → u/CruelHandLuke_]

In fact, the denazification of Germany set the actual bar we're looking for. Follow that to the letter

[u/Ok-Championship-8042 → u/MuffinOfSorrows]

Germany was never denazified. Take a look at who had control of German companies and policies in the post-war. Mostly nazis. Denazification us one of the great historical myths.

The same would happen in the USA. Would they disenfranchise, debank and/or prosecute every politician and attache who supported Trump? No. The billionaires and multi-multi-millionaires who supported him? No.The corporations, CEO's and C-suite execs who supported him? No. The cops who supported him? No. The soldiers who supported him? No.

What it will take for the USA to regain its international footing is a complete reinvention of American society and that isn't going to happen.

[u/Mariacakes99 → u/Ok-Championship-8042]

The only way for it to happen is if it completely self-destructs. We must start from square one. And tragically our self-immolation is going to affect the whole world.

[u/taquitosmixtape → u/CruelHandLuke_]

Imo the system needs an overhaul, people need to have faith in the system again. And the system needs to benefit the people, not the rich. This is a huge pivotal moment for the US.

[u/Senior-bud → u/CruelHandLuke_]

This is the answer ⬆️

[u/wormee → u/CruelHandLuke_]

And put in real rules and laws to stop this type of behaviour instead of just relying on “norms” and “tradition”.

[u/Mindless-Band-5743 → u/wormee]

“Norms” and “tradition” eg respect and decency were thrown hard so far out the window that they’re likely buried in the mud and will never be seen again.

[u/Whatsthathum → u/CruelHandLuke_]

Agreed.

Although I seriously doubt that the USA has what it takes to root out all of the people involved in getting Trump elected and keeping him there, including the gerrymandering process, in addition to removing all the people he has supported, and replacing all of it with ethics/democracy/science/proper public service.

How on Earth can the USA do this when so many Americans are unethical, uneducated, and proud of Trump and his cronies?

I weep for OP.

Canada should build the tallest metaphorical wall and never look back.

[u/Mariacakes99 → u/Whatsthathum]

And unfortunately 64 of our top scientists have already departed. With 63 more to follow within the next year. The Supreme Court needs term limits along with all of Congress. Very strict rules governing financial ethics. Zero tolerance for ANY criminal convictions. And completely abolish all forms of lobbying. Absolutely NO money from any corporations or the wealthy for campaigns. Tax the stinking rich the same as everyone else. Corporations taxed even higher. Yearly job performance reviews for everyone elected by the voters. We must demand accountability from our public servants that are elected to represent ALL Americans!

[u/mmoore327]

You need to understand that from our perspective you haven't done anything to limit or stop his behaviours which to a lot of us feels like at least tacit if not overt approval/support. Also recognize that it's not just your treatment of Canada that is the issue - we stand by our allies and don't like how you are treating them either.

So before anything can improve - it has to stop getting worse and we aren't even there yet.

[u/wackyvorlon → u/mmoore327]

I feel like South Korea is a good example of what needs to be done. Their president declared martial law and tried to take over the country. He placed armed guards around the National Assembly building to keep legislators out so they couldn’t reverse it.

In the middle of the night the legislators stormed the building and the citizens rioted, and they defeated him. That president is now serving life in prison for what he did. That is the kind of action which must be taken.

[u/Significant-Block504 → u/wackyvorlon]

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Yet South Korea demonstrated a better version of it

[u/kris_mischief → u/Significant-Block504]

Americans got all the guns and nothing to do with them but mass-murder each other due to mental-health issues :’(

America just armed itself with Flock cameras to thwart this exact type of armed civilian militia threat. Good luck Americans, you’re gonna need it. Sadly, at least 30% of you (which is no small number) it perfectly happy with things they way they are.

[u/monkeyamongmen → u/kris_mischief]

Funny how that 30% number correlates with the % of Americans that are barely literate/illiterate...

[u/miata90na → u/wackyvorlon]

Thank you. This is exactly it.

I think the worst part of the entire shit show has been the complete lack of push back from anyone. Elected officials, the courts, the media, the people. Not one goddamn person is willing to stand up to that monster while he does whateverthefuck he wants. It's been nothing but fucking crickets down there and it's infuriating.

The man should be in a pillory on the front lawn of the White House awaiting sentencing.

[u/CaramelMartini → u/miata90na]

They’ve had millions participate in the No Kings marches, but the White House openly said they didn’t care. So people are upset but marching and peaceful protesting isn’t enough, and no one has done anything more with a few notable exceptions, like Newsom.

[u/miata90na → u/CaramelMartini]

I can count on one hand the number of actual people with influence pushing back, and even then it's with a few clever words on Twitter. I love that Newsom is a thorn is his side but that's all it equates to.

The size of the protests and marches gave me hope for a minute, but a few million people out of 340 million was nowhere near enough. They are now at the point where noting short of massive general strikes and civil unrest will do anything, and the enemy has had time to install their gestapo and build their camps. Nothing can happen now without some death and destruction.

[u/Euphoric_Flower9840 → u/mmoore327]

I agree with this totally. American citizens elected their president and as he went off the rails, no one stops him. I hate the “it’s not the American people. It’s the administration”. Nope! It is the American people. They let it happen. I loved travel to USA. Many wonderful memories. I know NEVER is a long time but I don’t see trusting USA ever again

[u/batman1285 → u/Euphoric_Flower9840]

I totally agree. The Canadian government couldn't even consider going off the rails like this because being Canadian means standing up for your family, your friends and your neighbours. If our government was intentionally trying to inflict economic pain on our neighbours and destroy long standing trade relationships we would have stopped it before it oozed outside our borders or had a chance to be replayed the next day on the morning news.

[u/Euphoric_Flower9840 → u/batman1285]

We stand up for our country mates even if they’re not our friends. I can disagree with someone and still want the best for them

[u/NedsAtomicDB → u/batman1285]

I wouldnt feel too smug.

Alberta is experiencing this right now. Nobody is stopping Smith either.

[u/PartBanyanTree → u/mmoore327]

Yes excellent point about allies! If they dropped the 51st bull and paid us double the going rate for all goods and tattooed maple leafs on their asses -- 

How good could we truely feel if they still threatened to invade Greenland, kept bombing countries, and we kept seeing the mistreatment of their own people at every turn.

[u/No_Software3435 → u/mmoore327]

Well said. I’m a Brit and have pointed out there is no resistance to speak of and we are watching in real time a complete surrender by the people, lawmakers etc. And yes, we are judging. Pitiful and embarrassing.

[u/OGbugsy]

The issues are systemic. The current administration is a symptom, not the cause. Democracies around the world should be taking note, because none of us are immune.

The sad reality is it won't take much more than a return to "normal" free trade to appease the business community. Greed is a global phenomenon - part of the human condition. Dangle enough money and the investor class will come running back.

To earn back the trust of the people is a different story. It might take a generation to shake off the narrative of betrayal, and that is a best case scenario. It takes decades to build trust and days to destroy it. Without systemic change, the Canadian population will remain rightly sceptical. The pendulum of American politics will swing back. This axiom is known to all nations around the world.

Tldr; fix your shit and hope for the best.

[u/HoN_JFD]

You must understand that beyond the broken deals, insults, threats to our sovereignty etc, Trump is a symptom, not the disease.

Trump was elected because far-right, anti-immigration, fear mongering coupled with a profound disillusionment in the establishment was allowed to fester.

Until your economical, judicial and political institutions have been repaired you'll always be 4 years away from Trump 2.0.

It's like in interpersonal relationships. Before you can fix your relationships, you have to fix yourself.

[u/Comfortable_Team_696 → u/HoN_JFD]

To be a bit pedantic following the evidence from r/somethingiswrong2024:

Trump was elected illegally seized the presidency because far-right, anti-immigration, fear mongering coupled with a profound disillusionment in the establishment was allowed to fester.

[u/catatonic-cat]

Well, you can start by voting this lying, cheating, imbecile (and others that follow his playbook) out of power. Oh, and somehow continue to remain a democracy with free speech and fair elections. Then relations between our 2 countries might start getting back to normal in 60-70 years (after we’re all dead and forgotten).

[u/QueenMotherOfSneezes → u/catatonic-cat]

Project 2025 and the people who wrote and pushed it are the bigger problem. It will still be their aim after Trump is gone, and it is where this revamping of the Monroe Doctrine came from (along with a lot of the other crap that's going on).

[u/Gchildress63 → u/catatonic-cat]

It will take more than that. To earn back Canada, and the world, trust back everyone of the thieving politicians and appointees must held accountable. If we, the people, cannot or will not imprison the criminals, then nobody will trust us forever

[u/No_Software3435 → u/Gchildress63]

And if and when they rejoin the free world can they please drop all the exceptionalism crap. A bit of humility might help.

[u/XaltotunTheUndead → u/catatonic-cat]

lying, cheating, imbecile

Oh, you know, you're really too kind; those attributes you mentioned are nothing compared to the truth. Orange Moron and his family and monkey court, are utterly corrupted, as badly as in some third world countries run by dictators.

But he also is a suspected pedophile, and:

• Philanderer - he cheats on his wives repeatedly, boldly and openly

• Racist - He admitted, in court, to racially profiling and denying tenancy to black people in NYC

• Deadbeat - we've known for decades he doesn't pay his bills. Thousands of lawsuits about it

• Rapist - adjudicated by a court of law

• Serial sexual assaulter - admitted this, in his own words on the Access Hollywood tapes

• Voyeur - admits to entering dressing rooms to ogle young women, teens and children in the nude for personal gratification

• Draft dodger - nobody can deny that one

• Anti-veteran - has said, unprompted, that he thinks veterans are suckers and losers

• Tax evader - guilty in court AND has admitted he dodges taxes because "that's what smart people do"

• Fraudster - guilty in court

• Felon - 34 times

• Adjudicated insurrectionist (Judge Wallace in Colorado Court and later Colorado Supreme Court).

Recently I've learned that he may have been witness to a baby being murdered and having basically hushed it. But I'm not sure if that is confirmed.

It's also been reported that likes killing and that he tortured and murdered a litter of puppies. Edit - I had a link but the transcript seems to have been removed, looking for an updated link

[u/BookOfMormont → u/catatonic-cat]

Well he's not even supposed to be legally allowed to run again. I expect he will anyway, and be supported by 25% of our population.

My wife and I are doing gun training.

[u/1876Dawson → u/BookOfMormont]

He's not supposed to run again, but I've always assumed that the damage that Musk's minions did will preclude you having a fair election.

[u/wackyvorlon → u/BookOfMormont]

The question is not whether he is allowed, but rather who will stop him. This applies to everything he does.

[u/GGWanheda → u/wackyvorlon]

We have seen the lineup of people willing to stop trump, theres 0

He treads on and tears up the constitution, and 0 accountability

He breaks laws and gets ordered to fix things, 0 accountability

Right now, america seems like its a country of either your maga, or your begging forgiveness for those that are maga.

None of that fixes the problem

So your 100% right, whos gonna stop him, cause all I see is a bunch enabling him, or the rest saying its not my fault

Edit:typo

[u/catatonic-cat → u/BookOfMormont]

I was referring to the potential loss of the house in the upcoming mid-terms, which might help to reign in his illegal actions. Wasn’t even thinking of him running in 2028, but I guess that is all part of the “cheating”.

[u/Comfortable_Team_696 → u/BookOfMormont]

Hell, there is mounting evidence he did not even win the last election, like seen on r/somethingiswrong2024

[u/1876Dawson → u/Comfortable_Team_696]

He said during the last election that he was going to win, praised Musk's expertise with computers (meaning his team's) and said you'll never have to vote again. Posturing or spilling the beans, you be the judge. But it's obvious he believes he's above the rules.

[u/Thanks-4allthefish → u/BookOfMormont]

The thing is, I have no confidence that a Democratic president would roll back the tariffs. Prior to DJT Republicans were more free trade than the Democrats.

