CHARBONNEAU – For some Americans, Canada is a state of mind

THE ORANGE MAN is confused about many things, including Canada’s relationship with America.

Americans think of us a state of mind, not as a 51^st state.

You see it in American movies. Canada is often portrayed as a place to escape to. Canada is seen as a refuge, just across the border; familiar but different.

In the TV series Handmaid’s Tale, Canada is a democratic refuge where people seek asylum.

In Running on Empty (1988), the protagonist sees Canada as a potential future destination for his family as the FBI arrests him for past political activism.

Some movies are based on real events, like Argo (2012). It depicts Canada as a brave and helpful ally.  Following actual events, Canadian diplomats shelter six American diplomats who had evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran.

Canada is a state that Americans helped cultivate.

During the American Revolutionary War, 50,000 United Empire Loyalists who remained loyal to the British Crown faced persecution, confiscation of property, and violence in the newly formed United States.

After moving North, they shaped the demographic, cultural, and political foundation of Canada.

Black Americans headed to Canada to escape slavery. From 1815 to 1865, About 40,000 sought refuge in Upper Canada with the help of the Underground Railroad.

Black Americans helped build institutions in Canada: churches, schools, settlements, newspapers, and mutual aid societies.

Mary Ann Shadd Cary (1823–1893), who settled in St. Catharines, Ontario, was the first Black woman in North America to publish a newspaper.

During the Vietnam War, an estimated 30,000 to 60,000 Americans fled to Canada to avoid being drafted or to escape military service.

They helped shape Canadian cultural and academic life, particularly in left-leaning or artistic circles. Canadian attitudes toward war and American foreign policy were influenced by them.

One of my favourite American draft-dodgers was singer/songwriter Jesse Winchester, based in Montreal. In 2013, he played to a small group of fans in the Pavilion Theatre. The microphone didn’t work so we all huddled in a corner of the theatre where he gave an intimate acoustic performance.

Some deserters were menacing. In 1969 I lived at a co-op house in Calgary operated by students, most attending the University of Calgary. It was a sprawling former nursing home with 25 rooms. We took in draft dodgers and deserters. One deserter, in particular, was scary. He suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and when he freaked out, you stood clear.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Newfoundland became a haven for thousands of airline passengers after North American airspace was closed due to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Gander had a population of only 10,000 but hosted 38 diverted commercial flights, totalling nearly 7,000 passengers and crew.

The experience reinforced the image of Canada as being a caring place. Many stranded Americans have returned to visit and express their gratitude.

The election of the Orange Man has prompted a number of Americans – doctors, journalists, scientists, and artists — to move to Canada.

They are fleeing the rise of right-wing populism and the anti-science views in America.

Idealistic Americans have a perception of Canada and those who come here make Canada a better place.

David Charbonneau is a retired TRU electronics instructor who hosts a blog at http://www.eyeviewkamloops.wordpress.com.