As an American citizen, I increasingly feel the need to apologize to our many friends and neighbors across the globe, as if we have just completed a large holiday meal, where a drunken relative or uncle, again over-served, made an ass of himself. That said, that analogy no longer captures the realities of recent U.S. U.S. foreign trade relations and geopolitical matters.
I will just start with a few obvious statements of fact. Canada and its people are among America’s longest and strongest allies and trade partners. We share a peaceful border, nearly 3,000 miles long and militarily we share one of the world’s most integrated defense relationships. Our last period of serious conflict was when the U.S. and Canada fought each other.S. U.S. Colonial forces attempted to seize Quebec City, and subsequent battles during the American Revolutionary War largely saw the Yanks repelled by British forces.
During WWII, Canada declared war on Germany on September 10, 1939, days after Hitler invaded Poland, and nearly two-years ahead of the U.S. declaration of war against Japan after the December 7, 1941, bombing of Pearl Harbor. More than 1.1 million Canadians served in uniform during WWII.
Canadian forces served alongside U.S. armed service branches in Korea, and later in the first Gulf War and again during Operation Enduring Freedom and during much of our nearly 20-year conflict in Afghanistan. With a current army of roughly 70,000 Canadians (U.S. forces had 1.3 million active duty personnel in 2026), the Canadian military has expanded its budget for 2025 to $49-billion CAD, up 25 percent since 2022, with major expansions and investments in Arctic global security operations, amid concerns of China and Russia staging attacks from the Arctic and North seas. Those investments include 88 U.S. manufactured F-35 fighter jets, 8 icebreaking ships, and 12 under-ice submarines. The U.S. and Canada also share the operations of NORAD. Perhaps a bit over-stated, but Canada is our FRIEND.
Another quick reminder: Countries do NOT pay tariffs. Countries do NOT pay tariffs. Importers, wholesalers, and corporations pay tariffs, and typically, they pass those costs on to their customers, predominantly consumers.
President Trump also recently attempted to block the opening of the massive Gordie Howe Bridge connecting the twin cities of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Canada, across the Detroit River. The nearly $6.5-billion bridge, funded by Canada and which included the use of U.S. workers and some U.S. steel, was completed on July 24, 2025. Trump blocked the bridge opening for nearly a year, supporting claims by a billionaire campaign donor whose family owned the much older Ambassador Bridge (the only other bridge connecting the two cities)who felt that their bridge (and its high toll) constituted an exclusive franchise in perpetuity. Trump also sought half the toll revenue from the new bridge, to be used to repay the Canadian construction bonds.
Though the new bridge began construction during Trump’s first term in 2018, it did not seem to become important until the superior new bridge and its direct connection to Interstate 75 on the U.S. side and peer Canadian interstates on the Ontario side caused the owners of the Ambassador Bridge to fear that the new bridge would cripple their revenue, traffic, and monopoly. The new bridge was viewed by trade advocates on both sides as a potential boon to U.S./Canadian trade, economies and commerce. It finally opened, a year after its completion, on July 27, 2026.
And don’t forget, during Trump’s first term, he touted his revised USMCA trade agreement, a retooled NAFTA, as the largest, fairest and best trade agreement in history, as late as January of 2020.
But as if that over-served Uncle during the holidays and his holiday spirits’ impaired logic is running at least one of these two nations at present, facts, logic, and proven economic theory are being repeatedly trumped by whim, petty jealousy, and protectionism. And again, just to be clear, none of those things are synonyms for patriotism.
Thankfully though, like a hangover from a few too many Labatt Blue’s…this too shall pass. To our many Canadian friends, I say, “Guh-Day Aye…” and I look forward to my next visit there and a rousing rendition of “Oh, Canada.”