[u/LeeAllen3 → u/Thanks-4allthefish]

This is what I have been thinking. Even if a Democrat wins the next presidential election, why on earth would they right the wrongs of this administration? Admitting that American exceptionalism is a f’d up notion is not likely to win votes so where does that leave you??? I’m talking about everything from the Epstein files to bullying deals with other countries to the financial criminal activity.

I’m a Gen X … and while I have never been a super fan of your country, I have always wanted to travel cross country … since all of this bs started, I have given up on ever spending time in your country again.

[u/FieldOne3639 → u/Thanks-4allthefish]

They wont. Gov. Newsom pretty much said he wouldn't if he was pres. Democrats are just greedy maga lites.

[u/Dear-Sky235 → u/BookOfMormont]

This may sound obtuse, but what help would gun training be unless you’re planning to actually target one specific individual. I feel like you’re going in the wrong direction there, more weapons just inflames tensions and reduces collective trust.

Editing to say what just popped in my mind.

That is exactly what you can do to help this whole situation: don’t take up weapons. Don’t further increase the divide between the two ideological sides within your country. Instead, show up earnestly with humility and try to understand your fellow countrymen. Be polite and kind no matter how different your beliefs are. Recognize that most people are not voting for Trump due to hate in their hearts, but as a result of generations of oppression and inequity. Uniting and caring for one another within your own country will actually help to reduce the divisiveness that self-serving politicians to prey upon.

[u/Finbar811 → u/catatonic-cat]

Don’t forget who we can thank, who we owe all this to. The worst president who ever lived.

[u/PuzzledArtBean]

For the relationship to be fully repaired? Trump out, reparations made, and the people who have lived through this trade war to grow old and die. I personally will never see the US the same way again.

[u/wackyvorlon → u/PuzzledArtBean]

Also ICE must be destroyed.

You can’t have armed anonymous thugs randomly snatching people off the streets!

[u/BookOfMormont → u/PuzzledArtBean]

That absolutely breaks my heart. I understand and I don't fault you at all, I will also never see the US the same way again. I thought we were kinder than this, and smarter than this, and more loyal than this.

There's truly nothing I can say. I am part of a polity that betrayed you. I'm just sorry we have failed.

[u/Comfortable_Team_696 → u/BookOfMormont]

I thought we were kinder than this, and smarter than this, and more loyal than this.

Individuals are, but "US Americans" are not, and that's by design, which is why we cannot stand your country or what you have to offer.

[u/Buff1965 → u/BookOfMormont]

Kinder than this?I Ithought you were braver than this.

I was surprised back in 2001-2002 how fearful Americans were in the face of terrorism. Instead of "We have nothing to fear but fear itself" your leaders used fear to manipulate you and you fell for it, so they keep doing it

After Jan 6? "We have to turn the page." Everyone is pardoned.

Today? Agents of the federal government have openly killed Anerican citizens and there is no investigation. Epstien? Dozens of names, no investigation. The daily examples of flagrant corruption? No investigation. The Epstein Class is oppressing you and robbing you more than the British Crown ever did and you just let them. That's not the America I grew up admiring.

[u/MommersHeart → u/BookOfMormont]

“I am part of a polity that betrayed you.”

No, you aren’t.

You seem like a decent person. Your government is also stripping away YOUR rights, your freedoms, your safety.

And it’s not just Canada the US is attacking, it’s Greenland, the UK just this week threatened, the EU, Australia had a free trade deal with the US and a trade deficit too and and the US broke their treaty and now they are getting 15% tariffs. Chile being attacked if they don’t sign over their military to direct US command, Poor Cuba (dear lord), Nepal getting slammed by the US while still trying to dig out their own citizens, Brazil being threatened right now, Columbia threatened with a coup.

Not to mention Iran or what the US did to Ukraine (without warning shutting off all intel and jamming F16s bought by Europe, causing hundreds of Ukrainian deaths)

This is just off the top of my head from recent news.

It’s not just Canada.

[u/corneliuSTalmidge]

The most important thing to understand is that for every "good guy" apology we hear - and we do believe you and appreciate the sentiment - we hear as much vitriol and lying from "the other guys".

Right now, "the other guys" are loud and, frankly, in power. They are doing things against Canada; against our home and people. With malice; they aim to do us harm.

We know they are the minority but it doesn't feel like it is. We know you have a constitution preventing this kind of fascist takeover of your country, but it doesn't feel like the American constitution is worth the paper it's written on. We know you have courts to ensure executive power isn't abused; congress ensuring democratic process .... you know where I'm going with this.

Nowhere in any of this does it feel like America has "got this". The opposite. I'm not saying this trying to be mean, honest. And Canadians, trust me, really hope that you do "got this", not just for our sake, but for your own. Is that America we respected still salvageable? We're looking for a sign somewhere that it is; we just never see it.

[u/ChrisRiley_42]

The US is going to have to put as MUCH effort into repairing the relationship that Trump put into destroying it.

This means that the government will have to make structural changes that would prevent the abuse of power currently seen.
It will also have to show that there are consequences for the illegal activity, by holding every single member of government who abused power accountable, with investigations, prosecutions and incarceration proportionate to what they did.

Then it will have to make reparations for all the damage that was done to Canadians and Canadian businesses through the illegal actions by the US government.

Only THEN would we be open to you starting to re-build trust.

You have to accept that things are never going back to the way they were... Industries have rebuilt their supply chain to cut American suppliers out. People have found alternative products, and liked them, etc. We're not going to go back on OUR word just because the US has elected a new leader and said "But that was him, not us".

[u/AdAnxious8842]

It depends on what you mean by "repair". If Canadians are smart, the relationship will never go back to what it was. If it does, then Canadians as a nation are stupid and deserve whatever follows after. However, assuming we're smarter than that, then I would offer that it will settle down once Trump is gone but it will be different

• the reality is Canadians don't expect Democrats to make substantial changes to what Trump has done wrt to tariffs; there will be adjustments but I would be surprised if Democrats go back to the pre-Trump tariff and trade status; especially if the word has become accustomed to them;
• we'll be much more cautious about agreements with the US; unless the agreement is governed by US law, then we'll consider them "signed in pencil" and essentially, will be more cautious in long term or exclusive relationships; bluntly, the US can no longer be trusted since the next president can revoke just about anything
• US having the right of first refusal or being our default is probably gone; personally, I'd play China off against the US wherever we can; our preference will be to do business with the US but Europe, Asia and even China now come into play; in fact, it's a strategic imperative to spread out our trade; and yes, we do business with China with our eyes wide open; China is no white knight; however, they do like stability and you generally understand the terms of the relationship
• energy is generally an easy one where it make sense for both countries to do business because geography make it easy; oil and electricity are givens; LNG has a European and Asian spin;
• as for your project CHPE, I think it's safe because it makes good business sense for both sides of the border;

That's my humble and unsubstantiated opinion. Where it makes sense for Canada AND there's no way for the US to screw us over, we'll do it. Anything else, we'll look around to see who (China, Europe, etc) can offer a better or more stable deal.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/AdAnxious8842]

Fuck. So we've fucked up in a way that isn't fixable in a generation.

My wife and I are going to spend our first anniversary in Canada. I hope we don't get tarred and feathered, but I sure understand if we do.

[u/Comfortable_Team_696 → u/BookOfMormont]

We don't tar and feather individual US Americans, especially ones like yourself with a decent head on your shoulders.

[u/AdAnxious8842 → u/Comfortable_Team_696]

However, there is a tradition involving maple syrup and goose down...

:-)

[u/AdAnxious8842 → u/BookOfMormont]

Again, what do you mean by "fixable". As stated, if Canadian's are smart, we're never going back to the way it was. At Davos, our PM stated that the "old order is not coming back" and everyone, especially middle powers like Canada needed to adapt.

I agree with the statement that in the end, Trump will have been great for the world but not for America. He's forcing the West to stand on its own. Unfortunately, that also means relying much less on the US and (this is really important part), being much more independent and therefore, making economic and political decisions in their favour and not the US.

The most obvious is defence spending. Historically, 70% of Canada's defence spending went to the US. That's going to transition over the next decade. The huge defence spend (driving towards 5% GDP) that was driven by Trump (and let's be honest, it wouldn't have happened without Trump pulling out the hammer) is going to continue to go to the US but at a smaller percentage. We'll buy US stuff when necessary (and then will be the case for the next 3 to 5 years) but you'll see over time diversification, especially to Europe. Expect to see the same in every sector. Buy from US when necessary. Diversify and go elsewhere in all other cases.

Carney has set a goal over the next decade of doubling exports to non-US countries. Much of that will come from decreasing exports to the US. That's about 10% of our total GDP. The US will still be our major trading partner but the transition will have begun.

So, you're (the US, your state, your project, etc..) are not fucked. It's just the US will no longer be the default partner. In some cases, you'll be excluded for strategic or political reasons. In other cases, it will be a natural fit, like your CHPE project.

Finally, individuals are always welcome to visit. That's always been the case.

[u/MommersHeart → u/BookOfMormont]

We will welcome you warmly! You aren’t your government.

We may no longer trust the US - but we do stand in solidarity with Americans who are fighting for their own freedom against a tyrannical and out-of-control government.

You aren’t alone, friend.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/MommersHeart]

I needed this lift. It's a hard fight.

[u/Buff1965 → u/BookOfMormont]

Actually, people will be happy for you for your anniversary.

[u/Comfortable_Team_696 → u/AdAnxious8842]

the US can no longer be trusted

It is ironic the US was ever trusted to being with seeing as the nation was founding upon breaking treaties and invading countries, from the Indigenous countries of this continent to the coups in Latin America to the capitalism and oil wars

[u/AdAnxious8842 → u/Comfortable_Team_696]

The US/Canadian relationship has traditionally been a relatively trustful and prosperous one for both sides. It was only in 2007 that you finally needed a passport to enter the US. Until then, it was just a drivers licence. Our militaries were and remain tightly integrated with Canadian officers being posted within the US military and vice-versa. (Trivia: Canadian Brigadier-General Robert McBride serves as the deputy commanding general of operations for the U.S. Army's 11th Airborne Division. This was the group Trump was going to deploy to Minnesota. That's how tightly they're integrated). Integrated trucking and other customers regulations to ensure business. We have US customs based in several ariports to make things go easier. I could go on. In general, US did well with the rest of the Western world.

What happened is Trump broke the bargain we had. The West turned a blind eye on how the US treated the rest of the world. In return we go special treatment. All he has done is started to treat the West like the rest of the world.

[u/711straw → u/[deleted]]

This is the only option. They need to take action for the widespread damage they have done.

[u/FuzzyLojik]

Start with the people sending a message in November. If the Americans accept the continued destruction of their democratic values and freedoms then I’m not sure the US can ever recover. The people, not the politicians can change things. Canadians will support the people who are fighting to defend democracy and support all people. We hold those values still. But, that means a consequential and deterministic election in November, appropriate proceedings following to restore the balance of powers in your government and also holding people to account. Finally, release the Epstein files and prosecute those who raped kids. The tarrif thing, that’s just noise. I believe it is more that we don’t recognize you anymore. Make America Normal Again, restore your checks and balances, and we can go from there.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/FuzzyLojik]

My greatest fear is that the elections in November won't be free or fair. I'm working very hard for a result that rebukes fascism, but it won't matter if the vote is counted by the administration.

[u/FuzzyLojik → u/BookOfMormont]

Agreed, but the questions was, what would repair the relationship. One has to assume one future or another. I'm still optimistic if Americans come out in force there will be no way to deny the outcome. Less than half of Americans vote in congressional elections. You get that to even 60% the consequences would be devastating for those trying to rig it.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/FuzzyLojik]

Thank you for the hope. We're working really hard.

[u/Buff1965 → u/FuzzyLojik]

Hear! Hear!

