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Toronto Sun
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Disney World getting rid of three beloved rides for new ‘Cars' attraction
A view at Disney's CARS Road Trip attraction as Disneyland Paris parks reopen on June 17, 2021 in Paris, France. Photo by Marc Piasecki / Getty Images Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. A Cars -themed section is coming to Disney World — which means something has to go. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Rides and attractions inspired by the Lightning McQueen-loving franchise are coming to Magic Kingdom's Frontierland nearly 20 years after the first movie's release. To make room for Piston Peak National Park, three longtime attractions will be displaced, according to a Disney Parks Blog post. Say bon voyage to Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat, which will close prior to construction beginning on July 7, Disney said in a statement to the blog. While the three Frontierland draws inspiration from the Mississippi River region, the Cars universe is set in the Arizona/Route 66 part of the United States. That said, Disney Parks is hoping the Piston Peak expanse will 'continue the sweeping storytelling tradition' of the areas where it will reside, with nods to the American Frontier nestled within the attractions. Plan your next getaway with Travel Time, featuring travel deals, destinations and gear. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The fictional Piston Peak National Park (which was introduced in the Cars offshoot Planes: Fire & Rescue ) will feature rivers, waterfalls, geysers and 'snowcapped mountains,' according to Disney. Imagineers said the natural flow of the landscape and thoughtful sightline management are key to ensuring the new area fits seamlessly between Liberty Square and Frontierland. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The area will feature a family-friendly 'rally race' attraction featuring characters from the Cars franchise. Cars got the Disney Parks treatment in 2012 when Radiator Springs, the quaint setting of the first movie, opened to the public at Disney California Adventure. There is also the CARS Road Trip attraction in Disneyland Paris, which opened in 2021. However, not everyone is happy about the update. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Some longtime Disney fans took to social media, accusing the park of making a mistake by getting rid of the iconic attractions. 'I am heartbroken at the loss of Tom Sawyer Island,' one fan said, calling it 'the WORST decision ever.' Another 'disgusted' detractor accused Disney of 'wiping out of the Walt Disney era.' RECOMMENDED VIDEO A third X user mourned the loss of a 'true park within a park.' They noted: 'Walt's Rivers of America transports you to something ideal in American values of exploration, adventure, history, and scenery. This is a HUGE mistake from Disney. Cartoon Cars will never last the test of time.' However, one place applauded Disney for keeping the 'same vibe' by 'incorporation the river and adding new water features.' The opening date of Piston Peak National Park has yet to be announced. Read More Olympics World Toronto Blue Jays Columnists Celebrity
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Why do India's brightest find Harvard easier to enter than IITs?
It sounds different at first, how could one of the world's most prestigious Ivy League institutions be more accessible than India's own engineering strongholds? But for thousands of Indian students each year, that's the sobering reality. Harvard, with its global reputation and ultra-selective admissions, is seen as the pinnacle of academic achievement. Yet for many top Indian students, clearing the difficult Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) feels even harder. Statistically, they're right. While Harvard accepts about 3% to 5% of applicants, the top IITs admit less than 0.2%, a competition so fierce it borders on the impossible, according to The Economist. And the pressure isn't just numerical, it's cultural, psychological, and systemic. A test of endurance, not excellence India's entrance exams are unforgiving. Students begin preparing years in advance, often sacrificing adolescence for a shot at a seat in IITs or IIMs. In coaching towns like Kota, teenagers live regimented lives, measured not in experiences but in mock tests, cutoffs, and daily rankings. Contrast that with American universities like Harvard, which adopt a holistic admissions process, one that considers essays, recommendation letters, extracurriculars, and personal character alongside academic merit. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo In short, they assess potential, not just performance. Rejection at home, recognition abroad This paradox plays out year after year: Students who are denied entry into India's top institutes end up accepted by Ivy League schools. It isn't that they're less intelligent; it's that India's system is designed as a sieve, not a searchlight. It filters ruthlessly, often overlooking creative thinkers, late bloomers, and non-conformists. Over 60% of the top 100 IIT rankers still leave India for graduate studies abroad. And now, many who fail to enter IITs at all are finding prestigious opportunities in the West, because, in many ways, they are finally being seen. A pipeline built on pressure According to The Economist, nearly one-third of all international students in the US are Indian. Many pursue STEM fields, drawn by flexible curricula, research opportunities, and comparatively less cut-throat undergraduate admissions. It's no surprise, then that even with volatile visa policies and occasional political hostility, like those during Donald Trump's presidency, Indian students continue to look West. Germany, Canada, and even the Netherlands are emerging as new favourites for Indian families wary of the IIT rat race. These countries offer not just quality education but a reprieve from the emotional toll exacted by India's hyper-competitive model. What does this say about India's system? That Harvard might be more accessible than an IIT is not a compliment to American universities; it's an indictment of India's own educational gatekeeping. Our brightest minds should not have to seek validation from abroad because their potential wasn't shaped into the narrow mold demanded by entrance tests. The question isn't whether Indian students are capable enough for the Ivy League. Clearly, they are. The question is: Why must they leave India to feel worthy? Until we reimagine our idea of merit—from a single number on an answer sheet to a fuller picture of capability and creativity, India will keep exporting talent it fails to nurture. Harvard may keep opening its doors. But shouldn't India do the same? Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
