CANADA PERSPECTIVE

Ottawa, July 4, 2026. Canada marked the U.S. 250th anniversary with a series of carefully calibrated diplomatic gestures, blending neighborly solidarity with pointed scrutiny of a bilateral relationship strained by trade tensions.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Saturday the illumination of the Canadian embassy in Washington, Niagara Falls lit in red, white and blue, and the participation of military vessels in the Sail250 celebrations. The official gift: 250 maple trees to be planted in Washington and the 13 U.S. border states. 'On behalf of the Government of Canada, my best wishes to the American people,' Carney wrote on X, invoking an 'enduring friendship' built 'side by side in combat' and in space exploration.

On the military front, two CF-18 Hornets from the Royal Canadian Air Force flew over Ottawa alongside two U.S. F-35 Lightning IIs. The event took place against a sensitive backdrop: Ottawa has been reviewing its 88-F-35 order for over a year, a review launched in the wake of Trump's trade war against Canada. U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra noted that Canada would 'own' its first F-35s by autumn, underscoring six decades of NORAD cooperation.

Canadian media coverage adopted starkly contrasting tones. The Globe and Mail catalogued the celebration stumbles in Washington: canceled performances, sparse attendance, Reflecting Pool basin turned murky with algae, stage infrastructure damage during rehearsals. The paper also highlighted Trump's approval stuck at 37 percent, with 58 percent disapproval according to Civiqs polling—a challenging political backdrop as midterm elections approach.

The sharpest commentary came from the Toronto Sun. Columnist Warren Kinsella branded America a 'failure' under Trump, likening it to 'a dead and decaying whale on a deserted beach.' This criticism stands in sharp contrast to Carney's measured diplomacy, yet reflects Canadian frustration accumulating from the trade conflict emanating from Washington.

Two neighbors marked anniversaries this week—Canada days before the United States. Carney invoked the language of 'enduring friendship,' yet American tariffs continue to hover over this historic bond.