Most Canadians believe that Trump cannot be trusted on the trade file. That same fear will heat up as the war escalates. No one seems to know what the end game is. If regime change involves simply swapping out the murderous Ayatollah for his son, Canadian appetite for this war effort will quickly fade.

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on March 9, 2026.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is facing his greatest challenge yet.

He must thread the needle of support for an American-Israeli attack on Iran that ignored international law.

While Spain has made it very clear that it will have nothing to do with the attacks on Iran, Canada was one of the first countries to come out in support of the unilateral American-Israeli action.

Canada’s outright support was not shared by some allies, including French President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron said France “cannot approve” of the strikes because they were carried out “outside the world order.”

Macron also added that the death of Ayatollah Ali Khomeini would not be mourned because “history never weeps for the executioners of their own people.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told his Parliament that the United Kingdom “does not believe in regime change from the sky.” He also added that “President Trump does not agree with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes.”

For his part, American President Donald Trump responded to Starmer saying the prime minister “is no Winston Churchill.”

His response to Spain’s refusal to allow Americans to use the country’s military bases was swift. After Deputy Prime Minister María Jesús Montero said Spaniards “will not be vassals” to another country, Trump threatened to impose complete sanctions on all trade.

Spain appears to be the only European country refusing to let Americans use its military bases. Britain initially refused, but reversed itself when Iranian attacks spread to areas that Starmer said involved British self-defence.

Britain, Germany, and France issued a joint statement claiming that the Iranian attacks all over the Middle East were a disproportionate response, and, therefore, they would work with the United States and other allies in their own defence in the relevant areas.

So the Europeans have now aligned their perspective with that of Canada, but in the meantime, it appears as though the American people are divided on the nature and conclusion of the attacks on Iran.

Congress is upset that the military actions were undertaken without any congressional input, and some polls show the majority of Americans do not support the attacks.

In a Reuters/Ipsos poll, it was reported last week that only one in four Americans approve of the action. Some 27 per cent said they favoured the attacks, while 43 per cent were opposed. A further 29 per cent were unsure, even though 90 per cent of the respondents had learned of the attacks.

Approval ratings seem to be politically aligned, with 78 per cent of Democrats opposing the attacks, and 11 per cent approving while 76 per cent of Republicans approve with 10 per cent disapproving.

In Canada, Carney’s initial statement of support for Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to cause some consternation amongst colleagues whose own comments on the subject appeared more nuanced.

But his later clarification appeared to line him up well with other international players.

Carney told an Australian audience that the government’s approval of the attacks was not a blank cheque. He also said it reinforced his view that a new world order means traditional multilateral decision-making is not necessarily an option in this political climate.

Repeating some of the messaging delivered in Davos, Switzerland, Carney once again repeated that “we are actively taking on the world as it is, not passively waiting for the world we wish it to be. But we also take this position with some regret because the current conflict is another example of the failure of the international order.”

Speaking at the Lowy Institute, Carney also stated that “geostrategically, hegemons are increasingly acting without constraint or respect for international norms while others bear the consequences.”

Carney first refused to weigh in the legality of the American-Israeli intervention, claiming that was a judgment for others to make. He subsequently clarified his comments, saying the attack appears to be a prima facie case of breaking international law.

While threading that needle, Carney managed to avoid the ire of Trump, who had harsh words and actions for all countries who did not support the attacks.

Most Canadians believe that Trump cannot be trusted on the trade file, as he changes his position almost daily. That same fear will heat up as the war escalates and other parts of the Arab Gulf are under siege. No one seems to know what the end game is. If regime change involves simply swapping out the murderous Ayatollah for his son, Canadian appetite for this war effort will quickly fade.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

The cartel’s intention is to damage tourism so it hurts the government. That puts them in a better position to negotiate a truce where drugs flow without political impediment

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on March 2, 2026.

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO—Two weeks ago, we were watching the Netflix series, El Chapo. Then last Sunday, we were living the havoc wreaked by drug cartels run amok.

The Netflix series is a pretty accurate approximation of the real world of narco-trafficking in Mexico. Although names were changed, it was clear that the story was a fairly accurate reflection of how drug cartels manage to continue spreading their influence with and without the help of governments, armed forces, and police.

