Our Relationship With The United States Is More Important Than Justin Trudeau’s Re-election Bid

Canada is in a difficult position as it approaches the November 2024 presidential election in the United States. As it seems more likely that we will witness a Biden v. Trump rematch, Trudeau and his Caucus must end their repeated jabs south of the border. Our relationship with our largest trading partner is much more critical than Trudeau’s latest attempt to improve his polling numbers. His actions are hazardous to our economy and to our national security.

The United States is our most important trading partner and our most trusted ally. A positive relationship is necessary for ensuring North American security. We engage with the United States on various issues, from tackling drug smuggling to funding international assistance programs, from continental to international security. We have worked together and, at times, have disagreed on policy issues, but for better or worse, we are inextricably linked.

As we march into the 21st century, we must recognize that a close, productive relationship with the United States is mutually beneficial to Canadians, to our economy, and to our security. By working together, we can ensure the possibility of many of our shared goals and ambitions, be it a green transition, the support for re-shoring and near-shoring jobs back to our communities, or the investment and development necessary for the guaranteed security of our continent and our allies.

The Canada-US partnership has been a shining example of cooperation amongst neighboring countries who, while they may not always see things the same, are nonetheless able to set apart their differences in the interest of their citizens. Under Justin Trudeau, however, we have grown accustomed to Canadian comparisons of American politicians south of the border. I’m not saying that our American political counterparts and those in the media are entirely innocent in all of this. However, we can only control what we can control, and in this case, the Trudeau government must now, on the tail end of its existence, revert to a policy of placing the economic interests of Canadians ahead of his own. 

There are times in our recent history when Canadian Prime Ministers and their US Presidential counterparts did not personally get along – whether it be John Diefenbaker and John Kennedy over Bomarc Missiles, Lester B. Pearson and Lyndon Johnson over Vietnam, Pierre Trudeau and Richard Nixon over Cuba, and Pierre Trudeau and Ronald Reagan over the West’s relationship over arms control. Nonetheless, none of these Prime Ministers, however frustrated they were politically, inserted the candidates of an American Presidential race into the Canadian political discourse prior to a Canadian election.

An uncomfortable truth for many (including those in the Liberal Cabinet) is that Canada needs a positive relationship with the United States an awful lot more than the United States needs us. Continuing to attack a Presidential nominee – no matter what political party they represent – puts Canadian interests at risk.

Canada needs a Prime Minister who, as in the past, didn’t mindlessly wander into the internal issues of our primary ally and trading partner to score domestic political points. Our country has no bearing on the results of the approaching American general election, and Justin Trudeau and his Cabinet must recognize that. As in 2016 and 2020, the Democrat and Republican nominees for President have a very strong chance of victory via the American electoral college system. Any comment made by a current Canadian Prime Minister, positive or negative, can have a definite impact on future relations.

I also find it ironic that just when we are on the cusp of beginning a public inquiry into foreign influence in past Canadian elections, Justin Trudeau feels that his intrusion into American domestic politics is both acceptable and in the best interest of Canadians.

If I can be very blunt, who the Americans democratically elect as their leader is none of our business, just as who we choose as our leader isn’t the business of Americans. What matters is the relationship between our two countries continues to thrive to ensure prosperity and security for both our peoples.