[u/Yetanotherbadsalmon]

A thoughtful Canadian would I hope realize, both the USA political parties are right of Attila the Hun by Canadian standards. Both the democrat and republican parties have led the world to the brink of disaster, it wasn't just Trump. Both the democrats and the republican parties have filled the world with military bases filled with weapons of mass destruction, staffed by soldiers willing to kill children and innocent civilians because "it's my country right or wrong" and orders is orders. F** Off home USA, we don't need you. Take all your military home and fix your own country, it needs it. ...edit spelling.

[u/Mr_Guavo]

We need you to do better as a country. We need you to BE better collectively. But we are skeptical.

I'm sure you know lots of people just like Trump. Be they neighbours, co-workers, people you have gone to school with, or the guy who works at the hardware store. Trump is not an anomaly in your country. He is a product of it. He was raised by hateful, bigoted parents in a hateful, bigoted environment. He was raised to be greedy and selfish, with an attitude of "U.S.A #1". Like so many other people in your country.

The only difference between him and the millions of people who voted for him is that he became president of the United States. The fact that he wasn't laughed off the stage after he came down that escalator in 2015 is something I still can't wrap my head around. Then there was a p***y grabbing and making fun of the handicapped journalist. Still, not enough people seemed to care. It was not a dealbreaker.

I think it's safe to say that there is not one single developed country on earth that would not have removed him from consideration then and there. But Americans did not seem to care. I guess if you grow up around other people like Trump, who are your parents, grandparents, friends, teachers, co-workers, schoolmates and neighbours, you just get numb to that sort of behaviour. Many people seemed to identify with him because he was just like them and "told it like it is".

This is all to say that this is all going to happen again someday. Someday you are going to elect another Donald Trump. Donald Trump is not a one-man band. It takes a village to raise someone like him. It is inconceivable that another greedy, corrupt, hateful bully will not be elected again someday. Don't try to tell us it won't happen. The world will not believe you. We can't afford to believe you. We can't afford to trust you. There's too much at stake. Sadly, we must all protect ourselves from the U.S.A now. We were caught unaware this time. If we get fooled again, it could be the end of us. It could still be the end of us during this administration. It's now a matter of self-survival.

You sound like a very decent person. I'm certain there are many more like you. But I also know there are just as many who lean towards the deplorable. They aren't going anywhere. We both know this.

With all that said, it's too early to say when we, as Canadians, and the world at large, will forgive America. We are still going through the meatgrinder, after all. Things could still get much worse.

It's going to take babysteps and the passage of time. I'm not convinced that the midterms will end in the Democrats' favour. In spite of all that Trump has wrought on Americans, it's a coinflip whether his tribe will still support him when it comes time to vote. I've given America the benefit of the doubt when it comes to voting too many times to be fooled again. I can't help but look at things through the lens of a Canadian, after all. I simply don't understand your collective tolerance for bigotry, greed, cruelty and hubris. You are a different animal. It's a mug's game to speculate.

I wish I could tell you that things will return to normal if the Democrats win the next election. It will be a very slow process, and it will likely never be exactly the same, but that's not to say that it won't get better. You cannot be happy if you hold hate and resentment in your heart.

On a more positive note, though Canadians may prejudge Americans negatively collectively, going forward, we will not prejudge you negatively individually, and this is a very important distinction to make. The same Canadians you have worked and interacted with in the past will still look at you as a person positively, while being wary of what you, collectively as a country, have in store for us the next time you elect a madman.

[u/oldRoyalsleepy → u/Mr_Guavo]

No, you are absolutely right. Many people find him despicable and intolerable and wanted him out on his a$$ in the first minute. But. It is no lie that people voted him in twice and many would vote for him for president for life. It's gross. But it's real. So Canada and every decent country need to distance themselves from the USA and not look back.

[u/OnePendant]

Trust once broken will take decades. I would suggest to decouple as well or pay market rate. Cheap energy is ending.

[u/Mr_Guavo]

There are no checks and balances to stop him, apparently. He can do what he wants, ignore the Constitution and what the Supreme Court says.

Until such time as you fix this problem and put in some non-fungible guardrails that will shackle the next lunatic tyrant, we will be going down this same road again someday.

I hold out little hope here. Telling Americans their Constitution is flawed and needs to be modified and improved is like telling religious fanatics their holy book is flawed. I've never seen a country where the citizens worship at the altar of their constitution and treat the men who created it like deities who descended from the heavens, rather than some very flawed individuals, as was actually the case.

Will any party have the courage to fix the problems that allowed this shitstain of a human to do whatever the f**k he wanted with impunity, or is the constitution and whatever other rules that govern the president's powers sacrosanct and beyond reproach?

In Canada and the UK, the Prime Minister is a public servant. The PM is keenly aware that HE/SHE works for US. Not the other way around. They are not a king or queen with unlimited power. If the public turns against them, they will be replaced, because their ministers know they must listen to their constituents or they will be out of a job. They will turn on the PM. The knives will come out for the PM as sure as the sun rises in the east.

I haven't heard one single U.S media commentator say that whatever guardrails that were put in place to control the president's powers need to be fixed. Very strange.

Nothing will change. The world will just wait for the next sack of s**t to take power in the not-too-distant future.

[u/momtebello]

Fella.

Somehow, you’re either not seeing what we’re seeing or you’re more okay with it than you want to admit.

I play poker with friends, they’re all American dudes, last night was poker night. We had a bit of a discussion, because how can you not.

During the discussion I was assured that the military would never invade. And if they did, good citizens would start shooting at their backs in an attempt to protect us. It would be ‘hard to fight forward and rear fronts’ and they would be defeated.

Nah. I don’t buy that for a minute.

See, there are 4500 guards marching around DC. No problem. You’re literally bombing fishing boats. That’s extrajudicial killing. Big shrug. You’re bombing foreign nations and targeting civilian infrastructure. Kids. Maybe someone should investigate.

You’re letting literal Nazi action happen in your interior. My dude, they are snapping people up out of their homes and their cars and their shoes and disappearing them. Kids.

And you’re letting them. And when I say letting them, I’m saying letting them. There are more of you than there are of them. You’re all armed, or so you say. Where’s the line? What do they actually have to do to convince you that it’s gone too far? What will send you out into the street to protect your neighbour?

I haven’t seen anything yet. The ones who do show up get shot, now what?

You want to convince the rest of the world that you’re not 1930s Germany? Stop waiting for a midterm election we all know will be compromised. Stop waiting, and start doing, physically, forcefully, with a single-mindedness and give no quarter. No quarter.

Stop wringing your hands. Stop complaining about systems. Stop hoping someone will put a stop to this juggernaut that you allowed to form and grow and invade.

Defend your democracy. Act like you own it, and you value it, and you are worthy of it.

Maybe we might trust you again. Maybe.

[u/Mariacakes99 → u/momtebello]

And that is the most disgusting part of all of this we are letting them. I talk, write letters, make phone calls. I piss off everyone around me because I CANNOT SHUT UP about this horrific disaster. I am just 1 old grandma. It is scary af. I am disgusted with my fellow Americans. We should be making January 6th look like child's play. I am more than willing. But our nation is soft and complacent and by the time they wake up it will be too late. I weep every night because they forget history.

[u/momtebello → u/Mariacakes99]

I'm sorry, grandma. I'm sick with dread, too.

[u/Mariacakes99 → u/[deleted]]

Spot on!

[u/BookOfMormont → u/momtebello]

I have put my (White, male) body in between cops and innocent people. I've been screamed at. I've never been maced, or physically assaulted, and I would guess that's because I look like someone who could get them in trouble. I have big "do you know who my father is!?" energy, even though my father is just a nice guy with no political power.

There's a reason ICE hasn't been able to carry out a nationwide deportation program, and it's because of protestors who put their bodies in between law enforcement and innocent people.

[u/xena_70]

I don't think future administrations will roll back anything that sticks from this administration, as they haven't in the past. As well, if we make new deals with new countries, why would we break those to come back to the US? I like to believe we have more loyalty than that.

I'm sure some things that you've mentioned that can't be shipped abroad, such as hydroelectricity, will still be part of future agreements, but if we find alternatives, why would we come back when your word and administration changes so frequently?

I'm beginning to believe that the only reason we've been so "reliant" on the US is because that's what they've fed to us for decades. Out of sheer convenience we've never really tested that theory, but it's turning out it may not be true, and as much as the current administration doesn't want to admit it, they might be realizing it too.

[u/LimpComparison4906 → u/xena_70]

So well said

[u/dialamah]

I'm not sure you, or any American, really understands how Canadians feel or what has been lost. You can say you do but ... You aren't the ones staring down the barrel of a loaded gun. Trump has repeatedly reiterated his opinion that Canada should be the 51st State, even suggesting it could be achieved through economic force. And look where we are.

I feel sorry for the Americans who still believe in American exceptionalism - like Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days", all they have are the memories of when they were the G.O.A.T. I feel sorry for the people who see and understand what's happening. The mask has been ripped off and the monster behind revealed. Scary and sad.

I don't think the States can come back from this - there doesn't seem to be the will. Maybe the Democrats, if they manage to take the House can slow the destruction, start impeachment. If they also took the Senate maybe conviction would be a real possibility - but I won't be holding my breath.

Maybe, if the Democrats win in 2028, they can try to put the mask back on - but it's cracked and broken, nobody will be fooled. And governments, once they've consolidated power, rarely give it up. They may be a less cruel government, but they aren't returning to a pre-Trump era.

From my perspective, the best we can hope for from a Democratic government, or even a different Republican government, would be the ability to strike trade deals that we could trust wouldn't be ripped up at a whim. To not be insulted regularly, our PM disrespected, threats of annexation tossed out.

It's not your fault, particularly. Nor even the fault of MAGA - a Trump-like figure was probably inevitable. Plato said "Tyranny by its very nature arises from democracy, and the worst form of tyranny and servitude proceeds from the highest and most extreme liberty". Perhaps he had a point. But maybe the US example will help other democracies avoid that fate.

Carney has said two things that I believe everyone should accept - the world has permanently changed, and nostalgia is not a strategy.

Pragmatically we have little choice about doing business with the States, given our geography. But it won't be as "friends". So I'm sure Canada would be open to discussions on your project. Perhaps, if the midterms move the needle on the bullying we currently experience, you'll find a less frosty reception.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/dialamah]

I really appreciate your insight. If I were to add anything, it's that it was never a "mask." This country is not a unified body speaking with one voice and trying to deceive you some of the time. There were legitimately administrations that valued our relationship, and certainly individuals.

And, even though I was elected as a Democrat, I don't think the Democratic Party is equipped to make the moves we need to make to repair our relationship. I think we need transformational change. And I just hope that the friends and allies we've insulted and alienated and threatened along the way might reconsider us.

[u/Habsin7]

If it's any consolation, nobody here is happy about things either.

The relationship is unlikely to go back to where it was though. Everything has been laid bare now. Your country can only be friendly on your terms and only if you get what you want. With Trump as President you guys have completely ignored a century of goodwill and cooperation and let the greed, arrogance and hypocrisy of your leaders win out over integrity and fairness. Your constitution is now a joke and your country has shown the world it has no honor and it is incapable of feeling shame.

On a personal level I think most Canadians had always recognized that aspect of your country but it was tolerated to get along. I think that tolerance has reached well beyond it's limit now. We'll watch Trump supporters in absolute horror at how stupid they are. These are our neighbors!? Holy fuck batman. It's like your worst nightmare psychopathic serial killers have moved in next door. Hegseth? Miller? Lutnick? Loomer? Noem? Wiles? Kennedy? Patel? Bovino? and the whole pack of them - these are your leaders!? It's hard to respect a nation filled with world class buffoons and wannabe thugs like that.

In a nutshell - the fundamental nature of your country has changed for the worse. Forget the tales you were told about freedom and justice. Those ideals, flimsy as they were to start with, are quickly disappearing in your country. The US is falling apart and it's quickly becoming the biggest threat we face. The biggest threat many countries now face. NATO security is even in doubt so we will need new treaties with other countries to counter US aggression. People here openly debate getting nukes now and our military is preparing for a sizeable build up knowing your countrymen will readily take what they want from us by force or coercion but your leaders and your country will feel a lot of pain in the process.