The Hill
7 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
Trump bill takes unfriendly fire from GOP allies
President Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' took unfriendly fire from several White House allies Tuesday, including Elon Musk, complicating its path out of the Senate and to the president's desk. Musk offered stinging criticism of the bill just days after he left the administration, calling it 'a disgusting abomination.' 'I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,' Musk posted on his social platform X. 'Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it,' the tech mogul continued, taking direct aim at House Republicans and drawing rebukes from GOP leaders in Congress. It's all a matter of bad timing for the president, who just went into overdrive seeking to win over GOP critics of the House bill. Trump made a series of calls in recent days as he begins the effort to get the bill through the Senate, where it faces calls for more spending cuts from the likes of Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). Separately, GOP senators such as Josh Hawley (Mo.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Thom Tillis (N.C.) have other worries, ranging from what the bill would do to those on Medicaid to green tax credits. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had to react to the Musk missive in real time, as a reporter read her his post. 'The president already knows where Elon Musk stood on this bill,' she said, brushing off Musk's bruising commentary. 'It doesn't change the president's opinion. This is one, big, beautiful bill and he's sticking to it.' A few GOP senators, though, quickly sided with Musk. Paul backed the billionaire's comments after he had doubled down on his own objections to the bill, saying that he strongly opposes raising the debt ceiling, which would be hiked by $4 trillion under the current legislation. The president earlier Tuesday had directly slammed Paul, accusing the Kentucky lawmaker of voting 'NO on everything' and 'never' having 'practical or constructive ideas.' Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) also backed Musk, calling the deficit increase 'nothing short of stunning.' Johnson, another Trump ally, has harped on the need for the bill to be slashed in size in a series of cable news interviews. The White House on Tuesday signaled it wasn't worried about the GOP criticism. 'Those senators, it's not news that they disagree with this president on policy and the president has vocally called them out for it and for not having their facts together,' Leavitt said, calling the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) 'historically wrong' over its cost projections of the GOP plan. 'He's entitled to his opinion. I think that's a bit strong,' added Tillis, who told The Hill earlier in the day that he would oppose the House bill if that were the final version. 'I think there's a fair amount of policy in the bill. I think what Elon is talking about is a fraction of the bill. I don't believe he's focusing on a number of the things that even the American people's not focused on.' The airing of grievances comes at a make-or-break moment for the GOP, as they try to complete work by July Fourth, which members have laid out as a goal date as they attempt to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent and eliminate taxes on tips, among other things. Trump is getting in on the action, speaking over the phone or meeting in person with Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Hawley, Johnson and Paul in recent days. 'He knows the list,' said one source familiar with the Senate state of play, referring to the members who must be won over. According to Johnson, Trump called him recently after his multiple TV appearances where he has heaped criticism on the House bill and talked up the needed spending cuts. 'He understands my concerns. He would love to return to reasonable, pre-pandemic spending,' Johnson said of Trump. '[That's] hard to accomplish in the House, I recognize that fact as well. … He expressed his concerns and I expressed mine. They're legitimate concerns on both sides.' The Wisconsin Republican also noted that he spoke on Monday night with White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, who subsequently appeared at the weekly Senate GOP luncheon on Tuesday. Trump is 'deeply involved' with 'personally advocating' for the bill and there will be additional meetings going forward between the administration and lawmakers to get it passed, a White House official told The Hill. Hawley told The Hill that their discussion is part of a 'rolling' one centered on his opposition to Medicaid benefit cuts — an opposition that Trump shares. 'We talk on a pretty consistent basis,' he said. 'He's so involved. On the House side, they wouldn't have landed the plane without him.' 'He's very — to put it mildly — very, very involved, and I think he'll be, as the bill comes into focus on this side, I think he'll get more involved,' Hawley continued. 'He's how [Speaker] Mike Johnson passed it. Without him, they would never have passed it.' Scott said that he met with Trump at the White House at the president's behest to discuss the avenue to getting it done. The Florida Republican has been aligned with Johnson and Lee in the hopes of increasing spending cuts. Paul also said that he had a 'lengthy' call with the president in recent days. The Kentucky Republican has long been believed to be the toughest GOP member to win over, given his opposition to the debt ceiling hike. 'He did most of the talking,' Paul said. Although members concede Trump's impact is more acute with House members, given the political dynamics in the chamber, they still see the president as having real sway to get the package over the finish line. 'He's the closer,' Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told The Hill. 'The president clearly is very dialed in right now.'
