In June of 1999, Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s vulgar and hilarious animated sequence “South Park” got here to the silver display screen.
“South Park: Larger, Longer & Uncut” adopted Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny as they sneak into the R-rated movie “Asses of Fireplace” starring fictional Canadian comedy duo “Terrance and Phillip.” After they start swearing like their heroes within the film, an ethical panic sweeps the city, and ultimately ends with the U.S. stating struggle on Canada.
The suave and sidesplitting music “Blame Canada” used to be the movie’s breakout second — it used to be even nominated for an Academy Award for Perfect Authentic Tune on the 72nd Oscars.
As cruel because the assaults on our neighbors to the north had been, few took precise offense. That’s for the reason that U.S. and Canada had been longtime allies, companions, pals — the one reason why the self-esteem labored used to be for the reason that thought of The us turning on Canada used to be so absurd.
My, how instances have modified.
I used to be on Instagram previous this week when an advert for Canadian-American actor Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation American Gin popped up. The feedback from Canadians had been brutal. (Smartly, brutal by means of Canadian requirements.)
From Marions.Artwork: “Whilst I/we [Canadian flag emoji] all love you Ryan, now not purchasing American. They’re bullying us. We’re status up, elbows up and purchasing [Canadian flag emoji.]”
From JessicaSawers: “When rump leaves and we will have American booze in Canada once more I will be able to get some!”
From Ibbocanada: “You wish to have to lose the American gin and make a Canadian one eh.”
It’s jarring and extraordinarily unhappy to listen to our longtime pals speak about us this manner. However who may just blame them?
Whilst they had been minding their very own industry — a cherished and time-honored Canadian passion — Donald Trump inexplicably and abruptly determined to make enemies of our allies.
At a November dinner at Mar-A-Lago when Trump used to be president-elect, he reportedly joked with then Canadian Top Minister Justin Trudeau about annexing Canada, however Canadian officers brushed it off.
As Trump started repeating the road publicly, with larger sincerity and lowered humor, it all started to rattle cages, and issues simplest were given worse.
In a January information convention, Trump mentioned he would possibly use “financial power” to procure the sovereign country.
In a February name with Trudeau, Trump advised him he didn’t imagine that the 1908 treaty demarcating our borders used to be legitimate and used to be taking into account revising the boundary.
The management reportedly began discussing getting rid of Canada from a an important intelligence sharing alliance.
Trump began relating to Canada on tv and in social media as “the 51st state” and demeaned Trudeau as its “governor.”
He mentioned tearing up the Nice Lakes agreements that govern how we percentage bordering waterways.
He even started reviewing whether or not the U.S. would proceed army cooperation between the 2 nations.
In any case, there have been the price lists.
In February, a 25% tariff on metal and aluminum merchandise. That price doubled to 50% in June.
In April, a 25% tariff on auto imports.
In July, a ten% build up on Canadian items dubbed the “Fentanyl” tariff, a punishment for Canada’s alleged failure to curb drug trafficking on the border.
In August, a 50% tariff on semi-finished copper merchandise.
Canada replied with its personal retaliatory price lists towards American citizens.
As any economist now not being paid by means of the Trump management will let you know, no person wins a business struggle, and the folks impacted maximum are tax payers and shoppers, who finally end up having to pay the upper costs handed down from tariffed items.
However the volatility between our two countries has had different deleterious penalties for our economic system.
A new document from NPR’s Joe Hernandez unearths the ancient and critical toll this unjustified feud is having on tourism.
Paul Dame owns a golfing lodge in Plattsburgh, N.Y., which might usually draw a just right quantity of summer season guests from Quebec or Ontario. No longer anymore. “It’s tricky, as a result of we’ve advanced this courting with the cross-border economic system,” Dame says. “And now right here we’re, the rug getting pulled out from beneath us.”
Canadian citizens made simply 1.7 million go back journeys by means of automotive from the U.S. in July, a whopping 37% drop from the similar time closing 12 months, consistent with Statistics Canada. Consistent with U.S. information, Canadians made slightly greater than 7 million visits to the U.S. between January and Would possibly, a 17% lower.
In 2024, Canada used to be the highest supply of global vacationers in The us, visits which generated $20.5 billion in spending and supported 140,000 U.S. jobs.
It sounds as if, that’s income and jobs Trump believes we will are living with out. However American citizens don’t really feel the similar approach about Canada as he does. A majority has sure perspectives of our neighbors — perspectives they used to reciprocate.
Now, consistent with a Pew ballot printed in July, two-thirds of Canadians have an detrimental view of The us.
No longer simply Trump, however The us.
That’s completely heartbreaking.
S.E. Cupp is the host of “S.E. Cupp Unfiltered” on CNN.
