Many Canadians said they are pleased by Democrats taking control of the U.S. Congress, but some remain unsure whether the Canada-U.S. relationship will ease.
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Canadians’ reaction to the U.S. midterm results has been mixed after a Democratic sweep of Congress, with several people saying they are happy the political balance in Washington has shifted while others said they do not expect the broader relationship to improve quickly.
Juli Taylor said she felt “overjoyed” with the outcome in the United States, adding she is “done” with being “picked on” and has no plans to visit “any time soon.” She said she would likely consider a trip if the tariff dispute is resolved, but described vacationing across the border as “not my first choice.”
Blair Coyle said he has also stopped visiting the United States, hoping Democratic control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate will help ease tensions. He said he travelled to Europe three times this year instead of going to the U.S.
Other Canadians said a change in party control does not necessarily guarantee a change in approach. Gerry Carlin pointed to President Donald Trump’s stated intention to use “tremendous” veto powers if his party loses, and said he does not trust either the president or the policies he has pursued, adding there is “no guarantee” of a shift because “You still got two years to go.”
Uwe Richter said he favours political change that checks Trump’s power but plans to boycott American products “as much as it’s possible,” arguing Trump has damaged the relationship between Canada and the United States and the wider world. He said rebuilding trust will take time and described his own hesitation to spend money in the U.S. until there is “quite a lot of change” in the situation between the two countries.
Canada’s Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Wednesday that Ottawa’s push to diversify trade will not change as Democrats take control of Congress, and said recent talks with Trump’s administration were productive.
The report also cited ongoing strains including Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods and repeated comments about Canada’s status, alongside escalating tensions described in the account. It noted that nearly two years into Trump’s second term, some Canadians expect any improvement to require significant changes.
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