Newsweek
30-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Were Elon Musk and DOGE Good for America? Newsweek Contributors Debate
Elon Musk confirmed Wednesday he will step down from his controversial role in the Trump administration leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Was Musk's tenure a success? And what will his legacy be? Newsweek Opinion contributors Paul du Quenoy and David Faris debate: Paul du Quenoy: Elon Musk's departure from his advisory role as a special government employee, which is legally limited to a 130-day period, has come to an end. In that time, Musk's DOGE operation became firmly rooted in government, saved the taxpayer a reported $175 billion in immediate expenses, spared billions more in ongoing expenses over time, and exposed the waste and fraud that a majority of voters have long—and correctly—believed was present in Washington. Over 70 percent of Americans favor a watchdog like DOGE monitoring government spending, and it is conceivable that DOGE's continuing work, if unhindered by the courts, could yield a figure near the $2 trillion in savings Musk had pledged to find by DOGE's formal expiration date on July 4, 2026. David Faris: Musk's DOGE project will be remembered for simultaneously laying the groundwork for future catastrophe and destroying the value of Tesla, Musk's electric vehicle firm. As the face of the Trump administration's indiscriminate government liquidation, Musk is on the hook for all the consequences—plane crashes, foodborne illness outbreaks, and more—of his Year-Zero elimination of civil servants that actually costs taxpayers money. The only thing he's done that's been good for America is to finally slink back to Tesla to repair the brand damage he incurred with the very people—urban liberals—most likely to buy his dated and overpriced cars. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Canva/Getty du Quenoy: While it is true that Musk's tenure has been controversial and his efforts have reportedly been frustrated, the DOGE effort and the spirit behind it—to identify and eliminate wasteful and fraudulent government spending—remains and will likely continue to remain extremely popular. As DOGE continues its work to yield more savings for the American taxpayer, taxes seem primed to reach historic lows while the shenanigans that were tolerated for decades by weaker administrators will be brought to an end. Faris: It is certainly true that Americans support, in the abstract, an effort to find and eliminate waste. But what Trump and Musk never understood is that most Americans don't despise government like GOP ideologues do, and would prefer that restructuring only happen after careful review. Many of the agencies targeted for deep cuts, including the Social Security Administration and the National Parks Service, are those that poll the highest according to Pew, and most Americans bear those workers no ill will. That's why the spectacular cruelty with which the cuts were carried out tanked Musk's personal brand and triggered Trump's inexorable decline in approval. du Quenoy: The DOGE cuts have affected some programs that Americans don't completely despise, but this certainly does not mean Americans approve of waste and fraud, or that they would prefer a situation in which wasteful and fraudulent government spending—of which DOGE discovered an ample amount in USAID, government human rights agencies, welfare authorities, and other areas guided far more by radical leftist, anti-American ideology than by the interests of the United States—continue unchecked while they foot the bill. Faris: Far from revealing pervasive shenanigans, what Musk's misadventure really proved was that many government systems, particularly Social Security, are already close to as efficient as they're going to get, and that further cutting risks inflicting harm on the very people Republicans pretend to care the most about, including seniors and veterans. Musk's purported savings aren't even in the ballpark of what he promised, and his actions have served only to make critical federal work permanently unattractive to our best and brightest young minds. Which, of course, was probably the goal all along—to hobble state capacity, clearing the way for endless Trumpian grift. du Quenoy: Critics may gripe about the figures and theorize potential effects, but the lasting result of DOGE, whose work will continue for at least another 13 months in its current form, is a leaner, smarter, more honest, and less wasteful federal government. That's something most Americans want and will enjoy in the form of tax savings that already reach into the thousands of dollars per person, in the knowledge that their hard-earned resources will no longer be wasted on inefficient government bureaucrats who hate them and their values. Faris: Would cancelling your flood insurance save your household money? Sure, but the tail risk is enormous, and the reality is that DOGE's efforts have increased rather than decreased costs. After all, the "rescissions package" unveiled by the White House this week only calls for $9.4 billion in permanent, DOGE-related cuts. Musk's pet project has nevertheless hobbled U.S. leadership in science and risked calamity by gutting agencies like the FDA. That's what happens when you turn an alleged good-government effort over to a bizarre egomaniac who cares more about the German far right getting power than he does about American kids getting E. coli. Paul du Quenoy is President of the Palm Beach Freedom Institute. David Faris is a professor of political science at Roosevelt University and the author of It's Time to Fight Dirty: How Democrats Can Build a Lasting Majority in American Politics and The Kids Are All Left: How Young Voters Will Unite America. His writing has appeared in Slate, The Washington Post, The New Republic, and more. You can find him on Twitter @davidmfaris and Bluesky at The views expressed in this article are the writers' own.
Calgary Herald
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Falling out of love with America. When the trust is gone is it permanently over?