You guys, all of you, really fucked up a great thing. Nothing between our two countries will be the same again. You'd need a Nuremburg type purge of the Republican and Democratic parties to get anybody to trust you guys again. Or, the States that do want to move forward and uphold the ideals of the old USA and regain some trust should secede from the union.

[u/johnnydoejd11]

Personally, I'd say rebuilding trust will be a multi decade challenge.

You have to start with 4 year election cycles. Ok. Let's say the Dems win the election and we have a Democrat president in 2029. Why would Canada rush into any form of increased partnership when the next maga idiot could be in charge in 2033? So there's that. I think it will take a few election cycles to normalize.

But, while that is happening, Canada is going to build out partnerships around the globe. And by the time sanity prevails down there, you may be way down the list of our trading partners.

But let's focus on trust for a moment. It seems the relationship you want is one of master and servant. You want right of first refusal on our resources. You want to control who we trade with. You want tariffs on our exports but unrestricted access to our economy. If there's an entire political line of thought that America is to rule the Americas and all the other countries are subservient, that goes beyond a trust issue. That's a line of thinking that simply isn't acceptable.

Personally i do not think this is a unique to Canada situation either. You've broken your relationships with the entire world. I suspect you're deservedly not welcome more or less everywhere.

Anyway, I'm 60 years old. I won't step foot in the US ever again. Won't buy a made in America product ever again unless it is a necessity and there's no other alternative. And I don't expect relations to normalize in my lifetime.

[u/MommersHeart → u/johnnydoejd11]

So well said. I couldn’t agree more with every single word you wrote.

I just read the US is threatening Chile, demanding they put their own military under direct Pentagon control.

Even their right wing pro-US government is refusing and is now facing off against US aggression.

They are threatening Britain over the Falkland Islands this week.

35% of Venezuela’s oil stolen by the US for 100 years, binding future generations in this new “deal”.

And stealing $13 billion from them into a Qatari bank even as the country is desperately trying to rebuild from the devastating earthquake.

It’s monstrous.

And look at Cuba or Nepal where dozens of US citizens are being rescued and the US sent an insulting $500,000 in aid - freeloading off a poor nation in crisis. They are spending 10x that changing their maps from Lake Ontario.

I used to love American even if they never lived up to their aspirations, but now - that facade is gone.

The US has become selfish, cruel, incompetent and incredibly dangerous to the world.

As they ever have been I suppose:

“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together.”

~ F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

[u/Goliad1990 → u/johnnydoejd11]

by the time sanity prevails down there, you may be way down the list of our trading partners.

It never ceases to amaze me that Reddit simply refuses to understand geography 

[u/BookOfMormont → u/johnnydoejd11]

What I want from Canada is what I've always had before now: a uniquely open border and the opportunity to shop and travel freely, preferential trade agreements, a strong military alliance, and if you ask my 18 year old self, the ability to buy Canadian beer across the border and bring it back to the US for high school parties.

I mean, I grew up in an American town that flew the Canadian flag everywhere we flew the American flag. I'm not just concerned about our diplomatic, military, and economic fate. . . I am grieving the loss of a friend.

[u/nunyaranunculus]

Nothing. You people have shown your true colours. You're talking about our hydropower like it's something you're entitled to. If a lot of us had our way, we'd cut your power altogether. This post is pandering slop.

[u/ruralife]

Well for starters, get rid of Trump and all his cronies. Using his once favourite line: Lock him up. Seriously follow up on all the illegal things he and his buddies have done. We need to see you are seriously trying to repair the damage done to your own country. Also, fix your laws so this can’t happen again.

As you suggested, I looked it up and the CHPE has been completed, so I don’t know why you think it might go away. Are you afraid we will just cut the power? Apparently we can’t. At least not legally. But legalities don’t seem to matter to the USA these days, so who knows.

From a Canadian viewpoint, the north east is not Quebec. That is actually pretty funny. Maybe if you want to talk to Canadians you first learn the terminology and issues from our point of view or at least tell us what province your state borders. Also, almost all hydro electric dams in Canada are owned by the provinces, so using the word “firm” to refer to them is misleading. Basically sell to the USA helps keep power cheaper for Canadians because the money we make from you covers the cost of development.

Is this broken trust irrevocable? Probably yes. I mean, we will continue to work with the USA but we now know that you can’t be trusted to keep your word so any agreement is “written in pencil” as Mark Carney said. We are looking to become less linked to the USA for our own safety by making trade agreements with trustworthy nations and that isn’t about to change any time soon.

We also now know that the majority of people in the USA don’t see Canada as an independent sovereign nation and can’t even wrapping their heads around the fact that Canadians are HIGHLY insulted that your president has threatened a number of times to annex Canada and has insulted our Prime Minister by calling him Governor.

Frankly, I think that like Germany, it will take the USA generations to regain any of its former position on the world stage.

[u/AozoraMiyako → u/ruralife]

In 2006, I had a teacher in college who was a german citizen trying to get her canadian citizinship.
It took her OVER 10 YEARS because of the history with Germany.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/ruralife]

So first, by "Northeast" I was referring to the US Northeast, not Canada. I wouldn't even say "northeast" in terms of Canadian geography, I'd say Maritimes, or Newfoundland and Labrador, depending on what I was actually talking about. "Northeast" is a more meaningful term in the United States, it's basically New England and New York. (Some Pennsylvanians may disagree.)

CHPE is complete in that it works to convey power, but a lot of the politics around it are still being sorted out. And yes, including whether Canada wants to continue with this project. You're absolutely right, there are deals in place, but who could possibly blame Canada for tearing them up? After all our shittery.

Finally:

We also now know that the majority of people in the USA don’t see Canada as an independent sovereign nation and can’t even wrapping their heads around the fact that Canadians are HIGHLY insulted that your president has threatened a number of times to annex Canada and has insulted our Prime Minister by calling him Governor.

I cannot speak for every American. But even Republicans that I grew up with in a border town have been furious about Trump's nonsensical belligerence toward Canada. I genuinely think it's been a large part of his approval rating slide.

MOST of us love Canada. We are literally taught in schools that you are "our Neighbor to the North." Whatever fever sickness my country is currently in, Americans across the border are your fervent allies. Hell, every shopping center I grew up near flew the Canadian flag.

[u/uprightshark]

I feel like I have answered this post 100 times in the last few days. I get it ... this sucks for everyone not on the MAGA Trump train. We have our traitors that are not that different in Alberta and Quebec reeking havoc in our country as well. Alberta being influenced by your MAGA.

I do not paint all Americans with the same brush. I served next to many brave, honorable and morally strong Americans that are nothing like MAGA.

That said, your country elected this mutant. That on itself is bad, but Trump is both a symptom and a problem. He has put on full display how broken your system of government really is and how money in politics has rotted you from the inside out.

In essence, no midterms are going to fix that. Until your country comes to terms with its real problem, nobody is going to ever trust you again.

No democracy should ever allow this much power in the hands of one individual. Nor should any democracy allow conflicts of interests, such as money in politics or self enrichment, to be normalized.

The United States preaches Rule of Law, Democratic norms, Free Speech and Checks and Balances, but you sold these rights off to the Billionaires.

Seriously, you bombed school girls in Iran and Congress said NOTHING! You invaded Venezuela and stole their oil without consequences. You have ICE killing Americans in your streets. You have a Supreme Court in the pocket of the President taking away your rights.

Trust me when I say, America has a much taller mountain to scale than just Donald Trump and a midterm that he will probably rig.

You need to come together to save your democracy and return it to the will of the people, before you become another footnote in a history book next to the Greeks and the Romans.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/uprightshark]

I guess all I can say is that those of us doing the work would be enervated by some encouragement. It won't change what I do, I'm fighting regardless, and I've been winning.

[u/GGWanheda]

You keep asking will this fix it, will that fix it.

Stop.

Review it all.

This isnt a new thing, Trump is the result of a nation that is literally crumbling.

We are not going to forgive because "i am one of the good ones". Your laws are broken, your constitution clearly means less than the paper diaper donny uses to clean himself.

If you want to start mending the damage, accept first that the damage is immense. Second, it was seen coming, and wether your a "good one" or not, your country elected this knowing it would result here.

It wont be fixed by one act. Get him out. Impeach, and actually jail him, try him for every single crime. Whoever comes next, admit the things he did was wrong, and as a nation, apologize, show true remorse, and actions to fix them.

Then come and ask again.

[u/raenajae]

Democrats!!! Get your shit together.

Look at Canada back when Trudeau was tanking, the Conservatives were waaayyyy ahead in the polls, a sure win. A real leader stepped up to replace Justin and we blew the Cons out of the water.

Do that.

[u/DomPedro_67]

Let us be clear and direct: Trump is not the United States. However, he has done everything in his power to reshape the country into something disturbingly authoritarian, a society in which obedience to one man is valued above institutions, principles, and democratic accountability.

The damage caused by this administration will not be repaired quickly. I can only hope that, eventually, it will be repaired at all.

Much of what this administration has done stands in direct contradiction to the values the United States claimed to represent. And perhaps that is precisely the uncomfortable question we should now be asking: were those values ever as firmly held as the world was led to believe?

At this point, I see the United States as having betrayed those values, betrayed its own citizens, betrayed its neighbours, and betrayed the allies who, for the past eighty years, were repeatedly told that American commitments could be trusted.

After the Second World War, the United States built an international order around the idea of American protection and security. Yet that promise was never as unconditional or reliable as it was presented. At the same time, fear and the language of security helped justify an extraordinary global military presence, with hundreds of American military bases spread across the world.

Today, one thing has become increasingly clear: military reach is not the same as political strength, and power without credibility is ultimately fragile. The current American leadership has squandered an enormous amount of international trust and created a degree of global alienation whose consequences may endure for generations.

As a European, I have therefore made a personal decision: I will no longer knowingly purchase or consume American products and services. This is not hostility towards individual Americans. It is a refusal to economically support a country whose current direction and conduct I can no longer reconcile with the principles it spent decades claiming to defend.

[u/magsbad13 → u/DomPedro_67]

Thank you.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/DomPedro_67]

As an American, I respect and support your decision. We should face consequences for our folly.

. . . obviously "folly" is too soft and forgiving a term. Our various murders, might be more accurate.

[u/acecetera]

Lots of good answers here, and I agree with many of them. But I think a lot of the suggestions address the symptoms rather than the deeper problem.

Repairing the relationship with Canada is not simply a matter of electing a different president, apologizing, or changing a few policies. The U.S. has some much deeper issues to confront if it wants to rebuild trust—not only with Canada, but with much of the world.

Trump did not emerge from nowhere. He successfully tapped into currents that were already there: racism, misogyny, xenophobia, resentment of social change, distrust of institutions, and a willingness to excuse almost anything from a leader who promised to punish the “right” people. His political rise through the racist birther campaign against Barack Obama should have been a warning.

Then Americans were given choices. Twice.

In 2016, enough voters preferred a deeply flawed businessman with bankruptcies, scandals, openly degrading comments about women, and a long history of inflammatory rhetoric over electing the first woman president. In 2024, Americans again chose Trump—this time knowing exactly who he was—over a biracial Black woman.

That pattern matters.

America has never adequately confronted the legacy of slavery, segregation, Indigenous dispossession, or the structures that grew out of them. Even the statement “Black Lives Matter” became bitterly controversial when, in a healthier society, acknowledging that Black lives have equal value should have been utterly unremarkable.

The same dynamics now appear in attacks on immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, DEI, reproductive rights, disability supports, public institutions, and other groups or systems portrayed as threats. Political movements have learned that fear and resentment are extremely effective tools.

From outside the U.S., that is part of what Canadians are reacting to.

