The re-election of Donald Trump to a second term as president reverberates far beyond the United States, particularly affecting Canada, America’s closest neighbor and largest trading partner. This political shift will have a social and cultural impact on Canadian society the way it did during Trump’s first presidency when his political rhetoric legitimized and enabled hate and racism.
In recent years, the rhetoric surrounding migrants, refugees, and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights has grown increasingly toxic, with many trends in Canada tracking back to the US. Trump’s first term exemplified the weaponization of fear against minority communities for political gain (the Muslim ban), a tactic he employed again during the 2024 presidential campaign. He stoked anxieties about “the other” and used lies and unfounded claims to link them to potential economic turmoil and social disorder if he is not re-elected.
Trump’s initial political rise capitalized on the anger and dissatisfaction of many Americans, framing certain minority groups — Arabs, Muslims, migrants, and refugees — as enemies. This strategy rallied his base and emboldened hate groups, resulting in a notable increase in hate crimes across the US from 2015 (when he started his campaign) to 2021, when he instigated a riot in Washington DC to prevent the certification of the 2020 presidential vote. According to FBI statistics, hate incidents surged during his presidency, highlighting the dangerous fallout of inflammatory rhetoric aimed at vilifying minority communities.
Canada witnessed a disturbing rise in hate directed at Muslims after Trump’s 2016 victory that culminated in the tragic 2017 murder of six worshippers at a Quebec City Mosque by a man influenced by Trump’s racist narratives. In subsequent years incidents of hate continued to increase as did Trump’s rhetoric targeting certain minorities.
With Trump’s re-election, Canadians must brace for the potential fallout of strategies borrowed from Trump’s playbook by Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre in Canada heading into the next election, which could include inciting anger, feeding rage, blatant lies, and exploiting and exacerbating societal divisions for political gain. Poilievre’s approach to date mirrors that of Trump and populist politicians in other Western democracies who seek to win by catering to the fears and basest instincts of their electorates.
The connections between the rise of populism in Canada post-2016 and what could unfold during Trump’s second term are troubling. One cannot help but draw parallels between Trump’s 2016 victory and how it exacerbated social divisions as Conservatives changed their campaign style, and what could occur in Canada during his second administration, and its impact on the Canadian political ecosystem.
The socio-political implications of Trump’s return are concerning, particularly in light of statements from many former Trump officials labeling him a fascist and unfit to hold public office. Historically, the rise of authoritarian regimes often begins with the marginalization of vulnerable populations, which Trump did during his first administration, and during this presidential campaign. Comparisons between Trump and the emergence of fascist regimes in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s may seem extreme but history has shown us that the seeds of bigotry, hatred and social breakdown sprout in times of fear and uncertainty, especially when stoked by politicians.
As Americans navigate the implications of Trump’s second term, Canadians must also confront our interconnected realities. The political climate in the US directly influences Canadian policies and attitudes, particularly among conservative circles. The rise of hate and bigotry during Trump’s first presidency spilled over into Canada with deadly consequences resulting from conservative political rhetoric, and the same could happen again. Statistics Canada has reported increasing hate crimes numbers annually for the past decade, a troubling trend that represents only one per cent of actual incidents. If history and recent right wing political tactics are any indicators then Canadians should brace for a surge in hate related incidents as hate groups are emboldened by Trump’s re-election.
In the US it seems that hateful and bigoted political narratives have been normalized if Trump’s campaign and his victory are the barometer by which to measure such things. If we are heading in the same direction in Canada, with similar political narratives becoming the norm, it is a threat to the fabric of our society. Over the next four years, it is crucial for Canadians to remain vigilant and proactive in combating hate, particularly when it is enabled by politicians. We must defend the values of inclusivity that define our nation, and resist any attempts by right wing political leaders to exploit fear and stoke prejudice against minority communities for political advantage.
The late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau once remarked that being America’s neighbor is akin to sleeping next to an elephant — we feel every twitch and grunt. Trump’s re-election is like that elephant having a nightmare, with flailing arms and legs that will inevitably leave Canada bruised and possibly bloodied.
While Americans have to live with him day to day for the next four years Trump’s re-election and the risks it poses to Canada’s sociopolitical landscape must be acknowledged, and we must recognize the dangers of the resurgent populism enabled by Trump’s victory and work wherever we can to counter it and the fascist narratives it promotes.
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Nick Seebruch, editor