The early morning attack on Feb. 22 in Puerto Vallarta took everyone by surprise. We were up early because we were watching the gold medal Olympic men’s hockey match which aired at 6:30 a.m. local time. We were literally watching the opening minute of the painful three-on-three overtime when our condo manager forwarded a message from the state government.

The message warned us to shelter inside until further notice because of what was going on in the city’s streets.

We were oblivious, but family down the street had a bird’s eye view of everything.

They first witnessed fires on the city’s edge, which they thought were controlled agricultural burns. But the fires, and acrid black smoke soon covered the whole city. From their ninth-floor balcony, they witnessed about 25 fires, and heard the popping of gunfire which continued for several hours.

The streets were rapidly emptied while the carcasses of burnt-out automobiles littered the city. Down by the bus depot, buses were also torched and a local convenience store was burnt to the ground.

In the Costco parking lot, at least a dozen cars were set on fire, along with a blaze at the garage adjoining the warehouse.

No one was injured, but people were forcibly dragged from their cars at gunpoint.

My brother had a guest heading to the airport during the morning, but he received a notice to turn around as all flights were cancelled.

Some gunmen entered the airport which sent passengers and employees screaming and running in all directions. Even planes that were within an hour of landing at the airport were ordered to turn around to avoid potential catastrophe.

As dusk settled over the city that evening, the situation seemed to be getting under control.

But we were once again advised by state officials not to leave our apartments and to shelter in place. Last Monday, schools and workplaces were closed, and taxis and other public transportation were unavailable. But by the end of that day, it was announced that international flights into Puerto Vallarta were resuming, and crisis was averted.

At that point, the government had sent in 2,000 militia members to protect the city, and the Mexican navy had a ship parked in the harbour for further protection.

When it was all over, there was no loss of life by civilians, but the wave of terror that rolled through the city will not soon be forgotten.

And the narcos achieved their objective: putting the Mexican government on notice that any move on their leadership would cost the country economically.

Puerto Vallarta is one of the most popular tourism destinations in Mexico. With beautiful Pacific beaches and a historic, 200-year-old downtown square, the place offers recreation and deep cultural roots.

The restaurants are fabulous, and the people are so friendly that if you do have an opportunity to visit, your first trip will definitely not be your last.

My initial visit to Mexico was more than 40 years ago, and I keep coming back, drawn by the warmth of the people and the beautiful climate.

When it was -17C in Ottawa last week, we were basking in +29C sunshine with cooling Sierra Madre mountain breezes sweeping through in the early mornings.

For food buffs, Mexican cuisine is also hard to beat. Fresh fish and seafood abound, with the Bay of Banderas boasting the deepest waters in the world.

The bay is a training ground for whales. They arrive in December from the north to birth and teach their babies. Families stick around for a couple of months so in high season, it is not unusual to view whales right from your balcony.

The cartel’s intention is to damage tourism so it hurts the government. That puts them in a better position to negotiate a truce where drugs flow without political impediment.

But as long as people take drugs, people will be selling them. The horror that descended on Puerto Vallarta will not be soon forgotten. But life at the beach will go on.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

Unity in the country and unity in the Conservative Party work in the leader’s favour. His edges are softening and, if he can keep that up, it could help reshape his image. But ‘hissy fit’ claims launched by his own members won’t help

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on February 23, 2026.

OTTAWA—The Tumbler Ridge tragedy in British Columbia did what no political manoeuvre could. It united the country and the parties.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre shared a podium. Even Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet made a special effort to speak English to reach those touched by the tragic school shootings that were too close to the memory of the femicides at École Polytechnique.

Death knows no language. It knows no politics.

So, every leader parked their partisan trappings and opted to work together to try and heal the country.

With the self-inflicted death of the shooter, we will probably never really understand the reason behind this horrendous attack on innocent students.

No reason can explain the decision of a child to kill their parent and a sibling. But the further attack on others who apparently had no connection to the shooter is simply impossible to comprehend.

All party leaders rose to the occasion. Conservative Leader Poilievre parked his usual blame-laced crime vitriol, and replaced it with a sensitive observation that mirrored what every parent in Tumbler Ridge and across the country is feeling.

He spoke about love and concern for his own children, and the parental responsibility to protect.

