A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center reveals a significant shift in how Canadians view the United States, with the proportion seeing the U.S. as a top threat tripling since 2019.
While 55 percent of Canadians still consider the U.S. their most important ally, the percentage that sees the U.S. as a threat has jumped to 59 percent, compared to just 20 percent in the last poll four years ago.
Janell Fetterolf, a senior researcher at Pew, noted that Canada is particularly notable for its dramatic change in perception towards the U.S.
The Pew Research survey, which included responses from 25 countries, found that the U.S. was the most important ally for 12 countries and was identified as the principal threat by eight, including Canada and Mexico.
The U.S.-Canada relationship has strained in recent years, especially under the trade policies of President Donald Trump.
Canada faced tariffs and critical remarks from Trump, who referred to former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a derogatory manner.
In March 2020, Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods, linking them to drug trafficking, although he later reversed these tariffs for items adhering to the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade.
Meanwhile, Trump’s administration also targeted Canada and Mexico with tariffs on steel, aluminum, and automobiles.
The international poll indicated that respondents from Europe tended to identify Russia as a significant threat, while respondents from the Asia-Pacific region were more likely to name China.
Within the context of perceived threats, respondents seemed to categorize the United States primarily as an economic threat, whereas Russia was seen more as a national security risk, and China was frequently mentioned in both categories.
Notably, over half of the individuals surveyed in Canada, Mexico, and France who considered the U.S. a threat believed it posed a substantial risk to national security.
In Canada specifically, around 75 percent of adults view the U.S. as an economic threat, while 53 percent see it as a threat to national security.
The Pew Research Center’s survey encompassed 28,333 adults across 24 countries, excluding the U.S., between January 8 and April 26 through various methods, including phone and online interviews.
An additional 3,605 Americans were surveyed from March 24 to March 30.
Interestingly, Israelis were found to be particularly likely to regard the U.S. as their most vital ally, and they expressed overwhelmingly positive views about the U.S. and President Donald Trump.
Iran was commonly identified as the leading threat among Israelis.
Residents of Japan and South Korea also reaffirmed the U.S. as their most essential ally in the survey.
Despite the changing sentiments in Canada toward the U.S., Americans generally maintain a favorable opinion of their northern neighbor.
Fetterolf mentioned that Canada is frequently mentioned as an ally by Americans, second only to the United Kingdom.
A separate poll conducted earlier in the year indicated that 74 percent of Americans hold a positive view of Canada.
This shift in perception, particularly among Canadians, highlights the complex and evolving nature of international relations amid ongoing political changes.
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