Along Canada’s border, things are becoming tricky.
Trump targets the Windsor, Ontario, residents directly whenever he threatens to destroy Canada’s car sector. Windsor is located across the river from Detroit. Many in Windsor are afraid of his threats, but few in Detroit view him as an enemy.
Voters in Canada’s next federal election on April 28 are increasingly thinking about the tangled web of relationships between themselves, their neighbors, and the country as a whole. There will be a Trump question at the voting box for as long as the trade war continues.
Windsor locals have a natural grasp of the stakes because of their location.
According to Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, “Uh oh” would be the reaction of every single Windsor resident if told if the Ambassador Bridge was blocked due to protestors’ blockage. “They can tell that’s a very worrying problem.”
You can’t call that a hypothetical. The city-to-Detroit bridge was blocked for six days in 2022, delaying billions of dollars in commerce. The trade war has taken on a more personal tone in Windsor and throughout Canada’s border regions.
“We are expecting to be the front line of Canada in this fight,” states Brian Masse, a longstanding New Democratic Party politician running for his ninth federal election in the constituency of Windsor West.
Residents of his community are seeking a federal government that would “have their back” in the face of Trump’s threats, according to Dilkens, who has personal ties to the US – he received his MBA in Michigan and his kids were born in Detroit. In the mayor’s view, the pre-Trump grievances of his constituents will persist regardless of whether Ottawa and Washington achieve a détente. Life continues to be costly. The central business district is a hotspot for fentanyl use. Social services and housing are feeling the strain of immigration.
Both he and Masse find friends over the border. During a recent visit, the mayor was joined by Republican Rochester Hills, Michigan mayor Bryan Barnett, and a Canadian flag was flown in honor of their distinguished guest. Masse brought up the progressive Democrat from Detroit, Rashida Tlaib.
Canada has received offers of assistance from both Barnett and Tlaib. Some others only show their support in private out of dread of the president’s anger. The reason why some people remain silent allies is because they are too scared to speak up, according to Dilkens.
Earlier this month, Indigenous leaders from the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes area, together with mayors from Canada, spoke in Washington against tariffs. In February, representatives from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities traveled all throughout the United States.
There are many more points of strain besides Windsor.
Last week, at a news conference pleading for targeted federal assistance for border businesses, Cam Bissonnette, owner and operator of a duty-free shop in Osoyoos, British Columbia, cried up as he explained the desperate difficulties his firm was in.
Bissonnette expressed his frustration, saying, “Right now, it really feels like we are hostages in economic warfare.” He cited a decrease in cross-border consumers and a day when his sole transaction was a refund as examples.
This nation’s automobile, aluminum, and timber industries employ hundreds of thousands of people, he added. They have options when it comes to selling their products globally. No way.
“Targeted financial support and a plan that recognizes unique vulnerabilities of border-dependent communities — and the businesses that keep them alive.” Barbara Barrett, executive director of the Frontier Duty Free Association, urged Ottawa to do just that.
Although border towns play a crucial role in large supply networks, the relationships between them are more personal and less mechanical.
The Falls of Niagara It has been reported that Mayor Jim Diodati’s family is somewhat divided. Living in western New York is his best friend’s home.
Despite being around one-fifth the size of its Ontario counterpart, the similarly named town across the St. Marys River does not have a public swimming pool, according to Mayor Matt Shoemaker of steeltown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, who recently spoke with AWN. Many Michiganders just cross the bridge to Canada if they want to swim.
People living in Canada are more hesitant to cross the border than they were in the past.
Consider the citizens of St. Stephen, New Brunswick, a little town situated across the St. Croix River from Calais, Maine, who are under the administration of Mayor Allan MacEachern. They are unhappy. Our neighbors have delivered a devastating blow. By “neighbor,” he meant Trump, he added. Therein lies the issue. Everyone is pointing the finger at our neighbors.
To illustrate the point, about half a million fewer tourists entered the United States through land borders in February.
Dilkens mentions the bad exchange rate in Windsor as a another reason Canadians might be hesitant to visit Detroit: the loonie’s troubles versus the greenback. The current value of the dollar makes him think twice about traveling there and spending money; he feels it’s not worth it.
The Border Mayors Alliance, of which Dilkens is a member and head, is a relatively new organization consisting of thirty-plus mayors (and counting) that originated as an Ontario-only association during the Covid era, when the border was closed.
In order to support the initiatives at the federal and provincial levels in Canada, the alliance is primarily focused on identifying U.S.-based local friends who can exert influence over U.S. politicians.
By informing the Canadian embassy and consulates about their encounters, they help compile a list of influential Americans who may be willing to advocate on Canada’s behalf.
In the Detroit region, Dilkens hopes to book as many speaking events as possible. His statement states that the embassy is actively conducting research to ensure that mayors are given accurate information when they meet with Americans.
While visiting Niagara Falls, Diodati reminisces about his time as a young entrepreneur and how he purchased Trump’s “The Art of the Deal” in 1987. Donald Trump’s charisma and deal-making abilities piqued my interest.
Diodati informed AWN in February that Trump’s annexation rhetoric was a negotiating ploy. I can understand his method of operation. I wasn’t offended, but I can understand how it affected a lot of people—they assume we’re too close for someone to take a shot like that.
The next wave of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods is set to hit next week, and Dilkens believes that Canadians are bracing for it. He predicted that April 2 will be a pivotal day.
