Just last week, before Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made clear to the world he has no problem dancing more with European partners than his country’s long-standing American one, several Canadian citizens shared with me their opinions of the American president, their Prime Minister’s response to him and a trade war that all universally would like to see end as quickly a possible. In these talks, I learned several key things about our neighbors to the north.

First, few people want to be seen as provocative, even when simply talking to a small, part-time, independent journalist. Though many Canadians would hear my pitch and respond to a question or two, few consented to being recorded, for stated fear it could affect business or employment relationships. That would not have surprised me in the States; in Toronto, it did.

Second, though economic conditions are no more rosy in Canada than the U.S., many young workers do not seem to be following the politics of it all. Middle-aged professionals, however, are all over it.

Third, for many Canadians, the American president is not “the worst person ever,” as a young lady at a Union Station food court told me she believes many Americans would describe Donald Trump to be. She said most around her seem to simply think he is a bufoon, she said with a shrug. Like I said, many young people are not following politics.

Lastly, there is also a Trump-loving manosphere north of the border – outside of rapidly more right-leaning Alberta province. Many of those bros who talked to me would admit to being one, but few would say so in a recording. Yet, all suggested they would rather their hero stop messing up their stock portfolios. With this week’s rise in interest rates and a fall of the market to accompany it, countless people worldwide would likely agree with the Canadian bros.

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