Leger poll: Canadians anxious but ready to rally against Trump’s threats

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OTTAWA — Canadians are collectively biting their fingernails and ready to wave the flag as they face down repeated threats from the White House.

A new Leger poll suggests a surge in both anxiety levels and patriotism in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s vow to target Canadian exports with massive tariffs and his talk of absorbing Canada into the United States.

The poll suggests most Canadians — 82 per cent — are concerned about Trump leveraging Canada’s reliance on U.S. trade to pressure the country into a closer union with U.S., and about half of them say they are “very concerned.”

But Trump’s threats also are driving a swell of national pride, with 85 per cent of Canadians telling Leger they feel proud to be Canadian and 58 per cent saying they’re “very proud.”

Andrew Enns, executive vice-president of Central Canada for Leger, said there’s no recent precedent for this kind of patriotism bump.

“If you were to ask me to go back, I’d probably think … the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, the golden goal,” he said. “Those are certainly high numbers.”

The change in the public’s mood also has clear political ramifications.

“It’s shaken up the political environment,” Enns said. “The Trump tariffs and trade relations make it very difficult for the opposition parties.”

The issue dominates news coverage and makes it hard for opposition leaders, federal and provincial, to break through, he said, since it’s “really state-to-state, president-to-PM or premier-to-governors.”

But it’s also bringing Canadians together across the political spectrum.

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Five of Canada’s former prime ministers are calling on Canadians to fly the flag on Saturday — the 60th anniversary of Canada’s flag — as a show of national pride in the face of Trump’s threats.

The Leger survey also suggests Canadians are worried about their future finances, with 86 per cent expressing concern about the economic outlook over the next six months.

The poll suggests that, at about 90 per cent each, British Columbians and Atlantic Canadians are the most anxious about the worsening economic outlook. The survey suggests 88 per cent of women and 88 per cent of older Canadians are also concerned about the economy.

The survey reached 1,590 adults between Feb. 7 and Feb. 10 but does not have a margin of error because it is an online poll.