Canadians and Mexicans are aligned in their unfavourable view of U.S. President Donald Trump and his tariffs -- with both countries in favour of fighting back with a dollar-for-dollar response in levies against the United States, according to a new survey conducted by Leger.
The market research company surveyed 1,628 Canadians, 1,013 Americans and 1,003 Mexicans from March 26 to March 31, and asked questions regarding the relationship between the three countries in a newly published report called the “Three Amigos Survey.”
It found most Canadians (81 per cent) and Mexicans (76 per cent) have an unfavourable opinion of Trump, with less than half (48 per cent) having a negative view of the U.S.
The survey also found that most Canadians (64 per cent) and Mexicans’ (59 per cent) source of frustration is directed specifically towards Trump and less towards the U.S.
But roughly half of Canadians (43 per cent) still see the U.S. to be an “enemy country,” which is second only behind Russia (60 per cent). Meanwhile, 35 per cent of Mexicans now consider the U.S. to be an “enemy country,” which tops their list of countries considered to be an enemy.
“From a Canadian and Mexican perspective, the U.S. is not seen as an ally anymore, and that’s a dramatic turn of events,” said Sébastien Dallaire with Leger in an interview with CTV News Friday. “In Mexico, the United States is seen as the worst of all, the country that’s considered to be seen as the enemy by more Mexicans than China or Russia. It’s pretty striking.”
Nearly half of Canadians surveyed (46 per cent) have a favourable view of Liberal leader Mark Carney, while two-thirds of Americans (66 per cent) and Mexicans (63 per cent) say they don’t know who he is.
Tariffs an ‘important issue,’ support for retaliation
More than a third of Canadians surveyed (38 per cent) say tariffs are the most important issue for them, well ahead of inflation (20 per cent) and housing affordability (10 per cent). Eighteen percent of Mexicans polled say the same, with taxes on U.S. exports sitting in third behind crime and safety (31 per cent) and drug cartels and organized crime (19 per cent).
Most Canadians (87 per cent) and Mexicans (84 per cent) say the impact of the Trump administration’s tariffs is having a negative impact on the economy, while roughly half (52 per cent) of Americans believe the same.
In comparison, only one percent of Americans polled say unfair trade practices by Canada is the number one issue facing the United States today, with inflation being the biggest concern (27 per cent).
When it comes to a response to the U.S. tariffs imposed on both countries, nearly three-quarters of Canadians (70 per cent) say they’re in favour of a dollar-for-dollar response to U.S. tariffs, with 41 per cent “strongly in favour,” and 29 per cent “somewhat in favour.”
Mexico shares Canadians’ views on retaliatory tariffs, with a total of 62 per cent in favour of an equal response to the U.S. tariffs.
Both Canadians and Mexicans have been showing their displeasure by limiting their purchases of American goods, with 72 per cent of Canadians saying they’ve decreased their in-store purchases and 70 per cent saying they’ve decreased the number of American products bought online.
Canada, Mexico still open to negotiating new trade agreement
Two-thirds of Mexicans (76 per cent) are mostly in favour of a future free trade agreement with the U.S. when the current agreement comes up for review next year, but just over half of Canadians (52 per cent) feel the same way. Americans surveyed are 53 per cent in favour of striking up a new deal with both of their neighbours.
“It’s interesting that in all three countries, a majority of respondents are telling us we’re in favour of renewing the free trade agreement,” said Dallaire. “So citizens, despite the anger and despite the feeling of betrayal, people in Mexico and Canada are saying, ‘Yes, we still need to negotiate a new one,’ which speaks to the importance of America as a trading partner.”
Methodology
Online survey among 18 years of age or older. Data collected between March 28 and 30 for Canada and the U.S., then March 26 to 31 for Mexico. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size yields a margin of error no greater than 2.43 per cent for the Canadian sample, 3.08 per cent for the American sample, and 3.09 per cent for Mexico.
Correction
This article has been updated to reflect that the unfavourability rating of 48 per cent applies to the United States as a country, not U.S. President Donald Trump in particular.
