Why does the world distrust America? Just ask the Canadians
The world is giving up on America, according to Richard Wike, director of global attitudes research at Pew Research Centre. Writing in Foreign Affairs this month, he warns that this time, anti-Americanism is different.
Often seen as holding the gold standard of public opinion surveys, Pew executives are usually circumspect in their public statements. But Wike is stating the obvious. In the past, anti-Americanism was often ideological. Today, it may be purely practical as the United States directly threatens the security and interests of other countries, including its allies.
There is probably no closer ally of the US than Canada. But according to the Pew survey that Wike and his team conducted this summer, only 35 per cent of Canadians would describe the US as a reliable partner, compared with 83 per cent in 2022.
I am a Chinese-Canadian. Since this newspaper is from China, I usually write from a Chinese perspective. But this time, I will write purely as a Canadian.
In the past few days, my family and I have been confined at home in Toronto because the air quality has been rated the world’s worst. There are currently more than 950 wildfires burning in several Canadian provinces, with some of the worst in western Ontario. My inconvenience, though, is nothing compared to those whose homes have been destroyed while others have had to evacuate.
But in the country’s hour of need, Donald Trump and other leading US politicians have responded with the opposite.
The US president has threatened to hike import tariffs already levied on Canadian goods: “We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air.
“This is Willful Negligence, and becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars. [The] cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying,” he wrote in a social media post.
Senator Bernie Moreno, the Ohio Republican, said he would table a sanctions bill against Canada this week for allowing smoke to drift across the border. I swear I am not making this up. “I’ll be introducing a bill … to sanction Canada and the responsible Canadian government officials for this atrocity,” he said in a statement.
Four Republican members of the US House of Representatives – Jack Bergman, John James, Lisa McClain and John Moolenaar – jointly wrote to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, “demanding immediate action from the Canadian government”.
“American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction, year after year,” the letter said. “Sovereignty comes with responsibility, and the responsibility to prevent a foreseeable disaster from crossing into another country’s airspace has not been met.”
Every Canadian understands the not-too-subtle reference to Canadian sovereignty after repeated threats by Trump to make their country the “51st state”.
Katie Miller – who is married to Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff – is more explicit. “This is why Canada should be the 51st state,” she wrote in a social media post.
Well, it’s not like the US never had wildfires with smoke drifting across the Canadian border.
Last year, James and Bergman wrote separately to Ottawa complaining that wildfire smoke was ruining the summer for Americans.
“We write jointly this time because a year has passed, the season has come around again, and nothing has changed except that our patience has run out,” their latest letter continued.
James, who is running for governor in Michigan, went even further on social media by posting an image saying, “Canada: No Excuses. Stop The Smoke.”
Affected Canadian provinces have been steadily training and hiring more specialised firefighters. In May, the federal government leased 10 new firefighting planes and helicopters to help provinces and territories prepare to fight wildfires. A new C$317 million (HK$1.77 billion) special budgetary allocation was set up to establish a nationwide “aerial firefighting surge capacity”. Since 2020, Canada has invested C$12 billion in forest sustainability and fire prevention.
If something like this was happening across the border in the US, Canadians would be rallying to help. During past uncontrolled wildfires in the US, Canadian firefighters, including specialised teams from British Columbia, routinely deployed to help out. Canadians often make generous donations of money and materials to Americans in need. At the very least, no Canadian public figure would ever blame the US for its troubles from natural disasters because those disasters also affect Canada.
Why? Because ordinary Canadians would not stand for such vindictive pettiness from their officials, and no one would elect such people to public office. Not so in today’s America under Donald Trump.
Mike Rogers, a Michigan politician running for a Senate seat, wrote on Facebook: “For the fourth summer in a row, Canada has made its wildfire smoke Michiganders’ problem.
“The implications are real – and hazardous for you and your family – yet zero accountability for the country that constantly pushes crippling environmental regulations. Canada has to get its act together – and as your senator, I’ll make sure of it.”
That’s part of his electioneering because blaming Canada clearly appeals to at least some American voters. Theirs is a very different attitude from Canadians regarding neighbourliness.
Canada has 369 million hectares of forest, accounting for close to 9 per cent of the world’s total forest. Much of it is not easily accessible. The world is warming. Across western Europe and much of North America, an unusually severe heat dome has caused havoc.
At least Canada is doing something about global warming while the US president and his Republican Party claim the worldwide phenomenon is a hoax and have been cancelling alternative energy projects across the United States.
According to the Pew survey, a 36-country median of only 35 per cent say the US contributes to peace and stability around the world. Only a median of 32 per cent think the US takes into account the interests of countries like theirs a great deal or a fair amount in its foreign policy decisions.
Canadians are a bellwether of global opinion about the US. And you know how we feel about America right now.