At the start of 2024, 54 per cent of Canadians had a positive opinion of the United States, a significant increase from the all-time low of 32 per cent recorded in July 2020. Thirteen months ago, Canadians perceived our neighbouring nation in a much more favourable light under the presidency of Joe Biden than at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with Donald Trump in the White House.

Plenty has changed since. Canada-U.S. relations became the top issue in surveys of likely voters conducted by Research Co. during the federal election campaign, after Trump initiated a tariff dispute and mused about Canada becoming an American state — a course of action that only 21 per cent of Canadians want to seriously contemplate.

Trump’s rhetoric has influenced our collective perceptions of the U.S. This year, only 26 per cent of Canadians hold positive views of the country — down 28 points since January 2024 and six points below the previous all-time low — while two-thirds (67 per cent, up 29 points) espouse negative........

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