A strong Canada is good for the US — Americans should welcome Canadian nationalism
Last week, President Trump once again floated the idea of Canada becoming the 51st American state, arguing that U.S. protection is necessary to counter growing threats from Russia and China. Initially dismissed as a joke or a provocation aimed at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the persistence of Trump’s rhetoric is beginning to take on the aura of an actual political aspiration.
This renewed suggestion has sparked a fresh wave of reactions from Canadians (and full disclosure: I grew up in Canada). At Niagara Falls, the iconic landmark straddling the U.S.-Canadian border, visitors recently expressed their unwavering pride in Canada’s distinct identity and longstanding amicable relationship with America. However, they also made it crystal clear that the idea of annexation is not only unrealistic but fundamentally offensive — serving only to reinforce Canada’s commitment to its sovereignty and self-determination.
A message to our American neighbors: Canada is neither a mere extension of the U.S. nor a hostile northern power. It is a sovereign nation with its own identity, ambitions and responsibilities. Canada is not your junior partner or a passive presence on the world stage; it is a country that has shaped global history, defended democracy and built a cultural and economic legacy distinct from, yet intertwined with, that of America.
A nationalist Canada is not a Canada that resents the U.S. — it is one that understands its own value in the world and strengthens North America by standing confidently on its own feet.
Nationalism is often dismissed as dangerous, yet without it Canada would be a mere collection of provinces without a coherent identity. Canadian nationalism is not about anti-Americanism but about recognizing Canada as a serious country, one with a proud military history, a dynamic economy and a cultural landscape as rich and complex as any other great nation. It was nationalism that drove Canadians to fight at Vimy Ridge and Normandy, that sustained our Cold War commitments and that informs our approach in an era of great power competition and multipolarity.
Canada’s military past is not just history — it is a statement of our national character. The Canadian Corps at Vimy Ridge achieved what others could not. Our soldiers helped liberate the Netherlands from Nazi Germany and fought in Korea, not as mere auxiliaries, but as a force that shaped the battlefield. During the Cold War, Canada stood watch over the Arctic and the North Atlantic, ensuring the defense of North America’s northern front.
This is the Canada that our American allies should recognize: not a nation that clings to outdated peacekeeping myths, but one that has always stepped up when it mattered.
Yet nationalism is not just about military might; it is about culture — the distinct voices, music and stories that define a people. Canadian literature, from Margaret Atwood to Alice Munro, has shaped the global literary canon. Gordon Lightfoot, Stan Rogers, Gilles Vigneault and Robert Charlebois have captured the soul of a vast and rugged land. Quebec’s artistic legacy, from the works of Gabrielle Roy to the films of Denis Villeneuve, stands alongside English Canada’s cultural output as a defining force of national identity. First Nations artists, from A Tribe Called Red’s innovative sound to Tomson Highway’s storytelling, demonstrate that Indigenous voices are essential to the Canadian experience. Canada is not an echo of America’s cultural dominance — it is an independent force in its own right.
A nationalist Canada does not reject economic ties with the U.S., but it does assert its right to independent decision-making. Canada is one of America’s largest trading partners, but a truly strong Canada ensures that trade serves both nations equitably. That means maintaining a robust manufacturing sector, ensuring resource sovereignty and resisting overdependence on any single foreign market. It also means rejecting the notion that Canadian industries should be mere subsidiaries of American corporations. Our energy policy, industrial strategy and technological development must be dictated by Canadian priorities, not external pressures.
Quebec nationalism and First Nations nationhood are often framed as challenges to domestic unity, but they are in fact proof of the depth and diversity of Canadian nationalism. Quebec has long preserved its distinct culture while contributing immeasurably to Canada’s national character.
First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities are asserting their rights and histories within a broader Canadian framework, proving that nationalism need not be monolithic — it can be adaptable, inclusive and forward-looking. This is the Canada that stands on the world stage: confident, self-assured and unafraid of complexity.
To our American neighbors, understand this: A nationalist Canada is not a problem for the U.S., it is an asset. A strong, self-reliant Canada is a better ally, a more valuable trading partner and a more capable player in regional and global security. When Canada takes itself seriously, it strengthens all of North America.
The time has come for Americans to recognize Canada as more than a friendly neighbor — it is an equal, sovereign partner that brings stability, strength and innovation to the continent. A strong Canada means a stronger North America, and that is something worth embracing.
Andrew Latham is a professor of international relations at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minn., a senior fellow at the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, and a non-resident fellow at Defense Priorities in Washington, D.C.
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