Mayor Scott Gillingham says he wants to see peace return to the streets of Winnipeg’s sister city Minneapolis, where the deployment of armed U.S. immigration agents has led to mass demonstrations and allegations of civil rights abuses, including the shooting death of Renee Good on Jan. 7.
Gillingham said he has sent a message of support via text to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, whom he met virtually in early 2025.
“I frankly can’t imagine what he’s going through as mayor,” Gillingham told reporters Tuesday at city hall after he was asked about the situation in the closest city to Winnipeg that is larger than the Manitoba capital.
Gillingham said he and Frey spoke 11 months ago about the U.S. imposition of tariffs on Canadian exports.
“That was the big concern at the time. Since then, everything in the world’s gotten scarier,” Gillingham said.
“I don’t think we ever imagined, as Canadians, we’d be in a place like we’re in today — in a world like we’re in today — when what we’re seeing now in the United States is … unthinkable.”
Gillingham’s comments came hours after Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, about the fading of the international rules-based order.
Gillingham called Carney’s speech articulate and clear, and said it gave insight into what the prime minister is seeing happen, specifically that “the world has changed, completely changed … and our relationship with the United States, I don’t believe, will ever be the same,” the mayor said.
There is “an imperialist mindset and actions” being exhibited by some countries, he said, without directly indicting the U.S.
“I’m a very proud Canadian, love my nation, and I think this is a time for us to really reflect on what we value and do all we can to uphold those values and defend those values with like-minded nations around the world,” Gillingham said, citing those values as freedom, equality and opportunity.
“I think this is a time when we, as Canadians, and certainly as politicians at all levels of government … need to band together to be supporting one another, to be first of all protecting the security of our cities and our nation and protecting our businesses … impacted by tariffs,” he added.
“There’s no road map to deal with chaos and what we’re seeing in the United States consistently from their leader is quite very chaotic.”
Winnipeg mayor offers support to Minneapolis counterpart
To that end, Gillingham asked several of his staff members last week to come up with a series of questions, including some that may “seem to be outlandish,” to ask of Winnipeg’s emergency services.
The goal is to prepare Winnipeg for what he described as once-unimaginable possibilities, such as an influx of U.S. residents seeking refuge in Canada or the need to support the families of Winnipeg-based military personnel in the event Canadian Armed Forces are deployed elsewhere.
“I’m not living in alarm. I just want to make sure that … we are as a city well prepared for what may come” he said.
“It’s an initial discussion behind scenes as we watch what happens around the world.”
In his Switzerland address, Carney said Canada prospered under a predictable, rules-based order that no longer exists.
“We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition,” he said, suggesting Canada is among the first nations of the world to recognize the change.
