Even before President Donald Trump was sworn into the Oval Office for the second time, he consistently targeted an unexpected nation: Canada. Trump has argued that Canada has failed to curb irregular migration and drug trafficking at the United States-Canada border, while also threatening to impose steep tariffs on Canadian imports. Those threats became a reality on Monday, February 10th, when Trump announced a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, including those from Canada, which is the leading country in the world for steel imports. 

Experts indicate that Trump’s tariffs could severely impact the Canadian economy, as Canada imported over 6 million tons of steel in 2024. To prevent this disaster, Trump has suggested the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state in the United States.

“I think Canada would be much better off being a 51st state,” Trump repeated in a Fox News interview on February 9th, shortly before the Super Bowl. 

Although Trump’s proposal for Canada to become the 51st state was widely rejected, his remarks have sparked calls to boycott American goods and reduce travel to the U.S. Meanwhile, leaders of major Canadian political parties have expressed powerful criticism of the United States as they seek to protect Canada’s economy.

Trump’s actions and comments also come to Canada at a time when Canada is already busy with politics. At the beginning of 2025, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his plan to step down from Prime Minister once his governing Liberal party chooses his successor. Trump’s actions are also sure to be a topic in the upcoming Canadian federal election in October. 

Daniel Beland, a professor at McGill University in Montreal stated, “ The most important factor in Canadian politics right now doesn’t live in Canada – it’s Donald Trump.”

Calling it “the Trump effect,” Professor Beland believes that the most important question on the Canadian ballot in 2025 could be which political leader and political party are best set up to handle the situation between the United States and President Trump.

David Eby, the premier of British Columbia argued, “We [Canada] don’t want this fight. Americans are our friends. We’ve worked together for many years on building our economies together and we work better together,”

Eby also supported the belief that the 25% tariffs would negatively affect both countries. The tariffs will significantly raise prices on both sides of the border, and Eby said that if Trump decides to continue, Canada is ready to begin a trade war.

However, there is still optimism in both countries that Canada and the United States will be able to connect as they have been for many years, and that a path forward will present itself in the future.