The prime minister also spoke gently and thoughtfully, reinforcing the impression that, in a moment of national tragedy, he was the person best placed to guide us all through it.

Tears flowed freely in the House of Commons. They were real tears, not simply a reflection of a moment of drama.

The same unity was evident when the leaders of all political parties attended a commemoration in Tumbler Ridge.

It was a reflection of what politics could be if parties worked together on big issues.

The same unity was felt during the pandemic when the prime minister and premiers parked their differences and managed to work together to save Canadian lives, no matter what their political stripe.

Some have attacked the unified approach to masking, vaccines, and distancing. But to put it in perspective, Canada saved 40 per cent more lives on a per capita basis than the United States.

The U.S. had no mask mandate and most Republicans were vigorously opposed to any limitations on personal freedom that could save lives, including vaccines and distancing.

Americans lost 1.23 million people to COVID-19. In Canada, 60,871 people perished from the same virus.

Canada also has had a unified position in relation to the U.S.’s tariff attack and the renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico trade agreement.

That unity was spoiled last week when Conservative MP Jamil Jivani went on a right-ring American media outlet to accuse Canada of suffering an “anti-American hissy fit.” Jivani told Breitbart News that “we are shooting ourselves in the foot” with our negative reaction to the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Poilievre stepped in quickly to say that he did not agree with the member’s comments, stating “Jivani speaks for himself, and I speak for the party.”

Poilievre is right on that, but he does face an internal problem within the Conservatives.

While the vast majority of Canadians do not support the way that Trump has treated this country, those who do support him are largely aligned with the Conservative Party.

Two separate polls earlier this year show that 50 per cent of Conservatives support Trump. In the Ekos poll, the number of Liberals who support the American president is two per cent, while only three per cent of New Democrats support him.

The polls suggested a civil war in the Tory party on this issue. Such a war has not erupted yet, but given Jivani’s comments in the U.S., the Conservatives will definitely be seized with the issue.

The greatest support for Trump is in Alberta, and that aligns nicely with the support for Poilievre.

Jivani is already working to build a national list of supporters, which he could use to organize a future Conservative leadership.

Even though Poilievre has the support of the country, he may experience some opposition in his party.

His huge victory in the recent leadership review gives him comfort that the party supports his vision and direction.

But politics is a fickle business.

Right now, unity in the country and unity in the party work in Poilievre’s favour. His edges are softening and, if he can keep that up, it could help reshape his image.

But “hissy fit” claims launched by his own members won’t help.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

Some might argue the president’s grievances about the Gordie Howe International Bridge are simply an attempt to distract from the global discussion about his racist post featuring former president Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as monkeys

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on February 16, 2026.

OTTAWA—If you build it, they will come. Except if opponents are friends of United States President Donald Trump.

Trump’s latest foray into Canadian politics is a false claim that a new bridge about to be opened at the Windsor-Detroit border should be delayed because no American steel was used in the construction, which is not true. He also stated that the bridge would not open unless the U.S. was compensated for everything it has given to Canada.

The irony of Trump’s complaints is that the U.S. government refused to participate in the initial cost of the bridge construction, which was fully financed by the Government of Canada. It is hard pressed to make labour or content demands on the project.

The president’s last-minute intervention is another example of how corrupt the American political system has become.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge has been in consideration for more than two decades.

The Ambassador Bridge, built in 1929, is North America’s No. 1 international border crossing. It is privately owned, and multiple attempts to build a new bridge beginning at the turn of the century have been blocked by the current owners, the American Moroun family.

Despite the obvious need for a second bridge, the Morouns’ political influence and lawsuits delayed the process for years.

In a newspaper column in 2012, journalist David Frum characterized the dispute as a conflict between private and public infrastructure where the monopoly led by the Moroun family used influence in Washington, D.C., to derail a proposed public sector bridge for decades.

Finally, in frustration, the Canadian government agreed to fully fund the joint bridge on the condition that the investment be recouped through tolls.

The proposed bridge was ultimately named after Gordie Howe, the popular Canadian hockey player who spent most of his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings. The bilateral agreement was signed by the Canadian and Michigan governments, and both parties are joint owners of the bridge scheduled to open early this year.

The construction has taken more than eight years, and the project was led by the “Building North America” consortium which was selected in July 2018 to design, build, operate and maintain the bridge.

