I’ve written about my cousins before. They have always been just a phone call away. They came when my brothers were being baptized. They came when my father died. I saw them every Friday night at my grandmother’s house when we were just kids. They came to my wedding and I went to theirs. Over the years we’ve celebrated together and cried in difficult times. As we grew older it seemed as though I mostly saw them at funerals but I have always known that I can depend on them no matter how long it has been since I have seen them. 

I suppose that I think of Canada in much the same way. They have always been just across a long border with the United States. When I was a child visiting their country was as simple as driving through a friendly checkpoint. Later I would go camping in Montana with my husband and children. There I met Canadians enjoying our national parks and introducing us to their generosity and quaint ways of speaking the same language as ours. When I took two of my grandsons to Victoria BC for a high tea at the Empress Hotel the Canadians were still as friendly and welcoming as they have always been. One of my grandsons even declared that he thought he might like to go live there one day. 

Just as with my cousins I have not always thought about Canada but I have always felt a kinship with the people there. I suppose I took for granted that my country and theirs would always be friends. When terrorists flew into the World Trade Center in New York City Canada stood staunchly by our side just as they have for so long. When fires created a hellscape in Los Angeles our Canadian friends came to help fight the flames that were destroying the city. Our two countries may not always agree on every single issue but the same can be said of me and my beloved cousins. Our relationship with Canada seemed to be beyond any petty squabble that might arise. At least that was the case until Donald Trump came along and stirred things up by insinuating that we should annex Canada to the United States as though he has the authority to take over a free nation on a whim. Then came Trump’s threat of tariffs unless he gets his way. 

I am appalled that Trump has the audacity to endanger the wonderful relationship that the United States and Canada have enjoyed for decades. His lies about a porous border can only be believed by someone who has never cared much about factual evidence. There is neither an abundance of fentanyl nor illegal immigrants crossing into the United States from our neighboring country to the north. Trump is using a hyperbolic exaggeration to justify his threats and as an American citizen I resent that he is creating a wedge between our countries that need not be there. It reeks of the kind of audacity that led Russia to invade Ukraine. With all of the real crises we face it has to be the most senseless idea to burn the bridges of our mutual goodwill. 

I hope that by the time this blog makes its debut the fences will be mended and Trump’s threats will be gone. Nonetheless I know that even if none of his blustering becomes real he has created unnecessary tension for both of our nations. It reminds me of a jealous high school girl who darts from one person to another whispering lies and riling up emotions among friends for her own pleasure. It is not presidential or even the kind of behavior I would expect from an adult. 

Sadly I suspect that the trust and respect that Canada has had for our nation for so long won’t be the same. Canadians are only too aware that Trump was chosen by a majority to lead our nation. They know that there are Americans in the United States who like his style and his ideas. They now must wonder what the people here think of them. I suspect that if and when we visit each other there will be a kind of wariness that was not there before. They will be wondering if they can trust us anymore. Once ugliness rears its head it becomes quite difficult to get feelings back to what they may have once been. The trust between us is broken

I am angry and grieving that this has come to pass. I want the Canadian people to know that I have the highest regard for them. They are wonderful people living in a beautiful country. They are the best neighbors anyone might wish to have. I am so sorry that this has happened and I will do my best to make my displeasure known and hopefully set things right again. I doubt that being diplomatic with our president will make a dent in his beliefs. Nor as some have suggested will lying in protest on railroad tracks as he barrels thoughtlessly along bring the changes that we need. I don’t yet know what will stop the insanity of it all but I live in the hopes that more and more of my fellow citizens will see the danger in just watching Trump spew his poison and vindictiveness. Surely we can use the Constitution and laws that our forefathers have given us to stop him from ruining one of the best friendships in the history of the world. I have to believe that we still have enough collective influence to set things right. 

In the meantime I send a heartfelt message of gratitude to the people of Canada for all that they have done for my country over and over again. I suppose it’s not enough to assert that I did not vote for Trump. Now I have to use my power as a free citizen to change the course of his recklessness along with the millions of other Americans who agree that we do not wish to lose the peace and friendship between our two nations. We will be working to mend the hurt.