Polls show that Canadians are worried that the political disputes in the United States will undermine the domestic economy and security

According to Reuters reported on the 9th, a new poll shows that the Canadian people are worried that the political conflict in the United States will undermine Canada's domestic security and economic growth. Meanwhile, an "anti-vaccine injunction" protest, praised by former U.S. President Donald Trump, swept through the capital, Ottawa, and affected the U.S.-Canada border.

Reuters reported with picture

According to the Angus Reid Institute survey, 47 percent of Canadian respondents believe the United States is becoming an "authoritarian state," and 78 percent expressed concern that political disputes sparked by American-style democracy will affect Canada's economy and security. The anxiety captured in the survey provided context for protests across Canada, particularly in the capital, Ottawa. Canadian police said the U.S. side provided "substantial" funding and organizational support for the protests.

On the 9th, the current round of protests in Ottawa entered the 13th day, and some radical symbols appeared on the scene, such as the "Southern Federation Flag" of the United States. Reuters said it was a symbol of hatred linked to radical populism espoused by Trump supporters. Some protesters have threatened that their goal is not only to revoke the "vaccine injunction" but also to overthrow the Canadian government.

Over the weekend, Trump publicly expressed his support for truck drivers who were protesting in Canada and denounced Liberal Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau as a "far-left lunatic." On Monday, Canadian Federal Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino said the government would be "on high alert to outside forces and foreign interference." Roland Paris, Trudeau's former foreign policy adviser and professor of international affairs at the University of Ottawa, said that "the United States, which once called itself a 'beacon of democracy,' is now exporting right-wing sedition to other democracies."

Bruce Heyman, who served as U.S. ambassador to Canada from 2014 to 2017, said that "the success or failure of the United States will have a profound impact on Canada, and over the past few years, the more extreme parts of our American politics have moved to Canada and occupied a part of the country."

Jan. 6 marks the first anniversary of the capitol Hill riots in the United States, and Canadian newspapers published a series of articles warning about the ability of American-style democracy to repair itself in the coming years, especially after the 2024 presidential election. (Editor: SDY)