Article content One night while stationed in Hope, B.C., RCMP Const. Jack Van Steensel strapped himself to the boom of a large mobile crane and had it swing him over the raging Coquihalla River to rescue a freezing driver who had plunged his car into the tributary of the mighty Fraser. 'Everywhere we looked, we saw the American flag on so many homes,' said Rose. 'The patriotism was so evident.' They loved that trip and most years since, they've packed that motorhome, made room for Sangria, their rescue dog, and headed south from their home in Knutsford, on the outskirts of Kamloops. Their trips stretched longer and further, especially after Jack retired from the force. 'We've hit every state — other than Hawaii. We couldn't pump those tires up enough to get to Hawaii,' Rose said. 'We loved it. Wherever we went, we loved it. I loved South Dakota. It was so different. Maine was so beautiful in the fall, like nothing I'd ever seen in my life. We made friends in Florida, California, Washington State, Oregon and Arizona.' They put 110,000 kilometres on their Dutch Star. 'We have such wonderful memories,' Rose said. 'We are glad we have them, as we are not sure if we will return.' Like many Canadians, Jack and Rose are falling out of love with America. There've been rocky months recently in the long relationship between Canada and the United States, ever since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. Even before his inauguration in January, Trump showed an unsettling attitude toward his country's next-door neighbour and largest trading partner. Trump's insulting and belittling musings, threats of punishing economic warfare to push annexation, and aggressive tariffs on Canada's goods are causing anger, uncertainty and fear. Anyone who has watched a relationship sour knows those emotions are a recipe for shattered trust. Economic integration, trading partnerships, treaties and multilateral agreements all take time to untangle, but love can evaporate with an overnight tweet. If Canadian feelings for America aren't always love, exactly, there has been a broad affinity for the United States; for some, it's been admiration, but for most there has at least been a sense of serenity that came from generations of close social and cultural integration. That cosiness is suddenly endangered. Interviews with people across Canada show that different folks are responding in different ways to the changes Trump brings, and they have different reasons for it, too, but empirical and anecdotal evidence suggest there is an unsubtle and unsettling trend: A cross-border social unravelling is underway as connections wilt and wither; a decoupling, in the modern language of relationship therapists. The signs of a split are all around us, in politics, business, shopping, travel, sports, and in endless social niceties and interactions that were once routine. Canadian flags have become so popular lately it reminded Jack and Rose Van Steensel of their first impressions of America when driving through the United States. Although Rose throws in an 'elbows up' joke, they aren't the most strident soldiers in this war. She said they don't want their distaste for Trump's policies to make them anti-American. She deplores when Canadian sports fans boo the U.S. national anthem. We're scared to go down. Rose Van Steensel 'That is so not Canadian,' Rose said. 'You're booing the wrong thing if you're booing the national anthem. If Trump walked out there, OK, boo him. He's the one that's doing this. But don't boo the whole United States of America. Not fair, not fair.' Americans, she said, are mostly wonderful. 'From our first trip into the States, we were treated kindly and learned to really respect the American people,' Rose said. 'I don't want to see those people lose their jobs. They didn't all vote for him and lots of the ones that did are now regretting it.' When shopping, she looks for products made in Canada but if she needs romaine lettuce and the only romaine is from the U.S., well, she'll still put it in her cart. Her travel plans are different. Trump's actions are 'a real slap in the face,' she said, but the major reason they don't want to motor south is mainly because she's no longer sure it's safe. 'We're scared to go down,' she said. She doesn't like what she's heard of border scrutiny and new rules for the treatment of Canadian travellers, including fingerprinting. She's afraid someone might see their B.C. licence plate and lash out. There is, she said, 'fear of retribution because the MAGA people have heard nothing but negative things about Canada from Trump. 'It brings tears to my eyes when I think that the amazing country I loved coming to might no longer be safe.' 🍁🍁🍁🍁 Allan MacEachern has spent his life in St. Stephen, a town on the banks of the St. Croix River that separates New Brunswick from Maine. 'I guess my arm's not that good anymore, but I could almost throw a rock and hit the American soil from the shoreline. It's literally right there. You could holler across,' he said. MacEachern was elected to St. Stephen's town council in 2012, as mayor in 2016, and has been re-elected twice more since. For as long as he remembers, for much longer, in fact, his town and the U.S. town across the water, Calais, Maine, have been like one community. They share a fire service, businesses, and genetics and have for generations. When COVID-19 shut the border, people in both towns headed to the riverfront and stood on the shoreline waving to friends and family in the other town. And when a man from St. Stephen married a woman from Calais, lockdown meant most of the bride's family couldn't cross over for it, so MacEachern helped arrange their ceremony at the tip of the town's wharf, with American guests watching from the shore of Calais, and from boats bobbing in the river. Despite a population of about 8,500 in St. Stephen and 3,000 in Calais, there are three bridges with international border crossings connecting them. During the War of 1812, British soldiers delivered gunpowder to St. Stephen so residents could protect their town from the Americans across the river. The town instead gave the barrel of gunpowder to Calais to use in their Fourth of July celebration fireworks. Now that's trust. Calais later replaced the gunpowder, and that barrel still sits in the St. Stephen mayor's office, MacEachern said. Tightening border controls after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States made it harder for people to flow back and forth, and the pandemic caused further division, but they kept their strong bonds. Now there is a new barrier: Donald Trump. 