The $6.4-billion cost of the project was fully financed by the Government of Canada, a fact that seemed to be missing from Trump’s latest Truth Social grievance taking aim at the bridge’s ownership structure and claiming that Canada has “treated the United States unfairly for decades.”

Washington did not put out a penny for the project, so it is hard to claim that the U.S. has been treated unfairly.

Michigan politicians were quick to point out the second bridge will facilitate commerce and trade between the two countries. Governor Gretchen Whitmer weighed in to support the opening, saying that the bridge agreement was approved by her Republican predecessor.

The only people who seem to be benefitting from threats to stall the bridge opening are the family members who own the Ambassador Bridge.

As Frum pointed out in 2012, the move to block a second bridge is a perfect example of how public policy is stymied by private interests. In the end, it is the trade between the two countries that suffers.

That may fit with Trump’s agenda as he is obviously not interested in a seamless transportation network between Canada and the U.S.

But it certainly hurts his own country’s economic agenda, which is why Michigan politicians are all lining up in favour of opening the Gordie Howe bridge as soon as possible.

U.S. ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra has been assigned to manage the file for the president. Hoekstra is a former Michigan congressman.

Some might argue the bridge kerfuffle was simply an attempt by Trump to distract from the global discussion about his racist post featuring former president Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as monkeys.

The meme on Trump’s personal account on Truth Social stayed online for 12 hours, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt characterizing reaction as “fake outrage.” She claimed: “This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the king of the jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King.”

Even Republicans chimed in to attack the post, with U.S. Senator Tim Scott “praying it was fake because it’s the most racist thing I have seen from this White House.”

Other Republicans condemned the post, but the president insisted he did nothing wrong, and was not about to apologize.

In most jurisdictions, such a racist publication would likely spark calls for resignation.

In this case, presidential filters, accountability, and respect are non-existent. Trump celebrates racism and inflames hatred.

It is just another crazy week at the White House.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

Conservative MP Jamil Jivani pleaded to Liberals for inter-party unity, but said the ‘timing and spectacle of recent floor-crossings appears to many Canadians as an effort from you (PM) to demoralize Conservatives and the millions of Canadians who voted for us.’

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on February 5, 2026.

OTTAWA—Mr. Jivani went to Washington.

The relationship that Conservative MP Jamil Jivani has with American vice-president JD Vance is unique.

They met in university at Yale and became fast friends, with Jivani serving in Vance’s wedding party.

So, naturally, his visit to the American capital is garnering a lot more attention than that of a simple MP.

Jivani reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office, but was surprised when his invitation for the prime minister to join him was declined.

Jivani said he went to Washington to help negotiate a free trade agreement, a goal that has eluded the government this far.

Dominic LeBlanc, minister responsible for Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade negotiations, confirmed that his office briefed Jivani, but the government declined to send a representative.

For his party, Jivani criticized the Liberals for not accepting his offer to be a direct conduit to the team at the White House.

He also emphasized in multiple communications with LeBlanc, the PMO, and the Liberal caucus chair that his intention was to provide a Team Canada approach to the challenge.

But on the Conservative side, Jivani appears to be going it alone. Which begs the question: why did his leader not join him in the Vance arm-twisting initiative?

The timing of Jivani’s trip was also interesting.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has just come off a very successful party convention in Calgary where his approval rating by delegate attendees was even larger than that of former prime minister Stephen Harper.

One would think that this past week should have been one where the leader basks in the glory of his unprecedented party popularity. Instead, he appeared to be playing second fiddle to Jivani’s Washington orchestra.

To be fair, Jivani’s timing was likely guided by his attendance at the annual Washington National Prayer Breakfast.

At that gathering, all the key players in cabinet trade negotiations, Washington lobbyists and high-profile Christian influencers are present. Any issue they embrace is sure to have an effect on Canada-U.S. relations.

Conservatives are working hard to solidify their relationship with the Trump administration.

At the convention, Poilievre’s wife Anaida was referred to as the First Lady, a title that does not exist in this country.

Alberta separatists have recently revealed that they have been meeting with senior Washington officials in an attempt to work on their separation from Canada.

