The on-again, off-again imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods and services imposed by The Donald have Canadians’ dander up in a way that hasn’t been seen since the advent of the Second World War; only this time it isn’t a European fascist that has our hockey pads in a kerfuffle but the authoritarian loving leader of our once (and hopefully future) ally.
Canadians, known across the globe as being among the politest people to ever hold a door open for others, have been venting their fury loud and proud at sporting events in the most un-Canadian of ways—booing the US national anthem.
The current situation has Manitoulin residents in a bit of a quandary. Long being a playground for American tourists, many of our summer residents hail from the US. Much like the snowbird migration to Florida and other US destinations (get stuffed De Santis, how many of your Stanley Cup winning Panthers are Canadian?), Americans come North to beat the stifling heat of summer in their more southerly climes.
Read last week’s related editorial, “Counter tariffs may be popular, but are they the right route?”
This begs the question—how are our American neighbours going to be received in the wake of their president’s threats?
There are a few important factors we submit should be taken under consideration before breaking out the Yankee Go Home signs and engaging in politic shaming our summer friends and neighbours.
First and foremost, like many Canadians, most Americans are more concerned with trying to keep a roof over their heads (yes, they too experiencing a housing crisis much like our own) and the cupboards filled with groceries (the poor folks are reeling from the escalating cost of eggs thanks to the rampant avian flu that has interacted with their much laxer approach to chicken husbandry and the aforementioned climate). Before the November election, they thought they had more important things to worry about.
Read our related story, “Chief Linda Debassige talks tariffs in Washington”
Second, The Donald did not voice his annexation plans toward Panama and Greenland or his jibs aimed at making our sovereign nation their 51st state during the US election. These events have caught many Americans as off-guard as they did the rest of the globe. The whole concept is patently absurd, after all, our American summer residents could have told him that most of us (even plenty of those Conservatives who voice many of the same grievances as Republicans and until recently were enthusiastic Trump fans) would be staunchly in the Democratic fold if that were to come to pass.
Third, as a tourism destination, a good portion of our Island economic wellbeing has been inextricably tied to the influx of American summer residents for multiple generations.
Fourth, those southern visitors who come to Manitoulin each summer are, by and large, the Americans who know something about our country—even those who vote Republican—and are largely horrified by what is being foisted upon their Northern friends and neighbours.
Many of those Islanders returning from winter sojourns in red state Florida have spoken to The Expositor about the profuse apologies expressed about the current situation by their Florida neighbours.
So, what is a poor Manitoulin Islander to do?
We might suggest eschewing the subject of politics as much as possible when interacting. That approach served many of us well during the first iteration of The Donald. It will be harder during Trump 2.0, but let’s face it, they have enough of a cross to bear over the next four years. Have some compassion, even if their grief is largely self-inflicted.
American summer residents are our friends and neighbours; many are people we have known for much of our lives and with whom we share countless fond memories, fishing trips, card games on a summer night, campfire songs and smores, maybe even helping them back to their cottage when they forget about how potent our brews are compared to what they are used to back home.
In the end, the answer to the conundrum is to simply be ourselves.
We are Canadian and we should refuse to stoop to the level of The Donald, The Musk or a De Santis.
We know our dander is up, and any American who has summered here for any length of time will be aware of that fact without having their noses rubbed in it.
Remember, most Canadians are also more concerned with navigating the day-to-day challenges of everyday living than in following the weird and whacky nuances of politics, and we are not immune to the kind of gaslighting that has led to the situation south of the border—there but for the grace of God go we. Time will tell.
As our American visitors begin to land in their summer roosts, let’s stay true to our Canadian selves, polite and circumspect, but, should the situation be brought up—resolute—Canada is not for sale!