'It's challenging because us in border communities are looking at our neighbours right in the eyes,' MacEachern said of the border tension. Across the St. Croix River, which narrows to 40 metres in spots, MacEachern's American counterpart is Marcia Rogers. She has lived in Calais for 35 years. For 11 of them, she sat on town council and, since November, has been mayor. 'It's French,' Rogers said of her town's name, 'but it's not pronounced that way here. We pronounce it callous.' Border communities are different than other towns. 'Living on a border, people that have lived here for generations have family on both sides. It's generations of families that have crossed the borders, so we're not just talking about Americans and Canadians, we are family and friends that go back and forth,' Rogers said. She owns horses and buys her hay in Canada. One of her horses is stabled in Canada. And across the river lies other enticements: 'In St. Stephen, they have a Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Burger King that we do not have over here,' she said. Don't let one man divide us. Mayor Marcia Rogers, about Donald Trump Rogers is worried. As soon as Trump started taunting Canada and threatening tariffs, Canadians began to stay away. 'We have serious concerns. Some of our businesses have taken a serious setback in revenues,' Rogers said. 'Our general feed store, which also is the packaging hub for Canada, their revenues are down 50 per cent. The local IGA, the food stores, are down across the board. And you know, the tariffs hadn't even gone into effect when those things started. It's because our Canadian friends — rightly so — decided not to come across the border. I don't think they want to be a 51st state.' She keeps hoping it blows over, but it's only getting worse. Friendships are fraying. 'I've seen it both ways, both Americans saying, 'Too bad for the Canadians, you're going to start paying instead of, you know, screwing us over,' and Canadians saying, 'We're not coming over there if you think we'll be the 51st state.' But there's also people that speak up and say, 'Hey, remember that we've all been here for each other for years and years, for generations.' 'When this first started, I was nervous about going across the border,' Rogers said. 'I was a little nervous about going over because I had an American licence plate.' When she crossed, she had no problems. 'What we keep reminding each other is, it's not coming from our communities, it's not our decision, it's way above our pay grade. Don't let one man divide us,' Rogers said of Trump. MacEachern is full of sympathy for residents of Calais. He doesn't want his neighbours to suffer. 'We've got businesses in Calais putting out ads saying, 'We miss you, Canadians, we love you, please come back,' and they're even offering Canadian money at par at some of the restaurants. And that hurts to see. We went through that in COVID and it's very upsetting,' he said. MacEachern and Rogers encourage their communities to keep their cross-border bonds from unravelling further, but things are beyond their control. Schools and sports teams around St. Stephen recently cut off travel to the United States, including for long-established cross-border leagues and tournaments. It was not done in protest: 'Some of our school students are immigrants and they definitely don't want to take a chance crossing the border right now, because they don't know how that will be handled,' said MacEachern. The border boycott hurts on both sides of the river. This is the gateway between Atlantic Canada and the United States. Most of the traffic comes from farther away and those travellers are steering clear of the border, which means they're staying away from both towns. 'It's also hurting St. Stephen because we rely on people and product crossing our border. I'm really concerned about tourist season coming. What's that going to look like?' Each summer for more than 50 years, the two towns have co-hosted the International Homecoming Festival, a summer festival celebrating their ties. A highlight is a parade that crosses the border. The towns are still planning to hold the August festival, this time with an eye to mending obvious fractures. A poster for the event says: 'We are family … we hug it out.' 'We've been friends and allies for years and years and years — and they've been hurtful words that have been said and that's pretty tough for Canadians to hear — but what we keep reminding each other is it's not coming from our communities,' MacEachern said. 'But that doesn't make it easier. They're still pretty angry.' 🍁🍁🍁🍁 Brian Rathbun is new to Canada. As an international relations and political science professor, he arrived in July from the University of Southern California to teach at the University of Toronto. In his classrooms in the United States each year, he used the same example to help him explain the role of trust in diplomacy and the global realm. 'The example I always used when teaching this to our undergrads is the Canadian-U.S. relationship. It takes a tremendous amount of trust to have the longest undefended land border in the world,' Rathbun said. 'Why is it undefended? Because they entirely trust the United States and its motivations. They think that the United States, even if it were to have certain designs on things that Canada has, would not make use of that power, and that's the assumption that you and I grew up with, and has probably existed for the last 100 years.' He is looking at that differently now. One hundred years of trust jeopardized within 100 days of Trump's second term. 'To shatter that with a couple of tweets, that's quite a remarkable feat. It is so alarming and so radical that this trust is declining so quickly.' Rathbun was at a Toronto Raptors game in March, a home game at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena. As the only NBA team based outside the United States, the Raptors play both national anthems before tipoff. Rathbun was shocked to hear people around him booing The Star-Spangled Banner. 