October 10, 2020
America’s Thanksgiving Turkey – Originally published: Saturday October 10, 2020
That cartoon from Canadian Thanksgiving in 2020 is such a time capsule, isn’t it? Back then, the world was in the grip of COVID-19, Trump was stumbling his way through the pandemic response, and Canadians were quietly counting their blessings that, for all our problems, that wasn’t ours to deal with directly. The image of Trump as a giant turkey, gobbling out COVID-19 particles, captured the surreal mix of horror and relief many Canadians felt as we peered southward. The masks, the fence, and that simple punchline—“It’s not ours”—said it all.
October 12, 2024
Now, four years later, we’re in a different time but somehow back in a similar headspace. Trump is president again, and while the pandemic is largely behind us, the sense of relief that “it’s not ours” is creeping back into the national mood. It’s less about public health this time and more about the political chaos Trump’s return is sure to unleash. Whether it’s his rhetoric, his policies, or the way he polarizes everything he touches, Trump’s presidency still feels like this storm Canadians are happy to watch from the safety of the sidelines.
Pandemic Thanksgiving 2020
Of course, this time around, the fence between us feels a little less solid. The issues spilling over—trade disputes, border pressures, global climate goals, and the ever-present tug of American culture—remind us that what happens in the U.S. rarely stays there. Trump’s second term won’t just be America’s problem; it’s going to test Canada’s ability to hold onto its values and navigate the fallout, just like it did last time.
Still, that old cartoon feels like a fitting reminder for U.S. Thanksgiving this year. As Canadians, we might not always be thrilled with everything happening on our side of the fence, but it’s hard not to feel grateful when we glance southward and think, “At least that’s not ours.”
