Canadians, Americans and dual citizens gathered at the Peace Arch border Saturday, calling for better relations between the two countries as Canada-U.S. trade tensions remain a key issue in B.C.’s election campaign.
The group has met every two weeks since March 2025, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s 51st-state rhetoric and trade policies strained relations between the two countries. Participants say the gatherings are meant to build cross-border relationships and support one another.
“Oftentimes the cars are right here and we’re able to engage in conversation with people. They’re very supportive for the most part and thankful that we’re here,” said Janice Young, a B.C. resident and Canadian citizen.
Young, a church minister, said the idea came to her when she was reading scripture about loving your enemy, as “things were heating up” between the two countries.
She said she didn’t want her neighbours to the south to feel like her enemy.
“I didn’t know anybody in Washington state. How can you love your neighbour if you don’t know [them]?”
It was then that she saw someone else organizing a meetup between people in both countries at the Peace Arch border.
“I came down and a few others came down. And it was a small group at first, but we just kept meeting down here,” said Young.
Peter Andrews, who has lived in Ferndale, Wash., since 2003, was at the first event last spring and hasn’t missed one since.
“It was just wonderful,” he said, adding that there were a lot of Americans there “who were just upset with what’s going on.”
“It makes you angry that way, but it makes you positive when you realize that you’re not alone,” said Andrews.
The gathering serves as a protest against U.S. policies that Andrews says have hurt Canada-U.S. relations, and as a show of support for better cooperation.
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“Canadians and Americans are supporting each other and we don’t believe in this regardless of what the administration does.”
For some supporters, like Susan McClung, a dual citizen of Canada and the U.S., standing up for their North American neighbours means standing up for family.
“It hurts. Because we used to be, at the very least, like cousins, right?”
Her husband is Canadian, and McClung said it’s going to take a long time for relations between Canada and the U.S. to return to normal.
“You have to treat a relationship between two nations just like any other relationship. There has to be respect and there just isn’t right now.”