'I haven't seen people booing the national anthem,' he said. 'You hear the boos but then you also hear the loud cheers for O Canada, and everyone's singing together, and that part was quite touching. 'If I had started talking to one of the fans near me at the Raptors game and I said, 'Hey, I'm an American,' that Raptors fan would have probably said, 'I hate your government, but we love you.' That's my guess, that people are distinguishing between the government and the people. 'I don't think people in Canada, when they're choosing Canadian products over American products, are saying, 'I'm going to stick it to an American farmer.' They're trying to hit the pocketbooks of Americans only because they feel that's the only way that they can send a message to the administration. They want to do their bit to contribute to the welfare of their country that they feel is being unfairly picked on,' Rathbun said. While Rathbun, the person, was startled, for Rathbun, the scholar, it made sense. When Canadians talk about falling out of love with America, he said it really means losing trust in the U.S. government. 'The multilateral world order is premised, to a large degree, on a trusting worldview that the United States had after the Second World War,' Rathbun said. The Western world had seen the might of the United States and the difference it made in the war. The United States showed itself to be the leader of a multinational ideology built on democratic principles. It valued that role and other countries learned to trust it. 'Most of what keeps international co-operation going is not hard law or hard security, it's trust,' but Trump takes a different world view, he said. The reaction from many around the world to Trump picking on Canada is similar to when people see a bully beat on a weakling, Rathbun said. 'It's precisely because of an asymmetry in power,' and a natural response to it is to try to punish the behaviour. 'We're still going to resist the bully, even if we're very small. And I think that's what you're seeing.' We aren't down on America as much as we are aware that we are guests in the United States and that our welcome can be withdrawn at any point. Canadian who has decided to build a multimillion-dollar home in B.C. instead of Montana Typically, most Americans probably don't think about Canada twice in the same year, and now suddenly they see Canadians booing their anthem, yanking their booze out of stores and, out of the mouth of Ontario Premier Doug Ford, threatening to shut off their lights in communities that buy electricity from the province. No wonder some return the social chill. 'What do Americans think about Canadians? We don't think very much about Canada at all. That could lead to a certain amount of indifference. It creates a vacuum. We've seen how people can do 180-degree turns on their views. What if you only need to make a 90-degree turn?' said Rathbun. 'I think that Trump could pretty easily turn Americans, or at least his supporters, against Canadians.' It seems to already be happening. Joe Rogan, an influential American commentator among young conservatives, might be a barometer on the issue. At first, he expressed derision at Trump picking a fight with Canada: 'Why are we upset at Canada? This is stupid,' he said on the March 14 episode of his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. 'It's the dumbest f-cking feud.' On his March 22 podcast, though, Rogan's stance seemed to have changed. When a guest mentioned an upcoming event in Montreal, Rogan said he wouldn't be there: 'I don't go to Canada anymore,' he said. 'Nor should you,' his guest replied. 🍁🍁🍁🍁 Falling out with the United States is not confined to progressives, or those opposed to Trump or Elon Musk or Trump's Make America Great Again ideology. A couple from Saskatchewan spent many years globe-hopping for work. They have lived in six countries through 10 international moves in their careers in the energy-technology sector, including in the United States. 'Living and working in the U.S. twice over a total of 10 years found us very fond of the U.S.A., to the point of having almost a split Canadian-American identity,' the husband said. They asked for their names not to be published because of pending real estate deals and unresolved business relationships. Some years ago, the couple bought property on a ski hill in Montana with plans to build a retirement home there. Recently, with the husband retired but his wife still working, they hired an architect and had house plans drawn in anticipation of starting construction on a lavish home. It was during a conversation with the proposed builder, who was their friend, that their plan started to fall apart. They were talking about hockey. In February, after hockey fans in Montreal booed the U.S. anthem at the 4 Nations Face-Off game between Canada and the United States, their builder said how unacceptable that was. 'I tried to point out how upset Canadians must be to act so uncharacteristically rude, given our collective politeness. I tried to explain that threats on our sovereignty were extreme and perhaps good reason for Canadians to become uncharacteristically rude to our neighbours,' the husband said. 'My argument fell on such deaf ears that the conversational door was slammed shut. I began falling out of love with America.' At the same time, they were hearing from friends and family still in Canada about a shift to patriotic shopping. 'That opened our minds to reconsidering Canadian ski hills after a decade and a half of focusing on our plans to build in the U.S.,' he said. They shelved their Montana land development and made an offer for a lot on a ski hill in British Columbia. 'We are buying Canadian,' he said. 'We have chosen to direct our capital and future back into Canada.' He said the decision cost Montana between $3 million and $5 million for the house alone, plus lost future revenue from their spending. The couple, though, are not liberals or Liberals. He complains of 'woke benevolence' spoiling Canada. 'We think highly of the work Trump and Musk are doing in the U.S., although we could do without some of the shock negotiation strategies,' the husband said. 