Ottawa: As a trade conflict deepens between Canada and the United States, a new poll reveals Canadians are sharply divided over how they view their southern neighbor.
A national survey conducted by Leger between May 30 and June 1 shows that 27 percent of Canadians consider the U.S. an ally, while another 26 percent see it as an enemy.
A larger portion, nearly one in three, view the United States as a neutral country. The online poll surveyed more than 1,500 people and is not assigned a margin of error due to its methodology.
Men are more likely to consider the U.S. an ally than women, with about one-third of men choosing that label compared to just 20 percent of women. Meanwhile, 30 percent of women say they view the U.S. as an enemy versus 22 percent of men.
Older Canadians, particularly those aged 55 and above, are also more likely to label the U.S. as an enemy compared to younger respondents.
Regionally, Albertans are the most likely to view the U.S. as an ally. At the same time, residents of Ontario and British Columbia are more inclined to consider the U.S. an enemy.
The poll highlights strong political divisions on the issue. Among Conservative supporters, 44 percent say they view the U.S. as an ally.
That number drops significantly among Liberal supporters (17%) and NDP supporters (12%). Conversely, 41 percent of NDP voters and 36 percent of Liberal voters consider the U.S. an enemy country, compared to just 16 percent of Conservatives.
The findings come in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest move to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50 percent. Trump justified the tariffs by citing national security concerns and a need to protect domestic industries.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has responded cautiously, saying his government will need “some time” to prepare a proper response to the trade measures.
Despite the tension, Leger’s data shows that the number of Canadians who see the U.S. as an enemy has dropped by six percentage points since March, falling from 32 percent to 26 percent.
Views of the U.S. as an ally also declined slightly from 29 to 27 percent. Meanwhile, the share of respondents who see the U.S. as neutral increased from 24 to 30 percent.
Andrew Enns, executive vice president of Leger Central Canada, said these shifts may reflect a calmer tone in recent White House commentary and the presence of a new Canadian prime minister with a different approach to U.S. relations.
“It’s still obviously there we’re clearly dealing with higher steel tariffs,” Enns said, “but the tone from the Trump administration has quieted down. That probably helps ease some of the tension.”
Enns added that Prime Minister Carney’s leadership may also be influencing public sentiment.
“Canada has a new prime minister with a mandate that might take the edge off things,” he said. “It keeps things at a moderate level and makes people feel a little less threatened by the U.S.”
Although trade tensions are ongoing, Enns believes that consistent messaging from political and business leaders about the importance of Canada-U.S. trade may be encouraging the public to remain hopeful that solutions are still possible.
