Trump’s victory can not only lead to devastating consequences for the United States, but also for us here in Canada. Harris’s loss has saddened the hearts of many Americans and Canadians alike. This was the second time in the past decade where Americans almost elected a female president. Instead, they voted in a racist, homophobic, sexist, bigot. Some may think that this doesn’t affect us as Canadians – Trump is in America, but the truth is that US politics often influence not only Canadian politics but also daily life.
The US president elect has also come out and said that he wishes to impose tariffs on two of American’s biggest trading partners. Canada and Mexico were threatened with 25% tariffs via executive order, meaning Congress has no say in the decision when it is first put into action – they can only propose changes after-the-fact. However, knowing that Republicans control both the House and Senate, that is unlikely to happen.
The separation of powers in a democracy is based upon the principle of checks and balances. The legislature is able to create laws, the executive branch is able to execute them, and the judicial branch is able to interpret them. If one branch goes off the rails, the other two are there to keep the country stable. After this election, all three branches are under Republican control. This means, as long as Trump has their support, he will be allowed to do almost anything he wants with limited consequences.
All of this information has to do with the US, so how does it affect Canada? Well, the Ontario Premier, Doug Ford, called out Trump for his tariff plan, and said he would cut electric power to the US. Chrystia Freeland, the ex-finance minister, resigned on Monday, December 16th, with one of the cited reasons being disagreement with how to handle the situation with Trump. Many Liberal MPs, and the leader of the New Democratic Party, Jagmeet Singh, have called on Trudeau to step down as well. Although all of this cannot be attributed to Trump, a single threat made by him caused a big ripple within the governing party of Canada.
Life outside politics will also see a drastic shift. Due to the Republican Party wanting to introduce stricter policies against abortion, many pro-choice Americans might see living in Canada as a better fit for them. The Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, the 50 years old precedent setting case on the topic of abortion rights, were Republican appointed, and half of those were directly appointed by Trump. This means a lot for Americans who are in need of reproductive care, who might see Canada as a safe haven. Essentially, citizens are having their rights stripped away from them.
Ultimately, the US election results will have dramatic ramifications for both Americans and Canadians. Reproductive rights are on the line, international relationships are being strained, and the Prime Minister himself is seeing increased backlash. This is not the end of the havoc that a Trump presidency will cause; he has yet to even take power.
Image Credits: Lu Z.
THE NORTH STAR 