Norman Hillmer on Canada’s Efforts to Protect Its Sovereignty | Literary Review of Canada
June 2025 | At the Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada, Norman Hillmer gave a stark warning about the threat a second Trump presidency could pose to Canada. He argued that no other American president has been as openly hostile to Canadian sovereignty, describing Trump as uniquely cruel and dangerous. Hillmer reflected on Canada’s long history of trying to assert its independence from the United States—through resisting annexation in earlier centuries, and negotiating free trade on its own terms in the 1980s. While many U.S. presidents have treated Canada with indifference or condescension, Hillmer said Trump stands out for his direct challenges to Canada’s autonomy. He ended by urging Canadians not to be complacent and to continue defending their sovereignty and values.
