Poll: Plurality of Canadians Now View US as an Enemy

The resentment is rooted in immediate economic anxiety. Roughly 63% of Canadians expect Trump’s tariffs to leave a mark on their personal finances, yet 74% support Ottawa’s decision to retaliate despite the potential for domestic economic fallout. Beyond trade, the friction is personal: 85% of respondents flatly rejected the idea of Canada becoming a 51st state, a notion tied to the President's public demands.

Leger vice president Andrew Enns noted that Trump possesses a unique ability to influence public opinion abroad, acting as the primary catalyst for this cooling of relations. While 64% of those surveyed suggested their perception of the US might improve once the current administration leaves office, some experts warn of long-term damage. Brian Rathbun, a professor at the University of Toronto’s Munk School, cautioned that if the current tension persists, Canadian frustration may eventually bleed over from the political leadership to the American public itself, creating a structural divide that a change in the White House alone cannot repair.