The Canadian boycott of America, particularly in relation to travel, is growing, not dying. And the reason is simple. Donald J. Trump.
Canadians, unlike apparently enough Americans to elect Donald J. Trump, without doubt the most arrogant and ignorant American President in the living memory of Canadians, have no interest in visiting a country where hate and retaliation for perceived slights in reaction to the U.S. actions and its willingness to tear up international trade agreements and threaten Canada, — has created policy changes in the U.S. that alienate, not just people, but entire national foreign policies.
Canadians, unlike those Americans who support Trump, are not enamoured by a man devoid of character, ethics, morality or intelligence.
Trump’s vile personality, and his racism, history of rape, misogyny, xenophobia, and childish tantrums have no followers in Canada.
But Trump’s derogatory statements, his arrogance, ignorance and threats have changed the way Canadians perceive America, and Americans.
And what it has created is visible, visceral and palpable.
We don’t trust America. Period.
So the easiest and most natural means of illustrating our contempt for Trump is to change our habits in relation to international travel.
But don’t presume that is the extent of it. Far from it.
Today, Canadians actually eschew America.
We are selling our property in the U.S. We are buying property overseas or in Mexico.
And it’s not like we’re not travelling.
Canadian travel actually increased by 7% in the last year.
But… that doesn’t include to the U.S.A.
And the numbers, while startling to America, are just the beginning as far as Canadians are concerned. We do not intend on visiting the U.S. until Trump and his cronies are gone. Which means that if the Republicans somehow are returned to power in the U.S., –Canadians won’t be returning for at least eight more years.
American hubris is set to get hammered as time goes on, because Canadians are not just resolute about not returning, they are more determined than ever to not return.
The latest figures state that Canadian travel to the U.S. by road is down 35% and air travel about 27%. As Trump continues to attempt to damage the Canadian economy, Canadians become more determined to travel to Europe, Mexico or Asia rather than spend one thin dime in the U.S.
And this winter we plan on ramping that up a notch.
A new campaign is being initiated called “Stay Away from the USA”, intended to double the present percentage of Canadians who will no longer travel to the U.S.A. In addition, the sentiment is spreading to not just travel, but to purchases of American-made products, –particularly automobiles.
Many Canadians are withholding their purchase of a new vehicle as it is anticipated that the Canadian government will drop its 100% tax on Chinese vehicles entering Canada. Should this happen in 2026, then EV autos from BYD and Geely will dominate the Canadian market in short order as they will likely sell for a fraction of the cost currently charged by U.S. and other European automakers.
And for every Chinese, Japanese, Korean or European vehicle purchased, that is one less bought from the U.S.A.
And many, if not most Americans are unaware that Geely has already been making continuous inroads in the North American auto market as it owns several of the vehicle manufacturers that many assume are coming from Europe.
Lotus, Polestar and Volvo are already owned by Geely, and the way the market is trending, it is possible that others, now suffering, will soon follow.
Ford has surrendered its EV interests, to their ultimate demise. Stellantis is increasingly becoming irrelevant and retrenching its market into Europe, while GM is hanging on in North America, but along with Ford and Ram, will suffer devastating losses, particularly in Canada, should Chinese EV light trucks enter the Canadian market.
Of bigger concern is what will happen to U.S. auto manufacturers if Trump does not renew CUSMA, the Canadian United States and Mexico trade agreement. At that point, Canada may actually embargo the sale of those products that America actually requires, including oil and gas, energy, fertilizer, aluminum, steel and lumber.
When that happens, it will literally only be weeks before Americans feel the effects. And those effects will be profound. Gas prices will double, American Gulf Refineries will not have feedstock, American auto and aircraft manufacturers along with building and housing construction and manufacturing will see their prices skyrocket, and the availability of materials will become increasingly scarce.
Rolling blackouts could well occur on the eastern seaboard and central U.S. states as the grid feels the loss of cross border power. American farmers will see their yields shrink due to inadequate fertilizers, and American tourism will get even worse.
Canadians are rapidly becoming radicalized in relation to their willingness to ‘go the extra mile’ in not purchasing American products, something that will become a daily part of life if Trump discontinues CUSMA.
Canadians have long memories, so it is unlikely that once they (we) have made the changes that surround purchase habits, travel habits and ‘not buying’ American, they will become endemic and a natural part of everyday life.
We may share a border, but soon, for the average Canadian, that border will become less and less important to their lives. Neighbours only, all created by a man whose greed, exceeded his intelligence or business acumen.
Implications for NORAD and NATO
Canadians are also demanding that their government change its policies in reaction to U.S. actions meant to force Canada to ‘knuckle under’ to American pressure.
The reaction has been swift. Instead, Canadians are willing to quadruple their defence expenditures and to review agreements in relation to continental defence that have stood for 80 years.
Canada’s sovereign interests are now taking precedence.
Canadians want Canada to buy or build all of its weapons systems, for all three armed forces from either Europe, Korea, Australia, the U.K., or Japan.
No longer are Canadians interested in enabling America to treat Canada as an economic colony of America.
In less than 10 months, Canada has reduced its trade with the U.S. by 12%. When it comes to defence, Canada will spend somewhere in the range of $150 billion dollars on new procurement in the coming years. All of it from Sweden, Korea, Germany and other continental NATO members. Canada’s entry in SAFE as the only non-continental member will enhance the Canadian Defence Industry and enable Canada to buy EU equipment and systems much more easily, enabling Canadian industries to compete in Europe as well.
Canada’s purchase of OTHBVR Radar from Australia and its implementation will enable Canada to monitor the Arctic and beyond on land, in the air and below the ocean.
Canada’s purchase of new surface combatants, AIP submarines and Gripen Arctic Fighters will enhance Canadian sovereignty and interoperability with the EU and its northern members, especially Sweden, Norway and Denmark, further enhancing the effectiveness of these forces. The weapons systems under consideration are not primarily being purchased for force projection but for defence. Canadian sovereignty and its defence is the aim, and the equipment being purchased is designed to perform those missions admirably.
Whether they fit into the U.S. strategic defence policy, while not irrelevant, is of much less importance to Canadians, now that America has stated that it is no longer a friend or ally, and may well leave NATO in the foreseeable future.
Canada is committed to building three new Arctic bases to monitor the Northwest Passage and ships traversing through Canadian sovereign waters either below or on the surface of the Arctic Ocean.
And Canada’s ability to surveil the Arctic and its access points has been significantly improved by the purchase of AOPV’s, along with several new ‘world class’ Polar icebreakers.
Canada is also building a new ‘deep water’ port for both military and domestic use. As the Arctic warms, Canada needs at least two new deep water ports capable of maintaining, servicing and repairing all of its naval, submarine, air and land assets.
Not to mention that a Canadian Arctic sovereign port, will cut shipping times of all minerals, products, oil, grains, and strategic commodities to Europe, as well as making those available shipments arrive 20 days sooner than they would have from ports further south in Canada.
The boycott of America is only in its infancy.
Canadians are committed to a future that strategically manages Canadian sovereignty and that respects Canadian interests.
The days of American hegemony are waning as the U.S. openly becomes more protectionist, isolationist, volatile and unpredictable.
Canada is planning accordingly.
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