'Recent political and social shifts have made us well aware that we are not Americans,' he said. 'We aren't down on America as much as we are aware that we are guests in the United States and that our welcome can be withdrawn at any point. We see that risk as ultimately a reason to favour the certainty of always being able to live in Canada, regardless of how broken it is.' It isn't just one family in one house on a ski hill that unwinding social ties has cost. Across the United States, many Canadians own vacation property and second homes where they live part-time, and some of those Canadians are calling it quits. Taking Canada over, making Canada the 51st state — none of that goes over very well. Melanie Pritchard, real estate broker, Ellicottville, N.Y. 'Canadians are half the reason we are what we are,' said Melanie Pritchard, a real estate broker in Ellicottville, N.Y., a town famous for its skiing that's an hour's drive south of the Peace Bridge border crossing between Fort Erie, Ont., and Buffalo, N.Y. Canadian skiers started buying holiday homes in and around Ellicottville decades ago and have become an important part of the community. Many of the region's events are timed for Canadians: A summer festival is over Canada Day and a fall festival over Canada's Thanksgiving. 'I can't tell you the number of Canadians that have become our friends, very good friends,' Pritchard said. Wrinkles and tears are now in that social fabric. As a Realtor, she sees the damage firsthand: there has been a sudden and unusual increase in Canadians selling their homes. She has several on the market now. 'They do express concerns about the situation, not only with the tariffs, per se, but just the general environment,' Pritchard said. 'A lot of them have expressed dismay with the rhetoric that's been going on from our country's leaders. You know, taking Canada over, making Canada the 51st state — none of that goes over very well.' Pritchard is worried about the finality that comes with Canadians selling rather than just renting the house to someone else for a while. 'We understand their concerns and we just hate to see it become too much of a thing.' She said the town has called a meeting to discuss the change. Not every Canadian has come to the same conclusion. 🍁🍁🍁🍁 Lyle Zdunich had only been back in Saskatoon a week after flying in from his winter house 3,100 kilometres from the gnawing bite of Saskatchewan's winter. He had time to talk about it while waiting for the Winnipeg Jets to hit the ice. A retired chartered accountant, Zdunich has owned property near Palm Springs, Calif., since 1998 and has spent the last 21 of his 75 winters there. He and his wife, Arlene, fly down to their condo in a gated community each October. If you get away from Donald Trump and some of the things he's said, the Americans are still our allies and friends. Lyle Zdunich, Saskatoon 'As soon as we get off the plane, it's like we're at home down there,' he said. 'We've met tons of people. Between golf and tennis and whatnot, and we know other Canadians down there, so it's been a very enjoyable experience.' The Zdunichs are among thousands of Canadian snowbirds who arrive each winter in Palm Springs. The desert city's population triples come November and deflates back to about 45,000 in March. Most of that surge comes from Canada. 'I am definitely not anti-American,' Zdunich said. 'If you get away from Donald Trump and some of the things he's said, the Americans are still our allies and friends. Having lived in the States for just about half the year, whether somebody's from Saskatchewan or somebody's from Palm Springs, to me, they're all the same.' For sure, he doesn't like what he's hearing about Canada from the White House, but he considers it to only be Trump's ranting, more publicity than policy. 'I'm of the point of view that I think it's totally an unfortunate situation, but in the short term it's not going to change my view of going down there. Forget all the noise going around, it'll get sorted out. Do I want to forgo the friendships I have formed just because of something that may or may not occur?' He said he hasn't experienced animosity from people down south. 'Absolutely zero negative response from the Americans towards Canada — if they felt that way, they sure would be willing to say it, but nobody does.' Zdunich said he hears people in Canada talk about boycotting the United States, but that's not for him. 'I agree with most people, that if (Trump) would just not say a lot of things he does, it would be a lot better. But I'm not going to sell my place. It's a welcoming environment from everybody I know down there.' Businesses in Palm Springs will love hearing his response. Tourism from Canada is way down across the United States. Border crossings from Canada dropped by close to a million travellers this March compared to last, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. It's the biggest decline since COVID-19 shut down travel. Flight bookings from Canada to the United States have collapsed. In March, advanced airline bookings were down more than 70 per cent for each month April to September compared to last year, according to airline data from OAG Aviation. There has been less traffic going the other direction as well, with the number of trips by U.S. residents driving to Canada down 10.6 per cent this March over last. While Canadians are falling out of love with America, Palm Springs wants them to know the feeling isn't mutual. In April, the city hung banners from downtown street-lights and put up billboards at the airport saying: 'Palm Springs ♥️ Canada.' Photos of the signs in the airport with few passengers in sight attracted harsh comments on Facebook: 'Are all the passengers detained in facilities? It's really empty there,' said one. 'They're on a connecting flight to El Salvador,' came a reply. All of California is feeling the impact of being spurned by Canadians, and its governor, Gavin Newsom, knows why his usual flood of tourist is drying up. California launched a statewide campaign to lure Canadians back, and Newsom's pitch is to distance California from Trump, physically and ideologically. 'The state of mind in the United States of America has dramatically changed as it relates to the approach to Canada, and we want to make sure we send a message to our Canadian friends up north to come to a state where two million Canadians visited last year,' Newsom said in a promotion. A video ad makes a sharper point. 