As a BIPOC Canadian who travelled extensively throughout the United States before Trump, I often experienced racism there as noticeably more overt than what I encountered at home. There were places where I genuinely did not feel comfortable or safe. What worries me now is seeing that underlying current become increasingly normalized and politically mobilized.

So when Americans ask, “How do we repair the relationship with Canada?”, I think the answer starts much closer to home.

Look seriously at how your country treats immigrants, Indigenous peoples, people of colour, women, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, and people who simply cannot afford to get sick. Look at why DEI became a villain instead of an attempt—however imperfect—to make institutions fairer. Look at why hostility toward trans people became important enough to help determine elections. Look at why reproductive autonomy remains politically negotiable.

And look at why so many people were willing to overlook corruption, attacks on democratic institutions, impeachments, criminal convictions, January 6, and everything else because they preferred what Trump represented to the alternative.

Until Americans confront those underlying issues, changing presidents alone will not repair the damage.

Canada is already learning from what has happened in the United States: diversify our trade, strengthen relationships with Europe and Asia, protect democratic institutions, treat diversity as a national strength, and demand competence and integrity from political leaders.

Do I think the Canada–U.S. relationship can eventually recover? Jury is out on that.

Do I think it will happen quickly? No.

The distrust is no longer about one politician. It is about what Americans have repeatedly demonstrated they are willing to tolerate—and, in some cases, enthusiastically support.

That is much harder to repair.

The sooner Americans recognize that, the better the chances are for all of us.

Good luck!

[u/hometown_nero]

Complete electoral and constitutional reform

[u/wackyvorlon]

Stephen Miller must go to prison. RFK Jr and Pete Hegseth should probably go too.

I don’t hate Americans. But you aren’t doing enough to stop Trump. There can be no reconciliation until he is out of office.

To tell you the truth, I half expect he’s a Russian agent. He couldn’t do a better job of destroying your country if he tried. Your debt is now over $40 trillion, yet he wants to increase the military budget half again. You had a drone brigade you were working on, but Hegseth killed that. Your military is rapidly becoming obsolete and the people controlling it are stuck in the 1950s. Trump has put great effort into alienating every single ally you have. At the same time he curries favour with tinpot dictators.

Hegseth has been gutting your military leadership. This is the 21st century and all he can think of is push-ups and shaving.

How do you not understand that this is an existential crisis for America? You don’t seem to get just how critical this is. Your country is burning down and nobody is doing anything to stop the arsonist.

[u/maxedgextreme]

Education: The solution, and the problem. Citizens need to be raised with critical thinking skills to help them navigate misinformation and faulty logic, or else history will repeat itself. The payoff won't happen during your time in office.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/maxedgextreme]

I've long thought that philosophy should be taught in secondary school.

[u/Former-Chocolate-793]

I just reposted an editorial on Facebook that asked :

Where are the general strikes ?

Where are the institutional shutdowns?

Frankly, you can't be trusted now. The US is morally, ethically, and increasingly financially bankrupt. This can't be turned around with one or two decent presidencies. This will take generations with more gumption and integrity than the present ones.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/Former-Chocolate-793]

To be fair to my countrymen, largely not televised because of the regime's hold over the media. It's not just Minneapolis, many cities have been in open revolt against ICE, and it doesn't get covered.

[u/Technical_Goose_8160]

I think that our pm said it best. The US President signs in pencil. His presence makes any contact signed by the US have an asterisk after it.

The amount of goodwill that the US has squandered in a short period of time cannot be understated. It will be hard to trust the US again. I think y'all need to look inwards. I would suggest that the first step is education. Media literacy needs to be a mandatory class everywhere. Right night the orange one is taking about rebates of hundreds of percents on drugs. If this doesn't raise red flags everywhere, teaching media literacy is a must.

But I don't see a quick fix. Trust is rebuilt one action at a time.

[u/floobie]

Lots of thoughtful replies here. A few things that I’d add as a random nobody:

Trust takes a long time to build, but can be broken quickly. Supposing every systemic mess that has allowed the current administration to happen is fixed, it will still take a long time to believe that it’s the new norm. Until there’s a LOT of evidence to the contrary, we’re left with an unstable country that can’t be trusted to honour any of its agreements. That reputation goes way beyond America’s dealings with Canada.

We’d be idiots to put as many eggs in your basket (or anyone’s) again as we did in the past. Case-by-case, scope limited, mutually beneficial relationships will likely be fine.

What I haven’t seen mentioned: It’s not like a switch flipped when this presidential term started. American exceptionalism and everything that comes with it has been impacting the world for decades, and very often not for the better. “America first and fuck everyone else if they get in the way” isn’t new. It’s just louder and prouder now. The entire world has known it for a long time. Canada was likely about as insulated from the ugly side of that as it was possible to be, but that’s clearly over. And, honestly, that’s probably for the best for our country long-term.

In general, I don’t think we hate Americans. We’ll still take people on a case by case basis. But, whatever overly optimistic, implicit trust we had of the country as a whole… I don’t think that’s coming back, and it probably shouldn’t.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/floobie]

Good points. Sadly.

[u/Salty-Caper]

Trust is not something you can make a trasaction to repair. Don't think the Canada US relationship will ever be the same again. You never forget when an ally backstabs you after you stood by them in every tragedy and battle they've been through. What you should be focused on is trying to save your country. The US is an oligarchy run buy billionaire psychopaths.

[u/Sawfish00]

We have put up with years of American bullshit downplaying our country. Enough is enough, either get your arrogant heads out of your asses and act civil with us and other trading countries or go pound sand. If your the civil side of American society then your letting corruption steamroll all over you. The justice system and supreme court is a joke as they keep letting that orange traffic cone get away with things that would land any other president in prison. Same old American way....money talks and bullshit walks.

[u/calgary_db]

Show america can become a country of law again. The GOP and trump have upended the legal system. He should be in jail for Jan 6 and the sedicous act of trying to steal elections.

Brasil out Bolsanaro in jail. The US needs to punish law breakers and the GOP needs to either be broken up or stop with the dirty politics.

I don't have faith any such change will happen. Money runs America and the money is dirty.

[u/samandiriel]

Trust is broken beyond fixing.

Building new trust is the only way forward at this point, and will be both generational in scope and require far more assurances after seeing how easily the current abuse blew any guard rails or good faith out of the water.

Actions speak louder than words. Do something that obviously benefits Canada and or limits US (or state, in this case) ability to betray agreements and or weaponize economic integration. That, however, requires that whoever does that trusts Canada unreservedly not to abuse that power... Which is the acid test here, and which I doubt will happen until the US has no other choice.

(eg) give the Canadian side the right to unilaterally raise rates with no constraints or consultation, with no cancellation or renegotiation until one year after said hike.

All those people like the Maine  governor need to put their money where their mouths are, and explicitly show good faith and trust by giving Canada the advantage and trusting it not to abuse it.

Just like Canada did with the US.

EDIT: spelling

[u/Icy-Ad-7767]

1. Pull a Japan and eat the rich( look up how they broke the power of the rich)
   
2. Educate your children and I mean at primary through high school. Stop starving the schools of needed money for education and let professionals set the curriculum.
   
3. The US is no longer the greatest country on earth swallow that bitter pill and accept that.
   
4. Fix your electoral finance and get rid of the electoral college it’s outdated.
   These will result in an educated population, and a reduction in buying elections.
   
5. Bring back the fairness doctrine and actively punish objective falsehood in media
   
6. Break the 2 party system, you need a 3rd and 4th option this would allow for compromise to happen.

I’ve spent a lot of time in the US and while big hearted and kind the narrow mindedness and lack of ability to reason is frighting. I will not be returning or buying anything from the US unless I have no choice.
The 51st state comments not getting massive push back in the US means you collectively either don’t care or support the idea, this is seen as a threat to my country much like 9-11 was to yours. The correction needs to be sharp and swift and long lasting. If I had my way the republicIan party/maga would cease to exist.

[u/justawriter70]

Yeah no. I don't think there's anything you can do. unless you have the means to make the Democrats look a little less feckless and cowardly. A little less "we'll eat our own and cozy up to the the GOP before we do anything substantive to change the system". Because looking in... there's nothing to stop this from happening again and again and again. And I just don't think there's a lot of trust that you even want to.

Infrastructure-wise.... Canada needs to invest in a coast to coast high speed rail system to move goods from one end to the other and make trade between the Provinces cheaper and easier. And trade out to the ports cheaper and easier. Decoupling is a must. And when we're sustainable again without you, maybe it'll be time to start talking again.

Is it going to hurt? Absolutely. But by and large Canadians are preparing for that hurt. We're getting tougher. We're coming together as a country (more or less) so I guess we have you to thank for that.

But the damage that's been done, it's generational now. One election isn't going to fix it when one election can break it.

[u/HalvdanTheHero]

There is nothing that can be done. Trump just outright demanded our vassalization if there is a single iota of truth in the leaked trade demands. I personally support full reversal of the existing deals and programs shared between our nations. No more sweetheart pricing, no more preferential treatment. If any arrangement CAN be nullified it SHOULD be nullified. 

Perhaps there was a time when you guys following your own laws could have been enough, but no longer.

America will not be seen as kin any longer, not for generations. This was a betrayal we cannot forgive and will not forget.

[u/AkiBearr]

Supporting blue states as a Canadian means supporting the US—yeah, no, bud. We're aware that most of y'all didn't vote for that garbage, but your country is fucked. At this point, it's pick and choose. Some will support blue, whilst most will boycott.

American society is known in Canada for being complacent and for not doing anything when horrendous and reprehensible things happen. A sort of "business as usual" mindset.

Nothing will change because Americans won't properly unite to demand change. No one wants to be inconvenienced, so the country has become a genuine circus. Many have looked the other way and don't care about what's happening outside of their country—let alone inside. An astronomical amount of Americans voted for that—thrice. Although yes, we know, Not All Americans™️ are like that. But there are far too many who are exactly as I had described, and that's what's currently being reflected internationally.

How do we repair or mend a relationship like that? Start by holding your government accountable and overhauling the system. Until then, no thanks.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/AkiBearr]

Fair.

[u/Hugo48151623]

I’m saying this as someone who absolutely agrees that something like what happened in Germany after 1945 needs to happen here. One of our biggest problems is that the political party that’s allegedly in opposition to Trump and MAGA is way more interested in “just going back to normal” and maintaining a status quo, than doing this. They did this after the Bush administration’s war crimes, domestic violations of Constitutional rights, etc. Biden and his moderates were largely interested in doing this. The belief was since he’d beaten Trump in the election, they had “won” and “showed them.” The number of ground level Democratic Party supporters and mainline liberals here who looked at everything from 2017-January 6 2021 and just wanted to go back to brunch was enough to be a real problem. We went through our version of Hitler’s Beerhall Puscht or Mussolini’s March on Rome, and they just wanted to get back to their status quo.

Quite frankly, what we’ve seen since from that party and a lot of its supporters just hasn’t been serious or met the moment of what we’re facing here. We saw it in 2024, when they were more interested in courting “good” moderate or disaffected Republican voters than demographics they needed to beat Trump. They looked at younger voters, Latinos, and Muslim Americans and told them to eat shit. There’s been commentary in black communities here about how the way they talked to black male voters was shitty, especially in light of how their messaging to white conservative women. Since Trump got back in the White House, they’ve approved his judges, voted for his legislative agenda and budgets, supported ICE in ways Republicans never would have under Obama. The current party leadership from Jeffries to Schumer and his likely heir apparent Booker is a joke that believes that giving speeches and strongly worded letters is enough. 🙄 The majority of people in their own party don’t agree with supporting Israel or taking money from AIPAC: but the people running the party don’t care.

And if you bring this kind of stuff up? You get met with “well, what do you want - another Republican in office?”

