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President Trump’s “Liberation Day” has come and gone, with a 90 day pause on the tariffs meant to cover almost every nation, but the Trump administration’s back peddling did not include a reprieve for two of the United States’ neighbors: Mexico and Canada.

In the lead up to this latest stage of economic warfare, billboards paid for by the Canadian government have been spotted across the country. Some are even popping up around Jacksonville.

These billboards, which lay out the impact of tariffs on US citizens, mark one of the latest moves in a series of protests from a country that has historically been an ally to the United States, but now finds itself on the wrong side of Trump’s war against immigrants and drugs. 

Despite the mixed veracity of Trump’s complaints against Canada, both countries have now entered a back-and-forth, with Canada instating its own tariffs; however, Canada is also seemingly fighting a culture war of its own against a man who campaigned on winning those.  

It is important to note that Canada and Mexico were excluded from the Liberation Day tariffs, but neither country received any reprieve from the existing tariffs levied against them. 

Furious has been the word used to describe Canadians’ emotions over the state of foreign affairs between the US and Canada, with two major outlets using the word in headlines. Polling shows that Canadian citizens are increasingly viewing the US in a more negative light, with 27% saying they see the US as an enemy. 

In the face of increasing hostility, Canada and its citizens have taken to pushing back in very public-facing ways.  

Examples of protests include Canadians booing during the American national anthem at sports events, Tesla protests, and Canadian retailers shunning US products. 

While the term “culture war” has come to take on the popular meaning of “woke vs conservatism,” these protests also weaponize popular culture against the Trump administration. 

Both sides are using a certain brand of nationalism to gain public sympathy, and it feels like Canada is winning the perception battle. 

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