TheEconomistJuly 27th 2019 3T
hepeacearchattheborderbetweentheCanadianprovinceof
BritishColumbiaandAmerica’sWashingtonstatebearstwoin-
scriptions.DriversheadingsouthreadthatCanadiansandAmeri-
cansare“brethrendwellingtogetherinunity”.Onthewaybackthe
messageisthattheyare“childrenofa commonmother”.Builtin
1921,thereinforced-concretemonumentissaidtobeamongthe
firstearthquake-resistantstructuresinNorthAmerica.Itcom-
memoratesa century-oldpeacetreatybetweentheUnitedStates
andBritain,oneofCanada’sformercolonialpowers.Butthose
feelingsofbrotherhoodhavelongbeenevidentbetweenAmerica
andCanadaitself—asneighbours,friendsandallieswhosharethe
world’slongestundefendedborder.
ThecurrentquestionfacingCanadiansiswhethertheycan
withstandthepoliticalearthquakesoriginatingsouthofthebor-
der.DonaldTrump,America’spresidentsince2017,imposedtariffs
onCanadiansteelandaluminium,supposedlytoprotectnational
security.He calledtheNorth AmericanFreeTradeAgreement
(nafta) “perhapstheworsttradedealevermade”andforcedCana-
daandMexicotorenegotiateit.Afterag7 summitinQuebeclast
yearMrTrumpblastedJustinTrudeau,Canada’sprimeminister,as
“verydishonestandweak”.InMayAmerica’ssecretaryofstate,
MikePompeo,calledCanada’sclaimtotheNorthwestPassage,
whichlinkstheArcticandPacificoceans,“illegitimate”,question-
ingthetwogovernments’agreementtodisagreeonit.
MrTrumphaslashedoutatmanycountries,butnoneismore
stunnedtobeonthereceivingendthanCanada.Theneighbours
are,indeed,fraternaltwins.NinetypercentofCanadianslive
within 100 milesoftheborder.Americabuys74%ofCanada’sex-
portsofgoodsandprovides64%ofitsimports.It holdsnearlyhalf
thestockofforeigninvestmentinCanada.Canadianswinterin
Florida.Thecountry’ssportsteamscompeteinAmericanleagues.
ThisyeartheTorontoRaptorsbecamethefirstCanadianteamto
wintheNationalBasketballAssociationfinals.InEnglish-speak-
ingCanadamostofthetop 30 televisionshowsareAmerican.
Yet,despitetheirsharedrootsandculture,thetwocountries
havealwaysbeendistinctive,andnevermoresothantoday.Justas
thefirstrumblesoftheTrumpearthquakewerebeingfeltinAmer-
ica,in 2015 Canada,aftertenyearsofrulebytheConservativeParty,
electedtheLiberalParty,ledbyMrTrudeau,a telegenicformer
snowboardinstructor,whohassetaboutimplementingoneofthe
mostliberalsocial,economicandenvironmentalagendasinthe
Westernworld.HepromisedtorestoreCanadianvaluesthathe
saidhisConservative predecessor,StephenHarper, had aban-
doned.ToCanadianswhohadfearedthatthecountryhad“lostits
compassionateandconstructivevoiceintheworld”,thevicto-
riousMrTrudeauproclaimed,“We’reback.”Whowantsmore?
AsCanadaturnedleftwards,muchoftherestoftherichworldwas
turningtheotherway.AmericaelectedMrTrump.Britonsvoted
forBrexit.EuropeancountriessuchasPolandandHungaryhave
movedtothepopulistright.Centristshavebeenpunished:Angela
Merkelforinvitingintoomanyrefugees,EmmanuelMacronfor
hisclimate-friendlypolicies.VladimirPutinboaststhattheliberal
ideahas“outliveditspurpose”.InDecember2016,afterMrTrump’s
victory,JoeBiden,theoutgoingAmericanvice-president,toldMr
Trudeauthatthe“worldisgoingtospenda lotoftimelookingto
you,MrPrimeMinister”.The liberal north
Special report
As many Western countries turn to populism, Canadians will soon decide if they want to remain
a liberal beacon, says Brooke Unger
Canada
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