'Sure, you know who's trying to stir things up back in D.C.,' the ad says, and then cuts to a photo of a tilting White House, 'but don't let that ruin your beach plans. California's the ultimate playground, 2,000 miles from Washington and a world away in mindset … We've got plenty of sunshine and a whole lot of love for our neighbours up north.' 🍁🍁🍁🍁 Statistics back up anecdotes of a broad social unravelling. A recent YouGov survey of Canadians found a remarkable decoupling: 44 per cent said they consider the U.S. to be unfriendly; 20 per cent said it was an enemy. Only 15 per cent said it was an ally and 10 per cent said friendly, with 11 per cent saying they weren't sure. That's a huge tumble since the same question was asked in 2020, when 18 per cent described the United States as unfriendly and only four per cent said an enemy. The survey also found 61 per cent of Canadian respondents were already boycotting American companies. The most boycotted items were fruits and vegetables, booze, personal care items and household goods. A survey of American citizens by the same research company found U.S. citizens' view of Canada was also deteriorating. In late March, 16 per cent of Americans polled said Canada was an enemy of the United States. That seems low, but it's the highest level of animosity since data started in 2017, when only five per cent said it. The same poll showed 73.7 per cent of Americans said Canada was an ally, a drop from almost 86 per cent in 2017. It's hard to trust an enemy, so this is a big problem. In our personal lives, trust is an important part of how we interact with others. It's how we choose whom to leave a spare house key with, whom we invite to our party. It is how we decide whom to loan money to or accept a ride from; whom to date and whom to dump; whom we share secrets with and whom we believe. It's similar on the world stage. What country is trusted to come to your aid and to hold up their end of an agreement? Where do you feel safe visiting? What country do you want to succeed? Tuuli-Marja Kleiner researches why nations trust each other at Germany's Thünen Institute of Rural Studies by analyzing cross-country survey data. She said that at its heart, international trust means belief that expectations and commitments will be fulfilled, or at least not purposely violated. As a starting point, she said, similarities in cultural values fosters familiarity, which can trigger trust because similarity suggests each group can predict how the other will act. 'I think it will take time to get us back, but I think we'll get back. I hope so. Mayor Allan MacEachern, St. Stephen, N.B. Familiarity and similarity describe Canada and the United States; despite many differences, both have similar historic, demographic and religious roots, with population growth through immigration. Both have democratic governance and English as an official language. Once differences over connection to the monarchy in Britain settled down, the two countries have been close allies. Until 2009, Canadians didn't even need a passport to drive into the United States. Generations of cross-border social and cultural connections solidified the affinity. 'My analysis showed that cultural proximity between nations increases trust but only if their proximity is a qualified one,' said Kleiner. Her study of Europe, which she thinks is likely the same across the Western world, showed the biggest qualifiers for trust were democratic values and global reputation. 'So, if there's a violation of those as massive as under the Trump administration, then the relationship is effectively harmed or even terminated, because what he is saying is, you and I do not belong together morally any longer.' What is going on in Canada in reaction to Trump — more public patriotism, boycotts, reduced U.S. visits — is a natural response, Kleiner said. 'If you no longer see the other as part of your cultural similarity and no longer trust them, you don't want to co-operate with them and you don't want to live among them.' How much the friendship between Canada and the United States unravels, and how long that will last, is impossible to know. Is it divorce, separation or a few nights spent sleeping on the couch? As breakups go, Canada is in an awkward spot. It can date other people, sure, but can't pack up and move. It is forever stuck living beside an ex — one who regularly points at your house saying you're a cheater and a freeloader and your house really should be their house. Can they get back together? Kleiner is pessimistic, at least in the short term. 'Once the trust is destroyed, it is very difficult to rebuild,' she said. Canadians now know that extending trust automatically based on similarities doesn't always work. Rathbun, the American professor living in Canada, is more optimistic. He believes broken trust can mend as circumstances change, but perhaps not quickly and it won't be as deep as it was. Trump won't be in office forever; maybe the next president will view Canada differently, or maybe Trump will change course. While many Canadians said they will never feel comfortable with the United States again, Rathbun thinks feelings will improve over time, though he predicts countries will retain a 'hedging strategy.' Jack and Rose Van Steensel, the motorhome couple, are applying their own version of a hedging strategy to their relationship with the United States. They're watching and waiting to see if things get better, if Trump settles down, if a deal can ease tension. They made a tentative reservation for their motorhome in Arizona for November, in case things improve. Rose said the woman who runs the RV park understands their position. Over on the banks of the St. Croix River, the two cross-border mayors hope their joint festival lights a path to keeping their communities united, despite what swirls around them. Maybe, said Mayor MacEachern, getting through this will eventually make their bonds even stronger. 'There's always good things that come out of bad,' MacEachern said. 'I think it will take time to get us back, but I think we'll get back. I hope so. But I think it depends where it goes with Trump.'