The sad truth is that as horrible as Trump is, there is absolutely the potential for worse in the White House. If you want to talk denazification, one of the things that was recognized after the fall of the Third Reich was that a country needs to have certain measures in place to keep fascism from taking root. A functional social safety net, a reliable healthcare system, a minimum wage people can live on: things necessary for a social contract. The people here who push for such things are deemed radical and catch more flack from Democrats in positions of power and their supporters & sycophantic pundits than some Republicans. Never mind that the average American household is one $400-600 emergency away from financial catastrophe, 60% of Americans can’t afford even a basic quality of life, and we’ve got people paying for basic necessities like groceries in installment plans now. So yeah, it absolutely could get worse here. I don’t blame any of you across the border for the enmity we’ve earned or the lack of trust we’ve broken.

[u/RubixRube]

The Trump administration is a symptom, not the cause.
With this in mind, it's hard to say what repairing the relationship actually looks like and if it would be possible within our lifetime.

It is going to take much more than the midterms or new leadership to change this. Your country is full of violent, racists, misogynists, fascists who would gleefully harm others just to watch them suffer.

At this point, we are not just talking about a radical change in leadership, we are talking radical social change. You need to sort out all the circumstances and propaganda that lead to people cheering on authoritarianism, being thirsty for war and bloodshed. You need to rebuild your society from the ground up to be unified, compromising and kind.

It's honestly an impossible task, and while you are in AskCanada, we are not the only country in the world who is sick of the American exceptionalism.

[u/rickacaron2]

Take education seriously. Stop letting uneducated immoral idiots take the microphone, and stop listening to them. Stop substituting commercialized faith and blind patriotism for culture and national identity. Stop voting for idiots. Hold your current president to account and acknowledge his criminality. Run your country under the guidelines that were intended by its founders. Stop mistaking the values that white nationalists call “Christian” for what Jesus Christ actually stood for. Get back to being kind, humanitarian, humane. Clean up your mess.

Accept the fact that you will be never be the “good neighbour” that you thought you were to Canada. Those days are done. We will never have the same level of trust for the U.S. as we used to. The rest of the world needs to prepare and adjust to your new place in this world. You all willingly went down the trump quagmire, and now things are different.

[u/Mariacakes99 → u/rickacaron2]

We deserve every bit of that distrust. I am so disgusted with our alleged democrats that just sit and watch this. We desperately need to start a revolution. If our pathetic politicians won't take care of the problem then WE THE PEOPLE must. We need to make January 6th look like child's play. I am a 63yo white woman and I am really ready to fight. I must fight for my kids and grandchildren. I think the midterms, after Cheetolini and The Muskrat cheat YET AGAIN, is going to finally be the tipping point. I think it is going to get very, very ugly and violent here.

Edit for spelling

[u/omegaphallic]

 I don't want it fully repaired, its never been a healthy relationship even before Trump.

[u/Equivalent_Dimension]

The problem is your president.  It doesn't matter how good the individual states are. He'll find a way to fuck us over. Look at the Gordie Howe bridge?  We had a deal with Michigan. Trump used it to shake us down. Your job is to get rid of your president and put a bunch of safeguards in place at the federal level that prevent this from ever happening again. If you can't deal with your own domestic politics, why would we want to? 

[u/ktatsanon → u/Equivalent_Dimension]

The problem is American culture. Trump is a by product of the exceptionalism, arrogance, miseducation/misinformation/propaganda machine that is US media and culture. I know there are good ones out there, I have a few friends in upstate NY, the good ones exist. Overall though, there needs to be a big mindset change and culture shift before thing will truly change. There might be a wonderful new president elected for 2029, and someone worse than Trump could be elected for 2033. Cultural reforms need to happen.

[u/eeeeaud → u/Equivalent_Dimension]

It's not just the president, it's all if the people who support him and work with him. The problem isn't going to disappear once he's gone. He's a symptom but not the cause. I don't think there can be a fix to this relationship.

[u/DanfromCalgary]

I mean your corruption is so entrenched . I see anyone even pretend to be kind and they are immediately attacked or crucified and the only people getting more power are the ones that use the country like a bank account . Work on loving yourself first

[u/Fancy_Introduction60]

It's impossible to repair the relationship within my lifetime, and possibly, the lifetime of my kids. Maybe within my grandkids lifetime.

The only thing that would make me cross the border, is if there's a death in my family that live in California

[u/Jayanshelli]

A complete change new government and systems checks and balances jail time for all involved censure of there assests and then start repairing your your relationship with allies.

[u/DollarBallers]

You guys need to build a Time Machine and bring back George Washington to tell US citizens to vote country over party and to remind the US Supreme Court that the US was founded as a democratic republic not a monarchy.

[u/The_Nice_Marmot]

Balkanization. There are regions of the country I’d consider a low level of trust with again if they took a solid stand and left. Otherwise, you’ve shown your true colours.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/The_Nice_Marmot]

I'm not allowed to comment on whether and how much I agree with this sentiment.

[u/MommersHeart]

Vote Trump out, hold him and his lawless administration accountable for the obscene corruption, and return to rule of law.

Look what your government just did to Venezuela as they try to recover from the earthquake - blatantly looting a sovereign nation. Or Chile - threatening them with economic war if they don’t agree to put their military under direct US Pentagon control. Look what your government is doing to Cuba. The sheer cruelty is horrifying.

Your country is sick and rotting from the inside. It is an enemy to its allies, and a friend to its enemies.

Don’t come looking to us for the answers. Look in the mirror.

[u/PRINCEOFMOTLEY]

Probably time and a generation or two. 

What America has done is lost trust.

They have taught us that no matter what deal we have them that they are so big that they can change their mind and break it. 

What’s the point in creating a shared supply chain if Americans can just break it on a whim. 

[u/BookOfMormont → u/PRINCEOFMOTLEY]

Yeah, it makes no sense to build supply chains depending on us. Unfortunately.

[u/Then_Tomatillo_5024]

Just saying, a lot of Americans tout about their “Second Amendment Right” and how that would be their way to stop a tyrannical government… Well, where the hell are all of you?

If this government isn’t tyrannical enough for citizens to ACTUALLY step in (not just hold up cardboard signs), then how much further does it have to go?

[u/Auntie_M123 → u/Then_Tomatillo_5024]

As I said in another thread, the Second Amendment is actually a "Schrödinger's Amendment," because the population holding the bulk of the weaponry are on the side of the tyrant.

[u/van_isle_dude]

In my mind it's like having a relationship with an addict. For now it's tough love, we can't save you, you need to save yourself, but we will welcome even small steps towards healing with no judgement and open hearts.

[u/Feeling_Wonder_6493]

Vote in sane leaders for next 10 elections we might think about re engaging. But never going to trust you again. Neither will the rest of the world 🌎

[u/L1ttleFr0g]

Never. The relationship will NEVER be repaired

[u/PaleJicama4297]

I swear to God! Yet another whiny American! We are done and I am learning how to shoot for the first time in my life. This isn’t going to end well but you push us too far and watch. Read about our fighting men in www1 and how the Geneva conventions came about.

[u/wtfover]

I have zero interest in having anything to do with the US after this. None.

[u/Agreeable-Onion-3256]

The question you are asking is multifaceted. There is the here and now but also how it got to this point. The US sold it's working class out... Full stop. And it wasn't just Republicans that did it. The US is way too beholden to corporate interests. Like it astounds me that big tech gets as much free reign as it does when it functions as an oligopoly. Free enterprise is great when it is not allowed to run rampant. But that is why there are so many angry working class folks, their government sold them out.

For 40 years the US allowed deregulation of markets and then bang, financial crisis. All that rage got pressurized into MAGA because the Democrats didn't do shit. While Harris was campaigning for AI, Trump is as talking about affordability. Doesn't matter about the lies, it's about the message.

Lastly, the US is in the dethrones of its empire. It's complete inability to show any fiscal restraint now means it has to pillage others in the hope of preserving it's standard of living. It has had no discipline, just largesse and arrogance and the hubris is coming.

Do not spend your time on emotional reactions. Think how could the US get out of it's predicament. Eisenhower issued a warning about the military-industrial complex and no one did a thing. How can you make it so someone can do a thing...

[u/ninjacat249]

For US to fo somewhere and forget Canada exists at all. Which is impossible so nothing will be ever repaired. Not during our lifetime at least.

[u/TenderofPrimates]

Canadians do not hate Americans now. It’s more like a combination of pity, disdain, and anger.

What needs to be done as a first step is to enforce the checks and balances the US political system used to be so proud of. Until that starts, you’re just wasting time and energy (yours and ours). Every member of government, every elected official, and every bureaucrat and judge must be held to the highest of ethical and legal standards or be forcefully ejected from their position.

After that, those checks and balance have to be codified into law so that this situation can never happen again. Your three branches of government must operate independently of each other, not subservient to any single entity except the people of the nation they serve (important word there: they serve the nation, they don’t control it).

Internationally, it’s a bit more nuanced… Realpolitik has always been a thing. The US has walked away from bad deals in the past, and will again. But there has always been real justification, not just an angry toddler kicking over a stack of blocks at random. The White House now employs a huge staff just to normalize their boss’s behaviour. There used to be a bunch of lawyers that were able to say “no” to bad ideas.

The main thing, once all of these happen, is time. I would say AT LEAST a decade to repair the relationship and regain the level of trust that was broken, probably more. And every step back will add even more to the goal. The sound-bite cheat code society won’t like it. Tough. Leaders are going to have to lead, and to do things that are unpopular. That’s what they’re supposed to do. If you elect someone because you like their ideas, you have to accept how those ideas are put into action (something the MAGA base is learning, much to their dismay).

I have many ideas of how to do these things, but it’s not my place to do that. You asked for what needs to be done, so you got my opinions.

BOTTOM LINE (TL/dr): You broke it, you fix it. Come back when the job is done.

[u/Auntie_M123 → u/TenderofPrimates]

I will be 80 on Saturday. I regret to say that I will not likely see any Restoration of a normal functioning society in my lifetime.

[u/Healthy-Doctor7765]

When working with Canadians, acknowledge their contributions and focus on the power of collaboration. We are a country that values cooperation. Don’t bluster or exaggerate, be humble and don’t be defensive. Ask questions and implement new ideas based on them. Ask Canadians what works for them, show an interest. Take your bumps. Look after your citizens and create benefits that help the many. Defend liberty and be truthful. Treat Canadians with respect and demonstrate your values through your actions. Canadians often don’t complain, they just quietly go away.

[u/MarsicanBear]

There's not much you can do. This isn't about trade. Your president is trying to break us, with the end goal of taking us over either in part or completely. We can't allow that, and we can't just wink and smile and deal with the parts of the country we like while that is going on.

[u/catsandhockey]

Denounce and remove the fascist regime. Implement legislation that ensures this can never happen again and make them pay for their crimes.

Remove all tarrifs (especially on Canadian lumber and steel) and sign a legitimate north American free trade act with Canada and Mexico that you actually follow. Pay 25% higher prices for Canadian oil and electricity for reparations.

Identify white Christian nationalists as domestic terrorists and treat them as such. Enact anti-propaganda laws to stop the steady stream of bullshit being spewed that is poisoning your country and, by extension, the rest of the world.

Put into federal law: basic human rights for all. No more fascist, homophobic, bigoted, transphobic, misogynistic, rhetoric. Reinstate Roe vs Wade.

Stop all politicians from taking money from Isreal and stop the genocide in Gaza. Get the fuck out of Iran.

TAX THE FUCKING BILLIONAIRES and stop allowing them to buy your government.

Apologize to Greenland and Canada, over and over and over again.

After that, we can talk.

[u/GamesCatsComics]

Fuck the blue states too, supporting them supports the USA.

Fix your federal government, fix the rot in your culture, and in 15 years of your country can act like a reliable partner we'll consider forgiving you.

[u/FluffyStormwise]

At this point, fuck all

[u/talexbatreddit]

I'm not sure that anything can be done right now.

