David Marcus: Confusion reigns when Canadians confront Trump's tariffs

Calgary, Alberta – I hadn't got off a Calgary plane before two young men returning home from a church mission trip asked their north neighbors about the aggressive offensiveness of President Donald Trump again about the tariffs.

“I like Trump,” one of them told me, “But I don't understand why he makes this a Canadian.”

What hit me was that he was why Trump was doing this to Canada, or the soon-to-expressed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but rather did not ask Canadians.

Canadians feel “under an economic attack” on Trump's tariffs, annexation talk: Ambassador

After talking to more Canadians around Calgary on Saturday, I got the feeling that Great White North residents were clearly taking it personally, even if Trump thought the tariffs were strictly business.

Signs on their way to town encouraged Canadians to boycott American goods. Above one store there were some somewhat confused signs that read, “Our orange cheats do not impose customs duties.” And even if Canada's Liberal Party is trying to name a new prime minister this week, tariffs are at the top of whom.

Calgary has an active and fun nightlife. A pedestrian-only stretch on SW 8th Avenue under the shadow of the famous tower, with plenty of restaurants, the sounds of flames and the Canadian hockey game spilled from a bar on the street.

James Joyce Restaurant and Pub are classic Irish joints. Under the sign it says “Since 1882.” It's not because the bar is so old, but because it was the year of the great novelist's birth, it's a subtle play of words he enjoyed. As I walked inside, I found more anger.

Kelly retired in her 60s. He liked this place because there's no TV and when he realized I was American, I didn't have to raise tariffs.

Kelly also said the “trade war” has, as it is called, sparked a revival of Canadian nationalism and focused on recent hockey games against the United States. “We have our elbows now,” he said.

I asked if this situation hurts conservative politicians, especially Pierre Poilierre, who runs for the prime minister of the Conservative Party. He looked at the sky, shook his head a little and said, “Oh, a lot. That's a problem.”

Here in the conservative states of Alberta, Kelly wasn't happy about it.

In the evening I met David O'Brien, who had moved from Ireland to Calgary about ten years ago. “You have to understand,” he said in a light brogue, “The cost of living here is out of control. So many people hate Trudeau, but that also makes tariffs even more scary.”

He said Canada has been politically divided recently, but the tariffs and Trump's bullying about it becoming the 51st state and it has created a kind of national unity. “I know we're talking about joining America, but I think they know it's not real. It's about the sad situation in Canada,” he said.

For that part, all the state-run Canadian news media is based on beating Trump and his tariffs, which is absolutely widespread. Imagine a country where basically all the news channels are MSNBC and are getting quite close to the situation in Canada.

One important thing to understand is that in the US, or “under the south,” as we call it here, Canadian tariffs are behind the newspapers and in the D-block of news programs. After all, we can compete for the Ukrainian War, the battle against Trump's bureaucracy, and our own economic concerns.

For more information about Fox News, click here

In Canada, these tariffs are the only stories permeated by the news cycle, what Americans see as more than tough trade negotiations, and many Canadians see them as unexpected betrayals from the countries they have always held among their closest allies.

So far, from what I can tell, the confusion and frustration over the Canada's tariff situation has not been transformed into an outrage that has at least not directed towards Americans. But the burden on the relationship is obvious and very obvious.

Click here to get the Fox News app

Not only in the next four years, but even in the next four months, it could fundamentally change the relationship between the two countries, which share everything from trade to language to sports leagues.

We can see whether this change and Canada's relationship has turned out to be positive, but Canada's mood today is less optimistic.

For more information about David Marcus, click here