A Trump cabinet official recently pitched in, suggesting that Alberta would be a welcome 51st state.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has avoided any criticism of the separatists and is not even able to get members of her caucus to support Canadian unity.

She also worked to lower the bar for a referendum, and to make it easier for separatists to launch their campaign.

What she didn’t expect was the blowback from other Albertans. Former Progressive Conservative deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk beat the separatists to the punch with a petition seeking a referendum to stay in Canada. His petition has already been signed by more than 496,000 Albertans, far ahead of the required 293,000 signatures for a vote. The petition has already been certified as successful by Elections Canada.

Things have gotten so divisive in that province that Harper and former Liberal prime minister Jean Chrétien discussed the issue when they got together last week for a fireside chat in Ottawa.

Both reflected on the fact that another separatist threat looms in Quebec with the potential fall election predicting a return to power of the Parti Québécois.

Well-loved former premier Lucien Bouchard has already stated publicly that, if elected, the PQ should promise there will not be a referendum in the first term.

But the separatists’ drum rolling across the country is causing a stir in political circles across party lines.

In an event sponsored by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, both Chrétien and Harper stressed the importance of a united front when it comes to trade negotiations and Canadian unity.

Harper said that “I think the reality is if the federal government manages the country right, puts the stress on unity and not on ideological tangents there’s no reason why we can’t pull the country together at this moment.”

Jivani pleaded for inter-party unity in his outreach email to Liberals, but at the same time said the “timing and spectacle of recent floor-crossings appears to many Canadians as an effort from you (PM) to demoralize Conservatives and the millions of Canadians who voted for us.”

Jivani may not be able to turn things around in Washington. His first plea for unity should be to Alberta Conservatives who want to join the U.S.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s negative response to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Davos declaration has mobilized the majority of Canadians—including premiers—in unity.

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on February 2, 2026.

OTTAWA—Prime Minister Mark Carney has a new moniker: Captain Canada.

At the meeting with premiers in Ottawa last week, leaders across the country seemed prepared to work together to grow inter-provincial trade.

The negative response of United States President Donald Trump to Carney’s Davos declaration has had the effect of mobilizing the majority of Canadians—including premiers—in unity.

British Columbia Premier David Eby was positively effusive in his praise for Carney’s Davos speech.

“It’s been a while since I have felt that much pride in being Canadian.”

Trump has started calling Carney “governor” again, and the White House was claiming that the prime minister walked back his Davos speech in a private conversation with the president.

Carney absolutely denied that claim, and the only Canadian party that gave any credence to the president was the federal Conservative Party.

In a statement released after Carney’s Davos speech, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre started with praise for prime minister’s “well-crafted and eloquently delivered” speech, but went on to characterize the approach with a chuckle. “If Liberal words and good intentions were tradeable commodities, Canada would already be the richest nation on Earth.”

Timing in politics is everything, and in this instance, Poilievre’s timing was off.

Carney had a great January, setting the stage with Chinese movement on canola and fish products, and a Davos speech positioning this country as a leader in creating a new world order.

This is a time where the leader of the official opposition should merely be offering praise and support.

When premiers are characterizing Carney as Captain Canada, any comments to the contrary run the risk of putting Conservatives offside with most Canadians.

The last time we saw this kind of federal-provincial harmony was at the height of the pandemic when no party nor political structure had any idea about the path forward to save lives.

During COVID, premiers and the prime minister all sang from the same hymnbook.

This time, they are harmonizing on trade, which can be a lot more politically troublesome than deciding on a medical vaccinations and securing protective medical supplies for hospitals and nursing homes.

Even Eby and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith stated publicly that they were willing to try and work together on issues with the prime minister and other premiers.

The separatist movement in Alberta is still working hard. It was reported last week that the American state department had been in touch with separatist leaders to exchange information.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed publicly that Albertans are very independent people, and the U.S is a natural partner. ”People want sovereignty. They want what the U.S. has got.”

On Jan. 28, Bessent upped the rhetoric warning the prime minister that picking a fight with the president could put the trilateral trade negotiations at risk.

Most global observers don’t believe that Canada has been the one picking international fights.

But Conservatives were quick to follow Bessent’s line of thinking. In an opinion piece written for the American-owned National Post, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner characterized Canada as a “vulnerable, sclerotic, decadent nation from which talent, intellectual property and financial capital continue to flee.”

