For nearly a century, our family has spent summers and the occasional winter week in a cabin in the Canadian woods. We love Canada and Canadians.
As admirers of our northern neighbor, we are deeply saddened by what is happening to our 150 year friendship. We can’t begin to understand the reason for turning so aggressively and derisively on our closest ally and trading partner.
It is not only unwarranted and brutish, but irrational. We are tearing up our own trade agreement, putting U.S. manufacturers and workers at risk, and pushing Canada to develop alternative partnerships that will ultimately undermine our own economy and security.
We are also inciting a people known to be among the friendliest on the planet to hate America. They are boycotting American products, booing our national anthem, and going elsewhere for vacation. And for what?
Some of our family’s closest friends live across the border… every year we break bread, share stories and exchange gifts. We visit and attend weddings. To us, these tariffs and threats feel like we inexplicably decided to bully our cousins across the street who just yesterday were over for a potluck.
This week we received a call from a company in Toronto that helps small businesses like Prosperity Candle with its B Corp certification for social and environmental sustainability. This Canadian was professional, friendly and helpful… in other words, wonderful. She was so nice, in fact, that at the end of the call we had to say it: sorry.
And we are sorry. We're sad and we're sorry because this is not who we are. To all Canadians, please understand that most Americans love and respect you and your country. But we understand if right now you don’t love us back.
