US senators say relations with Canadian neighbours suffering

Contents of the article

HALIFAX — Tariffs imposed on Canada by U.S. President Donald Trump have clearly hurt Canada's economy, but the U.S. senator from Maine says he's more concerned about how Canadians will react on a personal level.

Contents of the article

“Like any neighbour, there will always be problems and we've been fighting over softwood lumber for as long as I can remember,” Angus King told an international security conference in Halifax on Saturday.

Contents of the article

Contents of the article

“But the deeper problem is the cultural divide; the idea that Canadians think of Americans not as their friends and neighbors, but as adversaries.”

The annual Halifax Forum on International Security, which opened on Friday, brought together more than 300 delegates from around the world, including politicians, academics, government officials, military leaders and non-governmental organizations.

The focus of this year's conference is democracy, but questions about the relationship between Canada and the United States sparked heated debate Saturday morning when King and three other American politicians were asked to talk about their country's place in the world.

Contents of the article

Contents of the article

King, one of two independents in the U.S. Senate, said the ongoing rift between Canadians and Americans is particularly troubling in the state bordering New Brunswick and Quebec.

“Coming from a state where people cross the border to get their hair cut… it's a sad day. And if there was any meaning to it, that would be one thing. But there was no benefit to the United States from imposing these ridiculous tariffs.”

In response, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis reminded the audience that Canada and the United States are part of a larger family of democracies that have a long history of squabbling over trade.

“I know that if we were in danger, we would come to each other's aid,” said the outspoken North Carolina senator.

Contents of the article

But Tillis quickly moved to sharply criticize what he said was Canada's failure to meet its financial obligations to NATO, saying Ottawa still owed the military alliance more than $300 billion.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play video

“Every prime minister said the same thing: 'We'll get there,' but they never got there,” Tillis said.

“Some people look down on the United States because of health care. On the other hand, we have met our obligations to fund our mutual defense for as long as NATO has existed.”

Former California congresswoman Jane Harman, a Democrat, says Canada recently committed to increasing defense spending. In June, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a plan to increase spending by $9 billion by next March, bringing defense spending to two per cent of Canada's GDP.

Contents of the article

Tillis laughed at this promise. “That’s great, but can we also make up for 20 years of underpayment?”

Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer, who represents North Dakota, said King was right to draw attention to the “cultural divide” between the two countries.

“There are tensions,” he said later during a news conference, adding that tensions are causing fewer Canadians to travel to the United States for pleasure.

“In North Dakota, it's driven by mall shopping and hotel stays… Those numbers are down because people are angry.”

Still, Cramer said he hopes something can be worked out despite Trump's recent decision to impose additional tariffs on Canadian businesses.

“Our relationship with Canadians is very personal,” he said. “The best way to fix this is to go back to the negotiating table and fix what divides us on trade… People in both countries are eager to reunite.”

Contents of the article