⚠️ 59% of Canadians View the U.S. as a Top Threat
July 15, 2025
A new Pew Research Center poll reveals a dramatic shift in Canadian views of the United States: 59% of Canadians now see the U.S. as a top threat, a threefold increase since 2019. At the same time, 55% still view the U.S. as Canada’s most important ally—a striking contradiction that reflects the country’s growing ambivalence toward its southern neighbour.
The tension appears rooted in economic and geopolitical anxiety. About three-quarters of Canadians see the U.S. as an economic threat, and 53% also view it as a national security concern. Analysts link this shift to a cascade of destabilizing signals—from Trump-era tariffs and trade threats to fringe commentary about annexing Canadian territory. The result: a relationship that feels increasingly one-sided and unpredictable.
What stands out isn’t just the intensity of the concern, but its conflicted tone. Canadians understand that our economies are deeply intertwined, our defense structures interlocked, our cultural exports overlapping. And yet, many are starting to wonder: at what cost?
Our Take: From where we sit, this shift feels familiar. It reflects what we see in the marketplace too: products that look Canadian but send profits elsewhere; supply chains that snap under pressure; industries that were quietly hollowed out while no one was looking. The Pew data simply gives voice to a deeper instinct many Canadians already feel—that resilience starts at home, and that even close alliances should be approached with clarity, not complacency. The U.S. remains a partner. But more and more, Canadians are realizing it’s not always a steady one.
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