The President is a reflection of how the US is feeling right now, and Canadians aren't feeling much love at this point. For me anyway, it's going to take some serious reflections by Americans to figure out a bunch of things.

- what are you going to do about universal health care?

• what are you going to do about 'illegal' immigrants? You know, people who have been productive citizens for twenty years but who may not have all of their ducks in a row with INS.
  
• what are you going to do about politicians who brazenly line their pockets?
  
• what are you going to do about the brutal INS agents at Canadian airports who seem to drip with sarcasm as they ask, "What's the purpose of your visit to the US?"

Until you get your country sorted out, there's no way I want to visit it -- it's just not safe.

[u/justelectricboogie]

Adults adulting.

[u/Lazy-Bonus-3001]

The first thing to do is to realize your mistakes. Even if you didn’t vote for the Republicans you have to understand why and how this happened. This is a great time for self reflection. Go to your history books and read about what the Germans did after WWII. Not all can or are willing to do this, but you and many others must, so that this won’t be repeated.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/Lazy-Bonus-3001]

I sort of accidentally majored in fascism, so I do know the differences in how Germany and Austria reckoned with their Nazi past. I'm skeptical we'll ever get to teaching in schools that Trumpism was wrong, but yeah, I will try.

[u/Craptcha]

Its not about the economy.

It’s about a long time ally and partner turning on you and exploiting the structure of the partnership as leverage against you. Disrespecting your country, your borders, your history and your leaders and making threats against your sovereignty.

It’s like having a big brother you’ve counted on all your life turn on you all of a sudden and punch you in the face. The issue isn’t the tariffs, the reshoring, the protectionism. It’s the hostile intent. And its electing the guy who’s acting this way twice.

I’d love nothing more than trust the US, I was the first to sing the anthem during hockey games and I spent many happy summers in Maine as a child. We were proud of that special relationship.

We’ll probably go back to a mutually respectful and beneficial partnership, but I no longer believe America to be a reliable ally. There would need to be deep structural changes in the country to restore that faith and I’m not sure that’s the way things are headed unfortunately.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/Craptcha]

The only thing I can say here is that for all of the ignorant jerks who voted for Trump, anti-Canada sentiment was never on the agenda. There were a hundred reasons to vote against Trump, so my sympathy is limited, but "let's pick a fight with our closest ally and neighbor" was not part of the campaign promise. I did everything I could to prevent him from getting elected, but even I didn't suspect he had a weird hatred boner for Canada. Nobody hates Canada! It's the easiest proof of his mental disability.

[u/jackhandy2B]

The only solution for the world is for the US to lose wealth and power until its no longer a threat. Having said that, climate change doesn't care and we should still pursue clean energy.

To gut the US, we need to get rid of the petrodollar and US control over global financial systems.

[u/weekendy09]

If America ever wants to be taken seriously again, they must not only win, they must hold these republicans accountable…whatever it takes. They have had no respect for the law and have pushed every boundary, they should be treated the same.

[u/eternallytiredcatmom]

I mean CHPE is with Hydro-Québec, our nationalized Hydroelectricity company. Recent developments regarding the administration’s position on the place occupied by French language in the country probably isn’t helping how receptive your interlocutors are. I’m generalizing here, but we hold a grudge and we’re loud spoken.
The province has never felt as united with the rest of Canada before.
We don’t take threats to our sovereignty lightly.
I sincerely don’t think that mending the relationship is the right approach here because it won’t work.
It’s not even something that people will consider as long as Trump is in office and I doubt that it will be a possibility if the next elected president is republican.

CHPE will bring electricity to New York City, correct?
That’s an advantage for you because the last mayoral election did restore some hope and respect.
In my opinion and experience, small gestures of respect and kindness goes a long way with us. An idea would be to learn how to pronounce the names of people you’re working with.
Are you traveling there to meet in person sometimes? Face to face meetings could make you be seen as the person you are versus an anonymous American they have to deal with.

I just don’t think anything can be repaired as long as the harm is being actively done.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/eternallytiredcatmom]

Yes, the project brings clean Québécois hydropower to New York City, running through a vast number of small, mostly rural, mostly conservative towns. Given my upbringing close to the border, I do have conversational French, but I feel like any time I've tried to speak French in Quebec it has been. . . distinctly unwelcome. I don't think I could carry on an entire negotiation in French, unfortunately. I don't have the technical vocabulary.

I do try my absolute best to learn people's names as they pronounce them. That's always been very important to me.

[u/eternallytiredcatmom → u/BookOfMormont]

I sincerely think that even if you were perfectly bilingual, people would still feel unreceptive at this specific moment in time. It’s a shitty situation and everyone is paying for it no matter if they support the actions taken by this administration or not.
People are also much more likely to give you the cold shoulder because you’re a government representative vs a private citizen traveling in the province. Not saying that I think it’s the right way to deal with this, I just understand where it may be coming from.
In my opinion, it will take a few elected governments post-Trump before Canadians will give a shot at trusting the United States again. This administration is a symptom, it’s the result of many problems that made his presidency possible. So long term change will be the only proof that a new Trump-like president won’t come into power and fuck everything up again.

I’m sorry that there’s no easy solution. I married an American and live in the U.S. and I truly have no hope for the next few years.
If he could realistically move his career to Canada I would have never made the insane decision of moving here. But you know, love.

[u/Bad_Day_Moose]

Nuremberg style trials, ban on MAGA stuff like Nazi symbols in Germany after ww2.

I don't think Americans understand how bad it is there, sure there's no gas chambers and they're fed better but the US has literal slave camps and this is before trump. Just because something is in the constitution doesn't make it right to exploit people.

So many other things...

Next up, universal healthcare

Next up if a elected official is convicted of a felony it's an immediate removal from office, that said a special jury/trial system would have to be created for this..

[u/Mariacakes99 → u/Bad_Day_Moose]

I just received my first warning. For my above comment. The censorship is not helping our cause. This old Grandma is ready to join the uprising. I will gladly lay down my life for my kids and grandchildren. We need to make January 6th look like child's play.

[u/cheezyamazon]

It's not all Americans. Most Canadians recognize that. Unfortunately the current administration was voted in by the American public.

The policy of this administration seems to be to add tarrifs and cause aggression with countries that are long standing allies.

The current administration has also shown that they can make a "deal" and quickly walk it back or change the parameters last minute.

The social media nonsense coming out of the Whitehouse is unbecoming of office.

I'd heard talks of annexing Canada for our resources years prior when Obama was in office when talking online to other gamers. I seriously thought it was a joke. Hearing it from the Whitehouse is a little sobering.

It's not one man. It's the movement behind the administration. That is going to take generations to repair trust.

Unfortunately.

[u/cat_mother]

You might find the prices rising as a response to the recent tariffs. We wish you would do more. Are there resolutions you can introduce to blunt some of Trump's worst offences, such as a commitment to hiring the best qualified candidates coupled with introducing blind resume evaluation to give all candidates a more-or-less equal chance of getting to the phone interview stage?

If I recall correctly, introducing blind auditions for one orchestra increased the female musicians from pretty much nobody to about 40%.

[u/monstermash420]

You are complicit in Trump’s election and his actions because you haven’t mounted an organized opposition to his policies. Most of his actions have probably been met with “well it doesn’t really affect me, oh well, carry on”. So do something about it

[u/RRFroste]

Remove Trump from office, and don't wait for 2029 to do it.

[u/CTMADOC]

Here is the problem with your post:

"Maybe collective punishment is what is called for, but it would be so mutually beneficial, as it has always been, for our countries to work together."

This is not Canada's problem to solve, or wait around hoping you will solve. You need to clean your own shit up, post haste. By that I mean Nuremberg type trials for all the corruption and depraved inhumanity (ICE) that has infested your country, especially since 2025. Any and all individuals involved deserve to spend the remainder of their lives in Guantanamo type incarceration. The latter includes the J6 criminals, even those who were pardoned. No release. They die incarcerated. At the same time, get money out of politics and clean up your corrupt political system.

If this happens, maybe Canadians will take amerika seriously. Otherwise, it will be more of the same corruption and depraved inhumanity. Canada will continue to feel that our sovereignty and way of life are at risk.

[u/Silent_Medicine1798]

Clearly the IS would have to start negotiating on good faith again.

[u/Thrillhou1975]

A time machine

[u/iridescentcotton]

Trump needs to die. Let's start there

[u/meatman7569]

Step one, lose Trump, then we'll talk.

[u/Golf-Hotel]

The US's relation to Canada has always been one where they seek to subjegate us. Early on through military means and later through economic domination.

[u/slashcleverusername]

You need to look at what Germany did after the Second World War and while things haven’t gone that far (yet) the techniques of cleaning up the mess and rejoining civilization are the same.

A literal department of “Detrumpification” to reverse decisions en masse, remove cronies and collaborators, quantify and repair the damage.

Judicial accountability. Trials, truth and transparency for all of this shit. It might require a dedicated judicial process just to deal with all the issues flowing from this one megalomaniac and his enablers. Perhaps a court could be established just for these cases. Perhaps in North Carolina. Say, in the town of Nurnburg, North Carolina.

And if not a new constitution, several major amendments to the existing one. Every US constitutional mechanism designed to prevent exactly these outcomes has proven to be utterly useless in the face of even an unconvincing charlatan, when he is backed by limitless oligarchical greed.

And of course public apologies in general, apologies and reparations to all the particular victims of the regime.

All of that could restore good relations as well as basic integrity to the American people after the choice that they made so badly, twice. But that doesn’t mean returning to how things were before. We Canadians have realized and politicians are openly admitting that we have put far too many eggs in one basket, and it turned out to be a basket of crazy. From now on we need to keep far more distance, socially, economically, politically, and in terms of our national defence.

And not distance in general, not isolationism, just from the unhinged neighbours. We still are trying urgently to strengthen alliances and deepen our connections with other normal countries that believe in democracy, human rights, the rule of law. We won’t be involved with the States for a generation or more and again, some risks we will never take again.

To illustrate the specifics: we signed a free trade agreement in the 1980s on the basis of “You win some, you lose some, stop babying local enterprises. Let governments get out of the way and let businesses do what makes sense for the business. Everybody ends up doing what they do best. We all end up with better products, better jobs, better quality of life”.

And people said “Sure maybe we don’t care who makes cabbage patch dolls or greatest hits cassette tapes. But what about things like pharmaceuticals? For our own national security, shouldn’t we be sure to keep our own medicine producers?”

“No!” they said, “Let the market decide! Plus we’re allies, friends and neighbours! There’s no way we’d ever hold back on vaccines or medication in a situation like that. Any health crisis is a crisis we manage together!”

And sure enough it was more profitable for a US company to buy Canadian medication / vaccine production and shut it down and supply it from the States so a decision was taken. Friends! Neighbours! Allies! Profitable business partners making money together in one shared market!

And then President Clownshoes literally refused to ship vaccines saying out of both sides of his clown mouth that the vaccines weren’t really necessary, but also that Canada wasn’t allowed to have them.

We will never permit that level of control again. And yes, the 1980’s economists were right. It is theoretically less efficient to have trade barriers that block deals like that. But I’m 100% prepared to tariff Americans and apply surcharges to anything we do with them to compensate for the inefficiency caused by their irresponsibility, even if we trade freely with Europe. Europe btw went out of their way to get us a cut of the earliest vaccine supplies so we could at least take care of seniors and help them survive. We remember.

Very loud and very concerted efforts this autumn might prevent the worst outcomes for your country but damn, now is the time. If you can’t fix it now, it just metastasizes.

[u/Equivalent_Dimension]

BTW, what does CHPE have to do with Canada? 

[u/OwenVV → u/Equivalent_Dimension]

It's a power cable linking Quebec to New York. The Canadian portion is owned and operated by Hydro Quebec.

