02/17/2025
Dear 77,301,997 Americans who voted for Trump,
Being Canadian has never been about shouting the loudest. We don’t pound our chests or demand attention. We are sometimes like the quiet kid on the playground, just wanting to get along with others. We hold doors, say sorry even when it’s not our fault, and shovel our neighbour’s driveway just because it’s the right thing to do. We believe in fairness, decency, and looking out for one another.
We are the world’s greatest neighbour… and yes, our spelling is the correct one. We show up. In the words of our Prime Minister on Saturday night, “from the beaches of Normandy to the mountains of the Korean Peninsula, from the fields of Flanders to the streets of Kandahar, we have fought and died alongside you during your darkest hours. During the summer of 2005, when Hurricane Katrina ravaged your great city of New Orleans, or mere weeks ago, when we sent water bombers to tackle the wildfires in California, and during the day the world stood still — Sept. 11, 2001 — when we provided refuge to stranded passengers and planes, we were always there, standing with you”.
And yet, here we are – watching your president, a man who built his legacy on bullying, turn his sights on us. He mocks us, belittles us, and treats us like some inconvenience rather than the ally who has stood by you through thick and thin.
It’s easy to mistake our politeness for passivity, or our kindness for weakness. But here’s the thing about the quiet kid on the playground: push that kid far enough, and that kid pushes back.
Canada has never needed to boast about its strength. We just prove it. On battlefields. In boardrooms. On the ice. So, if you think you can push us around and take us for granted – think again. You think we will become your “cherished 51st state” – think again. Underestimate us… that will be fun. Because the quiet kid? The quiet kid remembers. And when the quiet kid finally stands up, the whole playground takes notice.
Sincerely,
Canada