The more Bessent and Trump attack Carney, the more Canadians from coast to coast to coast will unite.

The most recent Ipsos poll said the number of Albertans and Quebecers wishing to enter a separation discussion with Canada was 29 and 31 per cent, respectively.

But when the same poll respondents were queried on the real-world consequences, support in both provinces was cut in half. Possible downsides include standard of living declines, pension, or trade renegotiations.

The reality of an October election in Quebec is not lost on anyone. With the Parti Québécois leading in the polls, the possibility of a total Team Canada is definitely at risk.

But, in the meantime, it appears as though the disrespect continually shown by Trump and his officials for our country is driving Canadians into the government’s arms.

Meanwhile, reports surfaced last week that the MP who resigned his seat to Poilievre will get the Tory nomination. Damien Kurek has been approved to return as the candidate in Battle-River-Crowfoot, Alta., while the party has no news on where Poilievre would run in the next election.

Maybe the Conservatives are thinking that Poilievre won’t be around to lead the party into the election.

With Trump’s help, that is becoming increasingly likely.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

Canadians are waiting to see how Donald Trump retaliates, but Davos proved one thing: America is alone.

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on January 26, 2026.

OTTAWA—Going along to get along is over.

Prime Minister Mark Carney made it clear at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week that the time for appeasement of a major power is dead.

Carney’s speech resonated around the world, as the Davos audience responded with a standing ovation.

The call for middle powers to work together was not lost on other countries with whom the prime minister hopes to cooperate. Nor was it lost on United States President Donald Trump.

Carney was careful not to specifically mention Trump in his speech, but the message about the end of the current world order could not have been clearer.

Carney appealed to middle-power cooperation as the only antidote to balance out the hegemonic mentality of the stronger, major powers including the U.S. “If we are not at the table we are on the menu,” was how Carney bluntly put it.

Trump was quick to respond, claiming in his own Davos speech the next day that “Canada lives because of the United States.”

He also characterized Canadians as ungrateful, and caustically reminded “Mark” to remember that in the future.

Trump did not start calling Carney “governor,” which was the moniker he constantly used to describe former prime minister Justin Trudeau. But he made no bones about his belief that Canada does not appreciate American’s help in defence.

Canada does not appreciate being treated as a future 51st state. Recent polling showed that almost one-third of Canadians believe Trump could invade our country.

As Trump was speaking, leaders from Nordic countries were gathering in Canada’s North to discuss how the Arctic region might defend itself from invaders, including the threat that the president has made to invade Greenland.

In the past 200 years, Canadians and Americans have not feared each other. We have lauded the fact that we share the longest undefended border in the world. That hasn’t stopped Trump from claiming that he wants to take over Canada.

A few days ago, an image of a map of North America with Canada under the American flag was posted on Trump’s media feed as a photo of the presidential cabinet.

British Columbia Premier David Eby said last week he was at a complete loss for words to express how angry he was about the post. He encouraged British Columbians and other Canadians to continue their boycott of American booze and travel.

Americans are getting that kind of pushback from countries around the world. In contrast to Carney, the American president’s rambling message—which went on for more than an hour—was greeted with tepid applause. A number of listeners simply left the room while the president strangely kept mixing up the names of Greenland and Iceland.

At Davos, Trump repeated a statement made earlier in the week by two of his cabinet members, that he would always put “America first, but not America alone.”

But his words do not match his actions. Everything he has done as president is making enemies of former friends. Instead, he reached out to enemies like North Korea and Russia. Europe is on edge, and Latin America is wondering who could be next for military takeover.

Trump’s insistence that America needs to take over Greenland—and his threat to use military action—has prompted North Atlantic Treaty Organization colleagues to plan defence of Greenland against a NATO member.

The stock market responded negatively to Trump’s Greenland threats, and that may be why he told Davos he would not use military force to take over Greenland.

Shortly after, Trump issued a statement claiming he would not invade Greenland by force because the Americans were working with NATO on a solution that would satisfy everyone.

He also backed off imposing tariffs by Feb. 1 on all European countries opposed to his Greenland takeover. The climb down was clear recognition that America is rapidly becoming isolated because of Trump’s unpredictable and illegal threats.

