Please don’t let Trump get between us
As close friends, we don’t want new barriers between us, writes Jack Jedwab.
Statements that Trump has made over the course of the campaign make us fear that if elected he’ll advocate strong protectionist measures that will adversely affect trade and movement between our countries. Jack Jedwab
Dear Friends,
For more than two centuries we have enjoyed a strong relationship. Without fail, each year public opinion surveys put us at the top of the list of countries that you view most favourably.
The feeling is mutual, as we tend to put you on top when asked to identify our closest allies. Our relationship has not been without its share of bumps, but we’ve managed to stay close and very much hope to do so in the years ahead. Although we run for a long stretch across your northern border, we recognize that you’re by far the bigger neighbour and hence you don’t always notice us. Still, we do considerable business together, we frequently visit each other and we can count on one another in difficult times. Some of you may remember back in 1979 when our diplomats in Iran put their lives at risk to save yours (as many of you were recently reminded in the award-winning film Argo).
After the horrific events of Sept. 11 we crossed our southern border in droves to extend our support. At the time, I led a group of Canadians to New York for a very large rally to express our solidarity.
On Nov. 8, you’ll be making a critical decision about your future as you elect a new president. It will have ramifications for relations with so many of your friends and we’re no exception in that regard. We’re paying close attention to the election. Many of us are convinced that supporting GOP nominee Donald Trump risks severely straining our relationship. His misogynous and discriminatory remarks make us extremely uncomfortable.
We worry about how such views will affect our interactions, which we hope will be characterized by mutual trust and not suspicion. Statements that Trump has made over the course of the campaign make us fear that if elected he’ll advocate strong protectionist measures that will adversely affect trade and movement between our countries.
After all, as close friends we don’t want to see additional barriers emerge between us. We’re aware that many of you are anxious and frustrated; indeed, these are challenging times for so many people around the globe. Under such circumstances, working closely with friends and allies is more important than ever. Surely the solution to so many of our shared concerns is not creating more distance from us and other allies.
Many of you undoubtedly feel that the election is your decision alone and that it’s no one else’s business and, as such, any advice may we offer may be construed as interference and thus met with resentment. We hope that this is not the case. If you were persuaded that your best friend was about to make a very bad decision with serious consequences for his reputation and for longvalued friendships would you stay silent?
It is for this reason that it has been difficult for so many of us to sit idly by. Best friends don’t want to look back some day and regret not having said something when doing so was most important. It is with this in mind that I’ve shared my opinion with American friends and family members and urged my fellow Canadians to do the same. I hope that such advice is taken in the spirit of friendship that it is intended. You should know that whatever you decide on Nov. 8 we’ll respect your choice and do what is needed in support of our continued friendship. Sincerely, Jack