The Canadian-American Connection

In 1986, professional wrestlers Rick Martel and Tom Zenk teamed up to form a new tag team, The Can-Am Connection. The name was a play on the fact that Zenk was an American, while Martel was a Canadian (Zenk also happened to be dating Martel's sister-in-law). As a kid, this name was the coolest in the world to me, specifically because it combined Canada and America (and, I suppose, because it represented pro wrestling). Growing up in 1980s Toronto, these were all things that meant the world to me.

I came home with drawings of American flags that I made in school. I watched American movies and listened to American music (much to the chagrin of our national regulators). I watched pro wrestling, which seemed, even more than other industries, to reflect the deep connections between Americans and Canadians. I visited my grandmother in Windsor, Ontario, where she'd take me across the Peace Bridge and tell me stories of working in Detroit when she was young. I'm a normal Canadian; for all of us, American culture is deeply ingrained in our lives.

The recent election of Liberal leader Mark Carney to the office of Prime Minister signals an interesting development in Canadian-American relations. The relationship between the world's closest allies has been strained in recent months; ask the average Canadian why that is, and they'll probably tell you that it's all due to President Trump threatening to annex us. However, if you ask the average American, you're more likely to get a range of responses.

Some might say they don't know why and that the whole thing is absurd. Some might agree with Canadians and blame the President's rhetoric. Others might say that Canada has been freeloading on their dime too long. The savviest among Americans and Canadians alike, however, are more likely to come to another conclusion: This rhetoric is part of a negotiation.

The harsh truth that a lot of Canadians don't like to admit is that much of what President Trump has been saying is true. The United States does subsidize Canada's defense. Canada does use protectionism to shield certain industries from outside competition. Canada has benefited economically from its close relationship with America. Indeed, Canada enjoys a lot of benefits as America's closest neighbor.

Canada doesn't live up to its defense spending obligations, and hasn't for some time. And yet, Canada--and to be clear, the world--knows that if any state actor were to attack the Great White North, Uncle Sam would have something pretty serious to say about it. And that, along with geography, is why Canada is one of the safest countries in the world.

That doesn't mean that Canadians need to grovel to Americans or feel some sense of inferiority, but, and I say this as a red-blooded Canadian, we should probably accept that reality. This has been a deliberate policy choice made by conservative and liberal Canadian governments alike. If we didn't want to be here, we should have made some very different policy decisions over the last, oh, I don't know, 50 or 60 years.

The great John Bradshaw pointed out that accepting reality as it is is a precondition for any kind of healthy life. Let's accept reality as it is: Canadians will never be Americans, and the Canadian government is going to have to do more to meet the needs of its American counterpart. So, if we all agree that annexation is a non-starter, we can get to work on setting up a new arrangement that works for everyone.

America has made it clear that it wants more from Canada in terms of defense spending. It also wants concessions on rules the US sees as unfair protectionism. Now, I hate to break it to American dairy farmers, but most Canadians don't want American dairy. The average Canadian is quite happy with strict regulatory regimes that prohibit the use of hormones or antibiotics in dairy.

Still, I like freedom of choice, and I don’t like protectionism for select industries. I don't have a problem with American dairy on my store shelves any more than I do jalapenos from Mexico or butter from Ireland, or Wagyu from Japan. The idea that we're going to prioritize catering to the old guard of specific industries because they fear outside competition is, frankly, dumb. So, let's explore areas where we can find a compromise. Let's put our national and shared interests ahead of corporate protectionism.

As my grandmother explained, the Peace Bridge is just one of many symbols that highlight American and Canadian friendship and cooperation. My grandfather fought and bled alongside Americans and Canadians in World War II. Both of their experiences during that time forged their understanding that while Americans were different, they were our staunch allies, friends, and brothers in arms. Not quite compatriots, but certainly the closest thing to it. That won’t ever change, regardless of the particular politicians that come to power, or the loudest factions of losers on the internet.

Rick Martel and Tom Zenk didn't last very long as a tag team, but the Can-Am Connection is real and won’t ever be broken. Trump and Carney understand this. The kind of change we’ve seen in recent months can be dislocating, but it’s important to remember that our relationship is fundamentally the same as it ever was. When it goes down, we’ll always have each other's backs. From fighting fascism, to fighting communism, to fighting Islamist terrorism, the Can-Am connection will endure. And we'll all be better off for it.

Wrong Speak is a free-expression platform that allows varying viewpoints. All views expressed in this article are the author's own.