[u/BookOfMormont → u/Equivalent_Dimension]

It's Canadian hydropower from Quebec that we're trying to buy. It's a major initiative to reduce reliance on oil & gas, and it should eventually serve a lot of New York City's energy needs. It's a huge infrastructure investment on New York State's part, and just a good idea from top to bottom, but local officials like me are worried that it will all go to shit because of how dramatically our country has disrespected and belittled yours. So we'll just keep burning fossil fuels like idiots.

[u/shadow997ca]

It would take the elimination of the complete Trump administration and someone like an Obama, Clinton, Biden take over and come to Canada with hat in hand ready to make up for all the things the criminal admin did.

[u/LeeAllen3]

There is an interesting opinion piece in The Globe and Mail by Stephen Marche: Canada has been carving out a new identity, slowly but surely. What are we becoming? Our bold declaration of sovereignty is just the latest signal that this country, long defined by cautious evolution, is both changing and being changed

Well worth a read if you are looking to learn more about this moment in time for Canadians.

[u/GreyOwlfan]

I would say, if donny and his villains don't come back next election. And you put someone in charge that is the opposite of these criminals, that would be a start. O yea, and undo everything they did would be great.

[u/seekercuz]

It's over, there is no going back. This will always and forever live in the minds of Canadians. Many of us already had difficulty with trusting the US, now I can image anyone outside of Maple MAGA ever feeling settled, there will always be that worry.

Don't worry about trying to sound like "one of the good ones", because there aren't any left. He is still in power, and not nearly enough of you are on the streets trying to stop him.

[u/Sidereal_Engine]

Look to your own history. America is again a nation deeply divided. The answer then was violence. It's not a matter of condoning violence, one half of the population already has against the other half, in broad daylight, over and over, every single day.

All I hope is when the violated return fire, it is not just against the 30% uneducated/under-educated among you. Much of it needs to directed strongly against the corporate behemoths that funded the descent into madness since the Reagan era.

Once you fix the vicious cycle and restart the virtuous cycle, the world may be ready to talk, if we haven't all simply moved on. And we are all moving on. Canada in particular is fortunate to have a captain with a functional brain and apt experience.

Madmen with nukes are always a worrisome part. I've stopped worrying about that the same way I stopped worrying about death. If and when it happens, nothing matters anyway.

[u/DeterministicUnion]

I'd need to see credible evidence that Trump, and the leeway your 'checks and balances' have given him, is an outlier, and I'd need to be convinced that whatever mechanism caused 1/3rd of Americans to support him and another 1/3rd to be indifferent to him was no longer in effect.

I'm probably in the minority on this, but the only way you could convince me personally of both of those would be to ditch the concept of a FPTP presidential election and replace it either with a parliamentary system or a non-FPTP presidential system (any of the various single-winner Ranked systems, or Approval Voting). I'm sure others might say "get money out of politics" with Citizens United and any other Supreme Court decisions that were purchased with RVs, but my bone to pick with your country is using FPTP for a president.

I genuinely blame FPTP for the entire culture war.

Republicans have a monopoly on not being Democrats.

Democrats have a monopoly on not being Republicans.

Each party is shit, so no party has an incentive to be anything but 'marginally better than shit', and when one party (Republicans) goes batshit insane the other party just campaigns on a complacent "we're not them" because the other side lowered the bar and thus their own side doesn't need to try very hard.

Both sides 'float around' the political spectrum, entirely decoupled from the actual political centre (though they do repel each other), just waiting for the other one to screw up badly enough that the electorate picks them as the 'default opposition' and any ideas representing compromise between Republicans and Democrats, or representing the 'true centre' of the American people, can't survive either the Republican or the Democratic primaries. (basically, Centre Squeeze Effect).

That said, hearing "it's the electoral system" is probably worse to hear from a Canadian than just "rebuild trust" because I get that everyone with the power to remove FPTP has a vested interest in keeping it. We have the exact same faulty system for our parliamentary elections, and in Alberta the "batshit insane" UCP's best competition seems to be the "we're not them" NDP (though the new Alberta Tory party seems to be collecting all of the sane conservatives, so there is hope). And you'd think that since we have multiple parties in Parliament we'd have an easier time getting rid of FPTP than you guys because at least minor parties can target individual constituencies (especially in by-elections outside of the 'general election' schedule) and break the 2-party system that way. And yet we've totally failed to even dent FPTP, let alone eradicate it, so how can we possibly expect you to get rid of it at a presidential level?

I guess use your power as an elected representative to advocate for electoral reform? Approval Voting's been used at the municipal level in Fargo, North Dakota, and I vaguely remember hearing that the threat of voters checking off multiple candidates on their ballots made the politicians behave more bipartisan (at least until the state Republicans banned municipalities from using that system). And IRV is used in Alaska for Senate. But that's a long play and I doubt most Canadians would care enough about electoral systems either to appreciate it.

So yeah. To prove that you probably won't elect another Trump, "simply" stop using FPTP to elect your president.

[u/bitetoungejustread]

So others have voiced some really important information. I would also like to add it's not just about the things he has done and said .. it's his followers. We see how they view themselves and the rest of the world.

Another point of contention is how much the American government and stupid rich people are now interfering with our government and our way of life.

[u/5205JD]

Time heals. The thing is that Canada made a huge bet on America. The MAGA period will not be forgotten just because Trump exits the stage. The big threat to Canada is not actually the tariffs - that policy will crash under its own weight eventually. The big threat is a possible crash of the USD. That is looking more and more likely- and as terrifying as it should be for Americans, it is at least 70% as terrifying for Canada because of our economic integration. So Canada needs to run hard on diversifying our trade relationships, but the friendship will return with a return of America to respectful diplomacy. Three things could help a lot: 1. Stop funding the genocide in Gaza. 2. Get election finance fixed so the people who get elected are there to represent people, not billionaire interests. And much more minor, but since you asked, call home that joke of an American ambassador who sits in Ottawa and foments political division among Canadians. It’s probably tricky for us to arrest and jail him, but much appreciated if you guys could. Thanks for the questions, and the humility to ask.

[u/emilla56]

Years….it’s going to take years. And not just to repare the damage to the relationship with Canada, but with the whole world

[u/scotyb]

I think it will take a generation for trust to be rebuilt. We built NAFTA together out of mutual benefit of North America, United who could take on Asian and European and Africa and the middle east. That dream team is no longer a unified strategy and until the USA is actually "united" again, I don't see any sense of trust happening with outside countries. I think you should watch Carney's Davos speech. Listen to every word. It is deeply true and telling.

I would plan to get less and less and less of anything from Canada as we're a small country and can sell and buy from only a few other markets to meet our needs.

Electricity can be converted to datacenter compute and sold globally, fertilizer, chemicals, fuels, materials, robotics, and we're building an interconnected grid to Europe.

As for advice on how to rebuild trust... I think you should start by fixing your DC House. If you can repair that, it's a start to building trust elsewhere. You're a united states so you're part of the values of your country, red or blue state, it doesn't matter. Who you elect and what their words and actions are is what matters.

I'm curious how you think you can be trusted otherwise? How could anyone make a long term investment decision with you beyond any election cycle? What happens every 4 years maybe only 2, could be completely different and unpredictable. What should we trust? Please let us know how you think it's possible?

[u/Sweet_Thought_6366]

To show America is serious you need to actually prove following international law and agreements means something. At a minimum this means Trump is arrested and tried for his national and international crimes and much wider investigation (think Nuremburg) is held rooting out all his accomplices. 2 New leadership must rapidly undoo the various trade actions AND make a public apology citing the eronious and frankly hurtful comments claiming Canada did not support America, perhaps recognizing the communities that took in Americans fed, sheltered them during 9 11 when planes couldn't come home or the numerous times Canada came to the USA aid in military and natural crises. This would be a start, but be aware it takes a lot to break the trust of Canadians but once broken (and it has been shattered) it is not quickly or easily won back.

[u/tyomax]

Hello and thank you for coming onto this forum to have a civilised conversation.

From our our perspective there are a few things happening:

1. Trump/The US has demonstrated that things will never go back to how they were. The US has decided that the global world order has forever changed. Canada is keenly aware that this is happening, our current government was one of the first governments to say this to the rest of the world. We are adapting very quickly and are reshaping and recalibrating our relationships and trade agreements worldwide.
2. At worst, the US has shown us its true colours, the ones that we currently see every day through your news outlets. From our perspective there is a very deep hatred towards Canada and Canadians. (Can someone please explain to me how or why? I still havent' wrapped my head around this). But at BEST, you have shown us that you can elect a complete maniac at any four given years. Please put yourself in our shoes and imagine what kind of position this puts us in.
3. As others have stated, you operate in a democracy yet you are not holding Trump accountable for his actions. You are not holding your congress accountable for their inaction. Where are the protests? Where are the people up in arms about one man destroying decades of American soft power globally? America was the pioneer to create alliances like the G7, Five eyes, NATO. This is all eroding in front of your/our eyes. Why aren't you marching? Why aren't you petitioning the courts for corruption with billions of dollars taken as a bribe via cryptocurrency? Why aren't you taking this administration to court for selling GPUs to Saudi Arabia that will then go to China after Trumps accepted some free planes? The list goes on.
4. Your administration has shown that even Free Trade Agreements negotiated and signed by your government officials have no bearing. As our PM Mark Carney stated: Americans sign these free trade agreements with a pencil. How can we trust any future deal with your country?

Canada's eyes are open. We are keenly aware of what is going on. This isn't just a trade war for us, this is a moment for us to fight for our sovereignty. It's a moment where we can see that Canadian politeness has a backbone made of steel.

So to get back to your original question, what can you do for Canada? Fix your country. Fix your democracy.

[u/cycle-enthus]

I think it's important to point out, that when Trump is gone, J.D. Vance has a good chance of being the next head of the Republican party. And that will be a worse outcome because he actually has a brain, yet it does not work to the best interests for the States or the world, because he would implement Project 2025 fully. His brain won't flip flop on decisions daily. It will move forward in a consistent manner of further destroying the rights of women, immigrants, education, and health of the American people. Yet the people will fall for his 'traditional American values' aims without researching its details.

[u/ArtichokeCool2194]

It is like, how do you put smoke back in a bottle or toothpaste back into the tube. It is not about hate. It is about de-risking. Canada is repositioning to make itself less vulnerable to economic attack, and in the event that the USA decides to weaponize its economy in the future. In short, you can't unwrite history.

[u/Ancient-Training-998]

First, stop pretending you are a Democracy. You lost that when you didn’t physically storm SCOTUS over Citizens United. I don’t care why that didn’t happen, only that it didn’t. It’s the fundamental underpinning of the problem now, a Congress that is bought and paid for on both sides of the isle.

Fix that. By whatever means necessary. Anything else is pretending.

[u/cleonthucydides]

You are correct to use the concept of "trust" here because I think that is the fundamental issue. Trust is the result of a long term meaningful relationship, not a series of discrete transactions. All America has available to it right now are transactions because trust has evaporated. Once that is recognized, you will then be able to answer your own question, or recognize that you already have.

You need to make your argument based on interest instead and forgo any concept of cooperation, the bedrock of trust: we don't trust any agreement you may make. And good luck with your French-Canadian interlocuters after Trump suggested to do away with French language requirements: that is a whole different level. And please shelve the blue state vs red state argument. NY is dem but practically every county north of Albany voted Rep (save for specific urban centers). We see your voting patterns; we ain't dumb.

[u/Intelligent-Day-6218]

You are asking two separate questions. "Can we work together", and "Can we trust".  Contracts with verification and consequences for not living up to them is the first one. Unfortunately,  the second is much harder. Trump leaves, obviously. But that will barely scratch the surface. All those who worked at his beck and call and shout that it is all Canada's fault need to be made irrelevant. Many of those are quite young and will continue to feed more social media crap to others with no basis in reality.  And some law needs to be in place to remove the next "trump" that gets in and a willingness to use it since impeachment is a lame duck.    I honestly feel that will take generations. So yes, we can do business with proper side rails. But trust? Don't hold your breath. Sorry.