The global political landscape has been unravelling ever since Trump’s re-election in November 2024.

Carney’s global message is that we can’t count on nostalgia to fix the problem. The old word order is gone. Anyone who wants a rules-based international system,has got to respond to the realpolitik that the U.S. under Trump is no longer a trusted ally.

Trump knows that Carney has already been working with other leaders on a new way to establish rules that bullies cannot override.

Canadians are waiting to see how Trump retaliates, but Davos proved one thing.

America is alone.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

The long-term outcome of Mark Carney’s trade mission is unclear. What is clear is that the two countries have been working hard to repair the relationship.

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on January 19, 2026.

OTTAWA—It is hard to believe that almost a decade has passed without a Canadian prime minister setting foot on Chinese soil.

There was a time when Canada and China were close.

Back in 1970, then-Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau became one of the first Western leaders to recognize the People’s Republic of China.

As a private citizen, Trudeau had travelled to China in 1949. He undertook a subsequent visit in 1960 with fellow traveller and future Senator Jacques Hebert. After the visit, the pair authored a book sympathetically chronicling their experiences Two Innocents in Red China.

The book was relatively positive toward the communist regime and paved the way for Trudeau’s future Sino-vision as prime minister.

In Trudeau’s first political campaign, his platform included recognition of the PRC and a promise to promote its membership in the United Nations. He fulfilled both promises with China joining the UN in 1971.

Canada was also on the receiving end of the friendship, based on the relations between a Canadian doctor and the revered leader of the Chinese revolution.

Dr. Norman Bethune was a communist and frontline trauma surgeon who served in the Spanish Civil War, and then served in China as a frontline medic of the Chinese Communist Party’s Eighth Route Army in the Sino-Japanese War.

Bethune is honoured in the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, but his notoriety in China is much greater. Chairman Mao Zedong, delivered a eulogy for the doctor, who died of septicemia on a battlefield after performing surgery on a wounded soldier. The eulogy was subsequently published as a chapter in Mao’s Red Book Essays.

Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong was mandatory reading in all Chinese elementary schools, so every Chinese student knows the story of Bethune.

The Red Book lauded Bethune’s “utter devotion to others without any thought of self.” The Mao essay portrayed Bethune as a model of communism and medicine, a legacy which remains today.

The strong ties established by Bethune and formalized by Trudeau put Canada in an excellent position to build business and personal relationships with Chinese counterparts.

Most expected that Trudeau’s son, prime minister Justin Trudeau, would build upon his father’s legacy.

Instead, early in his mandate, Canadian-Chinese relations reached a new low when Canada acceded to a provisional American extradition request, accusing the Huawei deputy board chair Meng Wanzhou of “conspiracy to defraud multiple international institutions.”

The irony of the arrest was that Wanzhou was simply transiting via the Vancouver airport from Mexico when Canada arrested her in keeping with our extradition agreement with the United States.

It would have been so simple for Canadian officials to warn their Chinese counterparts in advance to avoid the airport, and the whole issue of her detention would have been moot. That kind of diplomatic backdoor discussion takes place all the time, and many observers could not understand why this country became the focus of Chinese ire because of an American extradition request.

At the time, the American allegation was that Wanzhou cleared money actually destined for Skycom, but transmitted illegally through Huawei. It was alleged that Skycom was doing business with Iran, which violated U.S. sanctions.

To make matters worse, the Chinese government arrested and imprisoned two Canadians. The case of the Two Michaels—Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig—made headlines in Canada, further straining relations between the two countries.

In the end, the U.S. and China negotiated an agreement to free Wanzhou and the political damage was largely meted out to Canada.

It was that fiasco that left Canada in political limbo as far as the Chinese were concerned.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s objective in his historic visit last week was to reboot the relationship politically and economically.

On the economic front, there were high hopes for a resolution to the 76-per-cent canola tariff imposed on Canada by the Chinese.

Global Affairs Minister Anita Anand stated last week that it is Canada’s intention to move away from American trade dependency and increase other international trade by 50 per cent in the next decade.

She also downplayed existing this country’s foreign policy labelling China an “increasingly disruptive” global force.

The long-term outcome of Carney’s trade mission is unclear.

What is clear is that the two countries have been working hard to repair the relationship.

