The US Echo in Canada’s Politics
Memoona Khalid
Rawalpindi: Public diplomacy is often celebrated as a peaceful tool for fostering global cooperation, mutual understanding, and cultural exchange. In today’s digital world, however, the nature of public diplomacy has evolved quietly influencing the stories we consume, often through social media and media conglomerates.
As a global superpower, the United States has mastered the art of shaping political and cultural environments—not only in developing countries, but also in long-standing allies like Canada.
While Canada and the US share deep ties rooted in history, trade, and culture, the extent of American influence on Canada’s political discourse raises important questions about sovereignty, national identity, and narrative control.
Canada’s proximity and partnership with the US bring undeniable benefits economic security, shared values, and diplomatic cooperation. However, this closeness also leaves Canada vulnerable to influence in less obvious ways.
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Through media saturation, think tanks, academic partnerships, cultural programming, and support for aligned political figures, American public diplomacy subtly molds the contours of Canadian political thought. This influence is not always direct or deliberate, but it often goes unnoticed—becoming normalized with time.
One of the clearest examples is the widespread presence of American media in Canadian homes. News networks like CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC, along with politically charged entertainment content, shape how many Canadians perceive not only U.S. affairs but their own national issues.
American coverage of Canadian matters is frequently filtered through U.S. ideological lenses, which do not always align with Canada’s political culture. Over time, this leads to a shift in public opinion and political behavior evident in how Canadian political divisions increasingly mirror the polarization seen south of the border.
Another element of US public diplomacy is its strategic engagement with Canadian leaders and institutions. Consider the case of Mark Carney, former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England.
US-based think tanks like the Brookings Institution and the Council on Foreign Relations have praised Carney as a visionary leader, sparking speculation about his potential entry into Canadian politics. While Carney himself may have legitimate ambitions, the broader trend of American platforms amplifying certain Canadian voices reflects a more complex and calculated influence strategy.
Academic exchange programs also play a significant role. Canadian students studying in the U.S. often return home having internalized American political theories and global governance models. These graduates frequently enter Canada’s media, academic, and policymaking sectors—bringing with them a framework rooted in US values.
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Programs like Fulbright, though enriching, can inadvertently reinforce the idea that American approaches are superior or standard. This shapes the worldview of future Canadian leaders in ways that deserve closer scrutiny.
US influence also seeps into Canadian civil society. American funding supports a range of Canadian NGOs and advocacy groups. While this funding can empower important causes such as climate action, Indigenous rights, and immigration reform it often carries implicit ideological leanings.
As a result, local issues risk being framed through an American lens, leading to solutions that may not fully reflect Canadian contexts. Increasingly, Canadian protest language borrows slogans from American political culture, highlighting the erosion of a uniquely Canadian civic voice.
To be clear, not all aspects of US public diplomacy are harmful. In many cases, it has promoted democracy, human rights, and international collaboration. But when American narratives consistently overpower Canadian ones, it begins to look less like diplomacy and more like dominance. Influence becomes interference when it drowns out the voices of others even friends and allies.
To safeguard its autonomy, Canada must take deliberate steps: strengthen independent media, invest in local research initiatives, expand academic partnerships beyond the U.S., and foster public literacy about foreign influence campaigns. Canadians should be able to recognize when “soft diplomacy” starts to resemble strategic manipulation.
Equally, the United States if committed to genuine partnership should reflect on the unintended consequences of its global influence. A healthy bilateral relationship depends on mutual respect, not narrative imbalance.
In a world where narrative is power, Canada must remain the author of its own story.
The article is the writer’s opinion, it may or may not adhere to the organization’s editorial policy.
Memoona Khalid is a student of International Relations at Fatima Jinnah Women University. Her academic journey has sparked a deep interest in diplomacy, global affairs, and foreign influence.
