‘Make America go away’: Canadians head to the polls amid tensions with US

Strolling through Halifax’s Public Gardens, Alain Boudreau said he was still deciding who he would vote for on election day — April 28 — but he can’t avoid the impact of US President Donald Trump on his vote.

“Make America go away,” said Boudreau, who sported a new, red and white Canada hat. 

Boudreau, a proud Acadian, used to love traveling to the US and would often happily bump into American strangers on their own cruise journeys at the Halifax pier before helping them find their way to some of the city’s best spots. But he said that those days are over. 

“I’m not going to mistreat anyone, but … no. That’s over, that’s done,” he said. ”I’m staying clear from the Americans big time, and I will not make them feel welcomed here either.”

Boudreau is not alone. As Canadians prepare to elect a new federal government amid an ongoing trade war with the United States — and Trump’s colonizing rhetoric — many say they are feeling angry and betrayed by Canada’s closest ally. That means just about every issue the candidates bring up — from the cost of living to defense to quality health care — is framed as a fight for Canadian sovereignty. 

In February, Conservative Party candidate Pierre Poilievre pitched a new military base in the capital of Nunavut that would “reclaim our North,” framing it as an answer to Trump’s calls for Canada to become the 51st American state. (Those calls were echoed last week by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.) 

“Our allies no longer respect us,” Poilievre said. “Our safety, territory and trade with the US requires we take control of our North.”  

And on Monday, in Prince Edward Island, Prime Minister Mark Carney promised new investments in community clinics and IVF, which he framed as a fight for Canadian values. 

“In the US, health care is a big business. In Canada, it is a right,” he said.  

Trump’s tariffs and annexation talk have revived a national pride that Canada hasn’t seen in decades. Snowbirds are selling off their American vacation homes, and some homeowners are flying the Maple Leaf flag that they had once only saved for Canada Day. 

Also, American produce is expiring on grocery store shelves as some people are opting for local options.

During the federal leaders’ English language debate, Liberal Mark Carney — the former Bank of England governor who took the prime minister job from Justin Trudeau last month — told Canadians that they were facing “the biggest crisis of our lifetime.” 

“He’s trying to break us, so the US can own us,” Carney said. “We’re all going to stand up against Donald Trump. I am ready.”

Carney has written up succession plans about how to deal with Trump that will be shared with whomever next takes office. Likely, that will be him. Even as the race tightens, the latest polls show the Liberals in the lead, and they are projected to win a majority government. 

It’s a significant change for his party from just a few months ago when Poilievre was riding high in the polls with Trump-style rhetoric while the Liberals focused on removing Trudeau, whose focus on social issues and high spending had become unpopular as cost of living climbed. 

Poilievre argued that the Liberal government has not invested enough in natural resources to “Trump-proof our economy,” while Carney has positioned himself as a steady hand who mitigated the impacts of the Canadian recession and Brexit with his central banking roles.

But despite the cross talk and attack ads, the opposing leaders’ promises have much in common. Both parties are talking about how to limit US impacts on the Canadian economy with tax cuts, faster approval for energy projects and new customers for Canadian oil (90% of which currently goes to US refiners). Both parties are also promising proportional counter-tariffs in Trump’s trade war. 

Although culture war questions have waned for much of the campaign, on Wednesday, Poilievre repeated his commitment to end “woke ideology” if made prime minister. 

“We aren’t so happy with Donald … especially the 51st state thing,” voter Ralph Lorazzo said, speaking from a local Tim Horton’s. “I do think there’s a seriousness to him about that.” 

Lorazzo said Trump’s remarks steered him and his wife toward Carney, the Liberal incumbent.

“We normally investigate a little more, but we’ve made up our minds pretty quickly on that.” 

Canada also has a few other small political parties that could play kingmaker in the unlikely situation of a minority government including the Green party, Quebec independence party, and the New Democrat Party, a social democrat party that takes credit for forcing the government’s hand to create many social benefits in recent years, but has nonetheless tanked in this campaign. 

Julie Bridgen, who was also at Tim Horton’s, said she was deciding between the New Democrat Party and the Liberals.

“I think Canada has to take care of business, because … this could get worse for everyone involved, and I don’t think it’s going to stop at trade,” she said. 

But while she and many other voters had plenty to say about Trump, they said they wouldn’t let him be the deciding factor in their vote. Instead, they underscored Canada’s interests outside of Trump’s narrative — as its own country with its own direction.