A change on Canadian treatment of Chinese electrical vehicle sales is also under discussion. A collapse of the current Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade negotiations could open that door.

China is definitely a door worth opening.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

If you parse Marco Rubio’s statement from last weekend, anyone who is even a competitor of the U.S. in our hemisphere is a potential target of American foreign policy attention. No wonder Prime Minister Mark Carney has muted his comments on the Nicolás Maduro takedown. We could be next.

By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on January 12, 2026.

OTTAWA—The American military move to arrest Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has put the world on edge.

By invading Ukraine, Russia was the only state actor to ignore international law, but not anymore. The People’s Republic of China can point to the move by United States President Donald Trump as a template to take out the Taiwanese leadership.

Trump has not ruled out sending in the U.S. military to Venezuela, but insists that he wants to work with the president who was sworn in as soon as Maduro was spirited out of the country.

In his hour-long press conference extolling the Maduro capture, Trump left the distinct impression that he had a deal with the new president, Delcy Rodriguez. Meanwhile, she was on Venezuelan state television decrying the move and saying that never again would Venezuelans be enslaved by others.

As the world waits for what comes next, countries in the Americas are girding for more moves by Trump to establish his dream country.

Colombia has summoned thousands of its military force to prevent any spillover on its 2,219-kilometre shared border with Venezuela.

Mexico and Canada are breathing hard because Trump will not stop until he is stopped. Even in Washington, the Democrats are confused in their political response. Some have accused Trump of breaking the law while others point to the fact that Maduro has had a warrant out for his arrest since 2020.

Canada’s response has been equally confusing. While the prime minister lauded the fact that Maduro is out of the picture, he did little to dissuade the president from exercising future takeover powers on Canadian soil.

Trump is exercising a power he claims derives from the Monroe Doctrine. He has renamed it the “Donroe Doctrine,” citing the authority of the United States to exercise influence throughout the Western Hemisphere based on an 1823 declaration. According to Donroe, the U.S. has the right to do pretty much anything it wants if it feels under threat in the region. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio repeated the “Donroe Doctrine” last weekend, stating “This is the Western Hemisphere. This is where we live—and we’re not going to allow the Western Hemisphere to be a base of operation for adversaries, competitors and rivals of the United States.”

If anything, the Maduro capture will embolden Trump when it comes to his plans for Greenland and Canada.

Realistically, if he thought he could get away with annexing both, he would.

The president has already made statements about how the United States needs Greenland for security reasons.

In this instance, we are witnessing the reality of life imitating art.

Trump has been slumping badly domestically because of challenging economic times and rising costs.

One of Canada’s greatest comedic actors, John Candy, participated in a film, Canadian Bacon, where the U.S. president convinced blue-collar workers to invade Canada.

The war strategy was designed to take attention away from woes at home. Released in 1995, the film was Candy’s last and was directed by Michael Moore, a well-known documentary filmmaker. The plot of Canadian Bacon is that the invasion led to a series of crazy encounters with polite Canadian Mounted Police and much ado about maple syrup and moose. In the case of Candy, the invasion was a comedic success.

Trump could be imitating art in this case. A successful Maduro seizure could embolden him to reach out to other areas that he would like to annex, including Greenland and Canada.

In the case of Greenland, it is getting elbows up with Denmark in an effort to protect its sovereignty while Trump is claiming that the U.S. needs to own it because of the strategic location in the North Atlantic.

As for Canada, we all know that the president has already said he would like to weaken us economically, and he is doing everything in his power to do so. He has ruled out an invasion, but if you parse Rubio’s weekend television statement, anyone who is even a competitor of the U.S. in our hemisphere is a potential target of American foreign policy attention.

Where does that put our country if the Canada-U.S.-Mexico is not renewed and we become competitors in many former areas of free trade?

No wonder Prime Minister Mark Carney has muted his comments on the Maduro takedown. We could be next.

And the only way to prevent that is to make sure that Trump’s sights are focused elsewhere and not on his neighbour to the North.

Canadian Bacon was funny. This is not.

Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.

Peter Mazereeuw speaks with former deputy prime minister Sheila Copps about Mark Carney’s big speech at Davos, China, Trump and Greenland, a 2026 election, floor crossing, and more.