The return of Benedict Donald isn't just giving us pro-democracy Americans heartburn. Canadians, for example, are flipping out about tariffs (even though we cats think we'll believe it when we see it). Still, elected officials up there have to prepare for any crazy eventuality. Unfortunately, that's how Trump operates.
But as we know, unlike the tariff threats, the Trumpsters' cruel attacks on the most vulnerable among us have already begun. Which makes some Canadians wonder: Can they even contemplate a visit to the US?
"My child's gender is recognized as 'Other' on their passport, reflecting their nonbinary identity," a Quebec mom writes in The Montreal Gazette. "I am left wondering how safe it is to bring my child to the United States. How will we be treated when a document that legally affirms their identity clashes with the views of the nation’s highest office? What happens when we cross a border into a country where the President publicly invalidates the existence of nonbinary and transgender people?"
The Republicans' obsession with trans folks is mind-boggling to everyone, particularly in Canada, where open-mindedness remains the law of the land and only a tiny fraction of the population is nonbinary. But the political situation in the True North is not promising. After nine years, the Trudeau government is down in the polls, and an unappealing Conservative leader who despises many of same people Trump does is poised to take power.*
Gosh, the Trumpsters are such hypocrites. They say they worry about trans "men" committing sexual assault in public restrooms, something they still haven't proven is a problem. They say they are outraged, and that all they want to do is protect women. (Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina is a prominent example of this.) But they couldn't care less about women's safety or about abuse or intimidation of them. Latest case in point: An aide to Speaker Mike Johnson counseled against subpoenaing Cassidy Hutchinson for a "new" GOP investigation of January 6, because sexually explicit messages to Hutchinson from Republican members of Congress could potentially come to light.
Barf. You know that Matt Gaetz had to have been one of those members. But who says it was only men? Nancy Mace is such an off-the-wall nutcase that we wouldn't put it past her. We cats HISS.
*NOTE: We'll see if Pierre Poilievre's revolting persona ends up catching up with him. He also has to be worried that Trump's return has reminded Canadians of all the things about him they dislike. And the Liberal leadership race includes a formidable candidate, Mark Carney, who seems to make the Tories very, very nervous. We cats HOPE.
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