Democrats

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday November 18, 2016

Will disillusioned U.S. voters really move to Canada?

The election of Donald Trump has some Americans looking north, perhaps to make a new home in a country removed from Trump’s style of Republicanism. Many said jokingly if Trump were elected, they would move to Canada. For some, it’s no longer a joke. But moving north might not be so easy.

“You’ll never be my president, because I’m moving to Canada!,” shouted one protester, strongly opposed to a Trump presidency.

The declaration was born in anger and frustration, but also reflects what many Americans have been soberly contemplating.

On election night in the United States, an unusual occurrence took place with the computer systems of the Canada Immigration and Citizenshipdepartment. They crashed, more than once, and remained offline for hours. Canadian officials confirm that it was because of a spike in the amount of web traffic, most of it coming from the U.S.

But while the interest is acute, immigration lawyers like Lee Cohen warn that getting into Canada isn’t as easy as packing up and heading north.

“Immigrating to Canada is a complex, paper-intensive, time-consuming process with a little bit of expense attached to it,” Cohen said.

Canada normally accepts only 6,000 American immigrants a year. Officials are expecting many times that number in the wake of the election.

As for coming to Toronto, most Americans will be deterred when they find out the cost of housing in one of Canada’s hottest real estate markets. (Source: NPR)

* Update * 

Tuesday November 26, 2024

Déjà Vu at the Border: Reflecting on the Political Migration Debate of 2016 and 2024

In November 2016, the surprise election of Donald Trump to the presidency unleashed a wave of political and emotional upheaval in the United States. Among the many reactions was the widespread declaration by disillusioned Americans, particularly Democrats, that they would move to Canada. This sentiment, often expressed in jest but rooted in genuine frustration, inspired an editorial cartoon I drew for The Hamilton Spectator. In it, the belongings of undocumented migrants were strewn along the U.S.-Mexico border, while the northern border depicted a similar scene, this time with possessions left behind by Democrats fleeing to Canada. The cartoon captured the moment’s dramatic tone, while poking at the often hollow nature of such political pledges.

Now, in 2024, as Donald Trump begins his second term, the echoes of 2016 are unmistakable. Once again, Americans upset with the election’s outcome are toying with the idea of crossing the northern border. Real estate and immigration websites are reporting familiar spikes in U.S.-based traffic, reflecting renewed curiosity about life in Canada. Yet, as in 2016, much of this noise seems more symbolic than actionable. The logistical challenges of moving to Canada remain daunting, and most of those exploring the option will likely remain within the U.S., discontented but rooted.

News: Politics of a move: Interest in moving to Canada grows with U.S. election

What distinguishes 2024 from 2016, however, is the heightened drama at the borders. Trump’s campaign promise of mass deportations has reignited fears among undocumented migrants, many of whom may see Canada as a potential safe haven. Unlike the political dissenters contemplating migration for ideological reasons, these individuals face an existential crisis, driven not by the outcome of an election but by the threat of removal from the only home many of them have ever known. For Canada, this creates a dual challenge: addressing the symbolic rush of Americans expressing political dissatisfaction and preparing for a potentially real influx of migrants fleeing deportation.

The layers of complexity in 2024 also underscore how much has remained unchanged since 2016. Then, as now, Canada continues to be perceived by Americans as a natural alternative—a country that feels both familiar and distinctly different. But the barriers to entry, from strict immigration laws to the foreign buyers’ ban on real estate, are substantial. The Calgary Herald’s recent report about these restrictions offers a dose of reality to those idealizing a new life north of the border. For undocumented migrants, the hurdles are even steeper, raising questions about how Canada can balance its welcoming image with the practical limitations of its immigration system.

Opinion: Democrats think they can escape Trump with a move to Canada. Think again

Reflecting on the cartoon from eight years ago, its core themes remain strikingly relevant. The belongings left behind at both borders still serve as symbols of hope and desperation, albeit for different reasons. The migrants at the southern border face displacement and uncertainty as they navigate the fallout of U.S. immigration policies, while many Democrats at the northern border remain, ultimately, in their homeland—venting their frustration but finding that escape isn’t as simple as it sounds.

If the reaction to Trump’s re-election tells us anything, it’s that the idea of leaving is as much about expressing dissatisfaction as it is about pursuing a better life. In both 2016 and 2024, the northern border has acted as a mirror, reflecting American political tensions rather than solving them. For all the noise about migration, most Americans will stay put, grappling with the divisions in their country, while Canada braces for the challenges—both imagined and real—that spill across its borders. The cartoon’s juxtaposition of belongings scattered on both sides of the border still resonates, reminding us that the stories behind those items are more complex than they first appear.