Political tensions real, but when chips are down Canadians, Americans show up for each other

Winnipeg Free Press

a day ago

It's an odd contradiction. One day, we're in a full-blown trade war with the United States, boycotting American whiskey and throwing around retaliatory tariffs like poker chips.
The next, we're welcoming U.S. firefighters with open arms to help battle raging wildfires in northern Manitoba.
This is Canada-U.S. relations in 2025. On one hand, we have tit-for-tat tariffs on steel, aluminum, lumber and other goods. On the other, we have boots on the ground — Americans working shoulder to shoulder with Canadians, risking their lives to protect our communities from natural disaster.
American fire crews prepare to leave the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Thursday morning to help battle the province's wildfires. (Province of Manitoba)
It's a jarring contrast, but it reveals something deeper about the true nature of our relationship with our neighbours to the south: when push comes to shove, ideology takes a back seat to humanity.
Let's rewind. When President Donald Trump reignited his tariff playbook earlier this year — slapping duties on Canadian imports ranging from paper products to maple syrup — Canada responded in kind. Ottawa announced retaliatory tariffs, and province, including Manitoba, didn't hold back.
In a highly publicized move, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries announced it would no longer stock American-made alcohols, including some popular Tennessee bourbons and California wines. The ban remains in effect.
There's been a wave of similar symbolic boycotts across the country. Cities are pulling back from U.S. construction contracts. Local officials are urging consumers to 'Buy Canadian.' Many Canadians are refusing to vacation in the U.S., even for weekend getaways. Nationalism has found a new rallying cry.
And who can blame them? Trump's America-First approach has always played well with parts of the Republican base, but it comes at a cost to long-standing trade partners, such as Canada. Jobs are at risk. Exporters are left scrambling. And everyday consumers are caught in the crossfire.
But just as the rhetoric ramps up in press conferences and policy briefings, something remarkable unfolds on the ground.
As fires raged across northern Manitoba in recent weeks, threatening dozens of communities and displacing more than 18,000 people, Canada could rely on its old friend — the United States (and others) — for help.
Approximately 100 firefighters and 25 managerial or support staff from the U.S. arrived Thursday to help extinguish the flames. About 110 more American firefighters are expected next week.
No conditions. No political games. Just help.
It's not the first time, of course. Canada and the U.S. have a long history of mutual aid during wildfires, floods and other natural disasters. The agreements are baked into our shared protocols and border pacts. They're largely immune to whatever political storm is brewing in Washington or Ottawa at the time.
When the Fort McMurray fires devastated Alberta in 2016, for example, American crews came north. Canadian crews returned the favour during catastrophic wildfires in California. This is what neighbours do — they help each other in times of crisis.
What this juxtaposition reveals is a deeper truth often lost in the political noise: real people — firefighters, volunteers, displaced families — don't live their lives according to tariff schedules or party platforms. When disaster strikes, ideology melts away. What matters is compassion, co-ordination, and trust.
The people fighting fires in northern Manitoba don't care whether their counterparts voted Democrat or Republican. They care about containing the blaze, saving homes and making sure everyone gets out safely.
That kind of co-operation can't be legislated or sanctioned. It comes from a bond far deeper than economics or trade agreements. It's rooted in a shared history, a cultural closeness and the lived experience of two nations that, for better or worse, are joined at the hip.
So where does that leave us?
We're clearly in a period of strained political relations with the U.S., fuelled by the unpredictable and narcissistic behaviour of a deranged American president. Trade fights are real, and the consequences affect livelihoods from places such as Winnipeg and Flin Flon.
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But let's not let the politics define the entire story. Because on the ground, when lives are on the line, the Canada-U.S. relationship still works. In fact, it thrives.
Maybe we should take a page from our own emergency playbook. If we can collaborate so effectively during wildfires — sharing resources, respecting protocols and trusting each other's expertise — why can't we bring that same spirit to trade talks and economic policy?
It's tempting for politicians to rally around a common enemy, especially when that enemy is conveniently located just south of the border. But the real world is messier. The same country that imposes unfair tariffs is also the one helping douse the flames in our backyard.
In the end, maybe the best measure of a relationship isn't found in balance sheets or tariff lists. Maybe it's found in the way people show up for each other — when it really counts.
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Tom BrodbeckColumnist
Tom Brodbeck is a columnist with the Free Press and has over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the Free Press in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. Read more about Tom.
Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The Free Press's editing team reviews Tom's columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
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