Frankly, I’m terrified. As a Canadian who has been dreading this possibility, I’m unhappy to say the least. When I was younger, I actually lived in the US, but that was at a time when my knowledge of American politics was composed of hearing the words Republican and Democrat spoken about, and knowing we had a blue sign on our lawn while others had red. Now that I’m older, my thoughts have quite obviously changed, and although I am a Canadian citizen, I feel that the election of Donald Trump affects me in an incredible way.
Donald Trump is just about the embodiment of the things I hate most in the world: racism, xenophobia, sexism, and unabashed exploitation of privilege. Him having control of the United States is no longer a joke on the internet; it’s now a very real, very scary reality. His unpredictability as a person translates to his unpredictability as a leader, leaving me wondering how exactly his presidency will turn out, and what the consequences will be not only for Americans, but for Canadians and the rest of the world as well. How will our foreign relations fare with a man who insists he didn’t say something that was well documented, or who angrily asserts his right to build a wall at the border of another country? What happens to trade agreements when we do not immediately give in to his demands? His lack of experience in politics is frightening to say the least, and catastrophic at the worst.
Although I don’t live in the US anymore, American politics have a huge impact on my life as a Canadian. With Donald Trump as a President, I quite honestly fear for how our foreign relationship with America will change, as well as how he will act in regards to trade agreements or coalitions. To be blunt, I have very little faith and trust in Donald Trump, and I do not look forward to living next to a country run by an angry, entitled, and inexperienced racist.