New Leger Survey Reveals 27% of Canadians View the U.S. as an Enemy Nation

Growing anti-American sentiment in Canada is evident, with about 25% of Canadians viewing the U.S. as an enemy, particularly pronounced in Quebec. In contrast, support for the U.S. remains higher in Alberta. Political affiliations influence perceptions, with many Bloc Québécois and Liberal supporters seeing the U.S. as adversaries. Meanwhile, Trump has threatened tariffs on Canadian goods, citing trade imbalances, which could significantly impact economic relations between the two countries.

Growing Anti-American Sentiment in Canada

Amid the ongoing trade conflict initiated by Donald Trump, a significant portion of Canadians—approximately 25%—are willing to categorize the United States as an “enemy country.” The sentiment is particularly strong in Quebec, where a recent Léger poll indicates that 27% of Canadian participants now view the U.S. as hostile. In stark contrast, only 30% still perceive the U.S. as an ally, despite the long-standing partnership in trade and defense between the two nations. In Quebec alone, nearly a third (32%) of respondents consider the U.S. an adversary, while only 28% regard it as a dependable partner. This survey, which included 1,550 Canadians and 1,000 Americans aged 18 and over, was conducted online from February 14 to 17, 2025.*

Regional Support and Political Divides

In Alberta, however, President Trump enjoys a strong following, with 41% of respondents expressing a favorable view of the United States, and only 20% considering it hostile. These regional differences also reflect political affiliations, as nearly half of Bloc Québécois supporters and 37% of federal Liberals view Americans as adversaries, compared to just 18% of Conservative supporters. Conversely, the American perspective appears quite different; only 1% of Americans see Canada as an “enemy country,” while a solid 56% identify it as an “ally,” with the remainder either neutral or undecided.

Since the beginning of his second term on January 20, President Trump has expressed discontent with Canada, claiming that the trade imbalance results in an annual loss of $200 billion for the U.S. During a speech at the CPAC convention, he hinted at potential tariffs on Canadian imports, stating, “I am not happy with Canada,” just after a call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding efforts to address cross-border fentanyl trafficking.

As the deadline approaches for these potential tariffs to take effect on March 4, Trump has indicated that a 25% surcharge will be imposed on all Canadian goods. This would be followed by additional tariffs on steel and aluminum, potentially increasing the total to 50% for these sectors. Trump has emphasized that these measures are meant to enrich the U.S. economy, saying, “They tax us, we tax them. Our country will become rich again, very rich,” reiterating his affinity for the term “tariff.”

With the collaboration of the QMI agency *The data has been weighted to reflect the population. However, for an online survey, it is not possible to calculate a margin of error. For example, the Canadian sample would give a margin of error of 2.49%, while the American sample would give a margin of error of 3.1%.

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